The foundations of the major federal policies that govern today's workplace were put in place during the 1930s, when most families had a stay-at-home caregiver who could tend to the needs of children, the aged, and the sick. Seven decades later, many of the nation's workplace policies are in need of major updates to reflect the realities of the…

The amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) in 2004 reiterate the significance of producing real postsecondary education, employment, and independent living outcomes. However, current employment data continue to show widespread unemployment and very limited access to inclusive community environments and…

The programmatic structure and modes of implementation of U.S. social provisions must be understood in order to gain insight into social programs in the United States. National standards have not been established for public benefits and "social security" has remained firmly separated, both institutionally and symbolically, from…

The commitment on the part of the national government to provide some assistance to the elderly began in the 1930s, but in the last decade or so, this commitment has substantially increased. (Author/AM)

Hearings on the status of medical education funded under the Medicare program are presented, with attention to how the program reimburses hospitals for medical education costs. The Social Security Act Amendments of 1983 provided for a radical reform in hospital payment. By the end of a 3-year phase-in period, the program was designed to set…