Social Services and the Ethnic Community

The work of helping professionals and how they do it continues to derive from the society in which they live. The demand for ethnic-sensitive social services is growing as the ethnic diversity of U.S. society grows. As communities become more diverse, they want their own agencies to serve their people. Has this always been the case? How do existing service systems fit with ethnic service systems? Do these systems ever converge? Iglehart and Becerra’s well-documented, well-organized examination of the history, evolution, and current state of social services to ethnic communities in the United States reveals vital pieces to the puzzle of ethnic-sensitive practice and multicultural service delivery. This much-needed synthesis of existing empirical and theoretical literature, case studies, and interviews with key informants will empower social service providers to respond effectively to the needs of ethnic communities.