Law and Social Welfare

Law and Social Welfare (formerly Public Interest and Social Welfare Law) This course is an introduction to the laws and policies that address social welfare and poverty in American society. The course will explore state and federal laws addressing social welfare, including welfare reform, benefit programs, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, consumer fraud, problems of the uninsured, and access to appropriate education, affordable housing, and safe environments. The course will also include an examination of the nature of poverty, socio-economic inequalities in U.S. society, and the challenges faced by those who provide legal representation to economically disadvantaged and other vulnerable populations.