Human Behavior & the Social Environment: Websites

"The American Public Health Association is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world and has been working to improve public health since 1872. The Association aims to protect all Americans, their families and their communities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to assure community-based health promotion and disease prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States."

"The mission of Behaviorists for Social Responsibility is to act to expand applications of behavior analysis and cultural analysis addressing social issues, particularly those with social justice, human rights, and environmental implications."

The accrediting agency of social work education in the United States. It has discussion on Aging, Policy and other topics. See the list under "Topics" on the right hand side of the page.

The largest Social Work association in the world. This site includes links to many sources of information.

"The Foundation...dedicates itself exclusively to strengthening the methods, data, and theoretical core of the social sciences as a means of diagnosing social problems and improving social policies." Find reports in the "Research" area.

"The Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care is an association, 1200 members strong, dedicated to promoting the universal availability, accessibility, coordination, and effectiveness of health care that addresses the psychosocial components of health and illness."

"The mission of AoA is to develop a comprehensive, coordinated and cost-effective system of home and community-based services that helps elderly individuals maintain their health and independence in their homes and communities." Includes statistics, elders and families links and much more.

Information about Medicare and Medicaid services.

"The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (Forum) is a collection of 22 Federal government agencies involved in research and activities related to children and families."

"The mission of the Future of Children is to translate the best social science research about children and youth into information that is useful to policymakers..." Includes numerous publications, links and other resources.

"HomeAid is a leading national non-profit provider of housing for today's homeless."

"SeniorNet's mission is to provide older adults education for and access to computer technologies to enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom."

"(To) Deliver Social Security services that meet the changing needs of the public."

"Established in 1992 through the vision of leading child advocates, VOICES for Alabama’s Children was the first, and remains the only, organization to document the conditions of children in each of our state’s 67 counties. From building public awareness to leading legislative advocacy efforts, all of VOICES’ activities are based on a solid foundation of research."

"To help social service professionals throughout the world conveniently maintain an awareness of news regarding the profession and emerging scholarship."

"The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections."

"The intellectual commitment of PRAXIS is to the promotion of positive social change through informed action." A comprehensive site to numerous links.

The entrance to many government web sites. This site also includes a powerful search engine to locate government information at the National, State and Local levels of government.

"The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP) is part of the nationwide federally mandated protection and advocacy (P&A) system. ADAP's mission is to provide quality, legally based advocacy services to Alabamians with disabilities in order to protect, promote and expand their rights. ADAP's vision is one of a society where persons with disabilities are valued and exercise self-determination through meaningful choices, and have equality of opportunity."

Information about Medicare and Medicaid Services.

"The Kennedy School is committed to both thought and action. Our renowned faculty and pioneering research centers deliver bold new ideas. Our students are prepared and trained to lead, no matter whether in the private, public or non-profit sector. We not only convene the best and brightest international leaders in engaging today’s top issues, we are international ourselves. Learn more about us."

"At the Institute for Sustainable Communities, we give passionate, committed people the tools and skills they need to inspire active citizenship, protect the environment, and take on climate change."

"The American Public Health Association is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world and has been working to improve public health since 1872. The Association aims to protect all Americans, their families and their communities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to assure community-based health promotion and disease prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States. APHA represents a broad array of health professionals and others who care about their own health and the health of their communities."

"The Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld on June 28, 2012, means peace of mind for thousands of Alabamians, and thousands more will gain health security as the law's remaining protections take effect through 2014. These resources describe how the ACA works, how Alabama is addressing health care reform, what lies ahead and the heated debate that shaped this historic law."

"The mission of The Commonwealth Fund is to promote a high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including low-income people, the uninsured, minority Americans, young children, and elderly adults."

"Since we began in 1991, our goal has been to build an institution that plays a special role as a trusted source of information in a health care world dominated by vested interests. That institution-building process continues today.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities."

Highlighting the lives and works of Social Workers who worked in the profession before you.

Early social work history; history of poor people; biographies; pictures and links to more sites.

