34 Community Psychology and Human Services

The field of Community Psychology aligns closely with Human Services and this chapter of the textbook focuses on the ways professionals can use these principles regardless of role and work setting.  Community psychologists see the world through the lens of social problems, meaning that the unequal distribution of resources cause poverty, homelessness, poor health, unemployment and related problems such as crime and addictive behavior.

The field of Human Services includes prevention, intervention, and remediation and in contrast, Community Psychology heavily focuses on prevention. In addition it addresses whole communities, rather than individuals. Community psychologists acknowledge the need for these other services, but as you will see in this chapter, they focus on the challenging and exciting work of engaging communities in solving and preventing their own problems while working toward social justice.

There are several other unique features to this chapter which include the following:

• research and actions skills that community psychologists use;
• the relationship of these roles with community organizing;
• action steps that anyone can take to solve problems;
• and the focus on making community members equal members of the problem-solving team.

There is an overlap of theories and principles between these two fields. You will read more about strengths-based approach, social justice, ecological systems, and prevention. It’s likely that these fields will continue to influence one another and overlap in both their purposes and their practice. Utilize these ideas and strategies to inform your future work in whatever field you choose.