Former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Murphy, now the executive vice president with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts, will deliver the opening address at the event, which begins at 9 a.m. Later, Secretary of the Office for Health and Human Services Gerald Whitburn will discuss current human service initiatives in Massachusetts.
"We are witnessing not only a lot of budget cuts in and discontinuation of social programs," said Prof. Demetrius Iatridis (GSSW), an event coordinator, "but a major shift in policy. The federal government will be pushing more of the responsibility for welfare and related programs onto the states. There are some questions as to what is going to happen in Massachusetts, so one thing we want to examine this year is how prepared the state is for this transition."
The day will feature a series of panel discussions examining the GOP legislative agenda and its effects in specific areas. One panel will focus on Medicare and Medicaid, while other panels will discuss Aid to Families with Dependent Children and poverty in urban neighborhoods.
Following the presentations and subsequent small group discussions with GSSW faculty, students will be able to meet with state representatives and senators and other legislative personnel.
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