"The UN has 4 main purposes:
- To keep peace throughout the world;
- To develop friendly relations among nations;
- To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms;
- To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals."

"WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends."

America’s Health Rankings® was built upon the World Health Organization definition of health: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Our model reflects that determinants of health directly influence health outcomes, with determinants accounting for three-quarters and outcomes accounting for one-quarter of each state’s overall score and ranking. Four categories of determinants are included in our model of health: Behaviors, Community & Environment, Policy and Clinical Care.

"The Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest legal advocacy organization whose mission is to work for systemic policy reforms that achieves justice and fairness for low-income and unrepresented and other vulnerable populations that usually have little, or no, voice in developing or changing policies that impact their lives."

"Alliance for Justice is a national association of over 100 organizations, representing a broad array of groups committed to progressive values and the creation of an equitable, just, and free society. AFJ works to ensure that the federal judiciary advances core constitutional values, preserves human rights and unfettered access to the courts, and adheres to the even-handed administration of justice for all Americans. It is the leading expert on the legal framework for nonprofit advocacy efforts, providing definitive information, resources, and technical assistance that encourages organizations and their funding partners to fully exercise their right to be active participants in the democratic process."

"The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency. Our basic authorities come from four federal statutes: the Civil Service Reform Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)."

"NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community for hope for all of those in need."

"The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure."

"The Aspen Institute's mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues." Covers numerous issues.

"The Center conducts research and analysis to help shape public debates over proposed budget and tax policies and to help ensure that policymakers consider the needs of low-income families and individuals in these debates. We also develop policy options to alleviate poverty."

"A nonpartisan policy research organization dedicated to innovative research and analysis that promotes global security, prosperity, and freedom." Click on the links on the left side of the page: Policy Centers, Research Areas, etc..

"Harvard Kennedy School’s 15 centers and 60 programs are the main engines of research, covering international, national and local issues of public policy and management. The centers and programs fund research, produce publications, offer fellowships, organize events and support the teaching curriculum."

"Influencing State Policy (ISP) assists social work faculty and students in learning to effectively influence the formation, implementation, and evaluation of state - level policy and legislation."

"The Rand Corporation help improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis." Covers numerous subject areas. Look under "Research Areas" for topics.

Policy research in children, the elderly and other groups.

"The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is one of the nation’s premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals."

"The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars."

"Influencing State Policy (ISP) assists social work faculty and students in learning to effectively influence the formation, implementation, and evaluation of state - level policy and legislation."

A grassroots organization that covers many different topics.

"The core mission of OMB is to serve the President of the United States in implementing his vision across the Executive Branch." The U.S. budget as envisioned by the Executive Branch of the government.

Links to either the House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.

"Our mission: the Urban Institute gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues — to foster sound public policy and effective government."

"The Alabama Poverty Project mobilizes Alabamians to eliminate poverty through strategic partnerships with higher education institutions, community partners, policymakers and faith-based organizations."

"Arise Citizens' Policy Project (ACPP), founded in 1994, is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of 150 congregations and community groups and some 1,400 individuals united in their belief that low-income people are suffering because of state policy decisions. Through ACPP, groups and individuals join to gether to promote state policies that improve the lives of low-income Alabamians."

"IRP is a center for interdisciplinary research into the causes and consequences of poverty and social inequality in the United States." This site includes research publications, podcasts, links to other poverty sites and much more.

Federal poverty guideliness with links to other poverty research centers.

"...a non-partisan initiative that brings together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to find genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans. Through the ongoing exchange of ideas, research and data, Spotlight seeks to inform the policy debate about reducing poverty and increasing opportunity in the United States."

"To collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. These data are critical to federal, state, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that justice is both efficient and evenhanded."

The gateway to statistics for over 100 U.S. Federal Agencies. Statistics can be found by agency, subject or by a search engine.

The official center for collecting statistics on the U.S. population, economic data, government data and many surveys.