Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Strict Isolation Compliance: A Quality Improvement Initiative Implementation Process, Debra Apenhorst

Theses and Graduate Projects

This is a retrospective description and evaluation of an implementation process for a quality improvement initiative. The intent of the quality improvement initiative was to improve compliance with isolation as a means of reducing healthcare associated infections. The project evaluates the effectiveness of the implementation strategies through the lens of the Health Belief Modal and Watson's theoretical framework. This evaluation considers the health beliefs of healthcare workers and the impact on behavior and implications of nurse as vigilant guardian, protecting the patients by decreasing the risk of acquiring an infection while receiving medical care. Integral to Watson's theory is the …

Variables Related To Social Service And Justice Advocacy Activities In Minneapolis Area Synod Congregations Of The Evangelical Lutheran Church In America, Mary Simonson Clark

Theses and Graduate Projects

This thesis reports on the initial phase of research regarding the variables related to social service and justice advocacy activities of congregations in the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. An extensive review of literature from a variety of disciplines and resources provides the basis for this study. Theoretical frameworks pertinent to this work include resource mobilization, ecological systems, and social justice theories as well as the contextual framework of Lutheranism's Christian beliefs. In addition to congregations' demographic and belief variables, the literature emphasizes relational community organizing to develop awareness among groups from the dominant culture …

A Study Of Hiv Case Management Services Provided To People With A Triple Diagnosis Of Hiv, Mental Illness, And Chemical Dependency, Ericka Lynn Kimball

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study researched the case management services provided to people with a triple diagnosis of HIV, mental illness, and chemical dependency. Data were gathered to determine what services were being provided and areas for improvement, Information was gathered from HIV case management survey providers and the Minnesota Department of Human Services HIV/AIDS Division. The study found that services were being provided to people with a triple diagnosis. However, case management services need to move from assessment practices to providing referral and follow up services. The social work profession needs to continue to advocate for this unique population while increasing …

The War On Drugs Is A War On African American Communities, Saundra Denise Massey

Theses and Graduate Projects

The "war on drugs" and the "get tough" attitudes associated with it have resulted in disproportionate numbers of incarcerated blacks. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, nationally one in every 20 black men over the age of 18 is in a state or federal prison. In contrast, the incarceration rate for white men is one out of every 180 (Human Rights Watch, 2000).

This paper is a policy analysis examining one law that may affect incarceration rates for blacks, the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. Using the analytical model of Segal and Brzuzy, "Social Welfare Policy, Programs, and …

Tribal Workers' Knowledge And Perspectives On The Effectiveness Of The Indian Child Welfare Act, Linda L. Strong

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study surveyed tribal workers' perspectives on the effectiveness of the Indian Child Welfare Act. The purpose of this study was to gain front line perspectives from the people who work directly with the enforcement of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Do the various tribal workers involved with this study feel knowledgeable, trained, supported and most of all do they feel the Indian Child Welfare Act has been effective? If not, Why? What changes if any need to be made to ensure the effectiveness of the Indian Child Welfare Act? Questionnaires were mailed to tribal workers employed by eleven …

Hollman V Cisneros: The Hollman Consent Decree, A Policy Analysis, David C. Broberg

Theses and Graduate Projects

The Hollman Consent Decree was the negotiated settlement in 1995 of a class action lawsuit, Hollman v Cisneros, filed in the fourth district federal judicial court in 1992 by the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis and the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, alleging racial discrimination by the City of Minneapolis and its public housing authority.

Despite the decrees call for the relocation of the public housing residents of the four north-side housing projects to areas of lower race and poverty concentrations, the majority of families relocated to other neighborhoods on the north side …

Social Work Burnout And Supportive Supervision, Kathryn L. Jarl

Theses and Graduate Projects

It is widely agreed that social work has an emotional and stressful load that can lead to social worker burnout. Burnout needs to be clearly defined and the different variables causing stress leading to burnout need to be fully understood in order to implement appropriate preventative strategies. Burnout is defined as the emotional depletion felt from a continuous drain on one's personal reserves. Burnout has three different components: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. The findings suggest that the type of supervision has an impact on social worker burnout. Supervision is divided into its three functions: administrative, educational, …

The Quest For Housing, Leslie Moore

Theses and Graduate Projects

What are the factors that affect the ability of a person with serious and persistent mental illness to maintain stable housing? People with serious and persistent mental illness face many challenges to find and/or maintain stable housing. Interviews were conducted with 12 individuals with serious and persistent mental illness. Structured individual interviews concentrated on each participant's ability to find housing, how the participant found current and past housing (past two years), if he or she was assisted in the process, and identified any difficulties encountered while seeking housing. A second aspect of the study focused on the challenges each individual …

Evaluation Of A Court-Ordered Divorce Education Program In A Suburban Minnesota County, Solveig Erickson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Minnesota requires divorcing parents to attend education programs that increase their awareness of relevant laws and court processes, the effects of divorce on children and the importance of communication skills in divorce. The purpose of this program evaluation was to explore participants' reactions to the court-ordered divorce education classes in a suburban Minnesota county. A systematic random sample of 70 exit surveys collected in 1999 was selected for the second class, focusing on needs of children in a divorce, in a series of three classes that comprise the program. The survey questions focused on what participants found most helpful, what …

Bullying: What Is It, Who Is Involved And Why Should We Care?, Jeffrey A. Schoeberl

