Conflict Perspective

Mental Health in Brevard County from the Conflict Perspective
My Social Issue: My social issue addresses the availability and accessibility of mental healthcare in Brevard County, Florida. Though it cannot be exactly pinpointed when this became an issue it has been known for many years the lack of resources available to those plagued with mental illness. According to the Professional Research Consultants, Inc., mental illness is one of the primary causes of disability (Professional Research Consultants, Inc., 2013). In addition to this the homeless population also suffers from mental illness, a debilitating 40% (Council on Homelessness, Department of Children and Families, 2013). Without money, transportation, or knowledge how are these people
The Conflict Theory is seen at the macro level and is defined as being made up of individuals competing for limited resources socially, politically, and materially (Keirns, Strayer, Griffiths, 2013). In the Conflict Theory it is the unavoidable inequalities in large systems and corporations that allow society to function. Because of these inequalities some groups in a given society will receive more resources and benefits than other groups in that same society. Throughout evolution and down to our very primal roots it has always been about the competition of limited resources and it is because of our advantages in those resources that we have evolved as a society. The conflict theory embodies these pure, primal concepts in much of the same way allowing society to evolve and move forward based on the fight for resources. The people within a society who have the advantage in resources will do whatever they have to to maintain this advantage and continued success. One of the major sociologists associated with the Conflict Theory is Karl Marx. Marx focused on the economic differences between social classes forming the beginning and foundation of the Conflict Theory (Keirns, Strayer, Griffiths,
A conflict theorist would observe that the large corporations are making money from people continuing to need care for their mental illness. She would also observe that, although Circles of Care is a non-profit organization, that doesn’t mean that the people in charge don’t ultimately line their pockets when all is said and done. A final observation would also note that if the mentally ill population remains a victim of their illness requiring care time and time again because of lapses in their care or a lack of funding that the bigger corporations will also make more