Social issues facing Black Americans relate to COVID-19 and incarceration. According to statistics, Black people are jailed at approximately five times the rate of white people. In twelve states, Black people account for at least half of the overall prison population. In seven states, there are around nine Black prisoners for every one white prisoner.

Human service professionals can work with families impacted by America's unjust prison system. They can provide them with counseling and legal assistance. They can also work with those who were imprisoned to help ease their transition back to everyday life.

In terms of COVID-19, Black people continue to be hit harder by the pandemic. For example, reports show that, since June of this year, almost every person in Washington DC who has died of COVID-19 has been Black. To counter the harm that COVID-19 has caused for Black people, human service professionals can work with Black communities to try and bring them better healthcare or come up with ways to limit their exposure to the virus.

For one more social issue facing Black people, consider how predominately Black communities are vulnerable to tainted water. In Michigan, the towns of Flint and Benton Harbor have had to deal with lead-contaminated water. Perhaps human service officials could work with the communities to distribute safe water. Then they could work with government officials to try and put a stop to this pattern.