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that bullying has had on 5th at one suburban school. Using a self-administered survey on a population of 55 students (n = 55), approximately 17% of students report being the victim of a bully and nearly 8% report bullying others. Over 7 percent of subjects reported missing a day of school or avoiding other parts of the school for fear of encountering a bully. In addition, victimized students reported substantially more fear in the school environment than non-victimized students. This study suggests that a substantial proportion of students in our …

Child Maltreatment And Resilience, Annette M. Strum

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory, cross-sectional quantitative study was undertaken to examine how County Child Protection Social Workers perceive the concept of child resilience and how social worker self appraisal of use of resilience in interventions was consistent with their rating of resilience of children in their professional career. A self report survey was distributed to County Child Protection Field Social Workers. Univariate analysis was done and descriptive statistics were used to summarize characteristics of the data. Due to low response rate and design of the survey, findings could not be generalized. Future research may use this information to further explore "best practices" …

A Historical And Policy Analysis Of The Family Medical Leave Act Of 1993 (P.L. 103-3), James C. Towns

Theses and Graduate Projects

This historical and policy analysis as a qualitative method of research will examine the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-3), which was passed by Congress and signed into law. This law requires that private employers with 50 or more employees provide for its eligible employees the benefit of unpaid leave for up to 12 weeks. This research and its findings will attempt to provide the social work profession with an understanding of the historical process of this law and those it was intended to benefit.

Systemic Barriers That Prevent Mental Health Services From Being Accessed By The Deaf Population, Jen Ruther-Uhrich

Theses and Graduate Projects

Mental health services are essential and need to be equally accessible and non-discriminatory to all individuals within our society. Traditionally, the Deaf community has encountered many hindrances when attempting to access mental health seruices. This study examines the systemic barriers that prevent Deaf individuals from obtaining mental health services in the Twin Cities Metro and regional area. Questionnaires were sent out to 100 individuals that serve Deaf adults with mental illness within the Twin Cities Metro Area. The results from the 48 seruice providers' questionnaires responses show specific qualitative barriers; Community Service Agencies, Cultural Competency, Deaf lndividuals with Additional Needs, …

An Evaluation Of The Ispcan Inter-Sectoral Training: Child Abuse Protocols In South Africa, Amy Maheswaran

Theses and Graduate Projects

This research studies how child abuse has become so pervasive in South Africa and evaluates a project that provides training for professionals to learn the necessary skills to build an effective social welfare system, potentially create national procedures for serving abused children and potentially change child abuse laws. Efforts have been made to build awareness on the rights of children in South Africa. Children, before and after the apartheid regime, have been affected by the breakdown of families and oppressive laws in a patriarchal society. Child abuse services and policies have attempted to address protecting children from abuse. Despite efforts …

Examining Perceptions About Restorative Justice Among Correctional Managers And Leaders, Sigrun M. Klausen

Theses and Graduate Projects

There has been an increasing dissatisfaction with the current criminal justice system, and restorative justice with its ancient roots, has made its way into criminal justice in the past 20 years as a different way of thinking about crime. The Minnesota Department of Corrections established a Restorative Justice unit in 1994 as the first state in the nation. To adapt restorative justice in the prison system, a change in organizational culture is required, and it is important that managers and leaders understand and accept the principles. A questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was sent to managers and leaders in …

Towards An Understanding Of Church Social Work Practice, Luann K. Hanson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Four social workers, employed by Lutheran churches in the Twin Cities area, were interviewed using an interview guide. The outcomes of the interviews are discussed. Out of these interviews, and the literature review, an understanding of church social work practice, roles, and models used arose. Analysis revealed that the role of social workers in church-related employment was defined by several factors, which in turn shaped job satisfaction and the types of models used in their ministry. Similarities were seen between all the church social workers interviewed and their desire to approach clients holistically. However, the environment and the vision of …

Collective Healing Of Cultural And Historical Trauma: Towards A Model For European Americans As Informed By African American And American Indian Traditions, Elizabeth Christine Carlson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study was undertaken to explore important concepts in the formation of a model for White Cultural Healing based on American Indian, African American and European American cultural healing traditions. Eight individuals selected based on their cultural awareness and understanding of the healing process. Two identify as African American, two as American Indian and the remaining four as European American. They were interviewed regarding their knowledge and experience of the cultural trauma in the background of their people and their traditional ways of healing. The content of the interviews was coded and analyzed thematically. The model for White Cultural …

An Exploration Of Family Adjustment To Nursing Home Placement As Perceived By Nursing Home Social Workers, Alicia Ann Vandenberg

Theses and Graduate Projects

This primarily qualitative study was undertaken to explore two main research questions. The primary research question was: "What do families need when admitting a loved one to a nursing home?" The secondary research question was: "Are there ways that nursing home staff. especially social workers, can help family members adjust to placement?" Data were obtained by surveying a sample frame of social workers who belong to the Minnesota Nursing Home Social Workers Association and whose names appeared on the association's mailing list. Ninety-eight potential participants selected at random by stratified sampling were sent questionnaires. Open ended, short answer, scale, and …

Client Satisfaction In A Battered Women's Shelter, Sandra Kathleen Womeldorf

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study is to survey and evaluate client satisfaction within a shelter for battered women. This descriptive study was a fuuctional learning tool for the agency, the community as well as for the purpose of the research study, Through an anonymous questionnaire developed by the researcher, participants were asked to complete questions on the five selected areas of focus in an effort to obtain the most recent reflections of women residing in a community shelter for abuse and violence. They were: client satisfaction within access to community resources, staff allocation of time, staff respect and benefit to …

Practitioner Perspectives On End-Of-Life Planning, Katherine M. Krage

Theses and Graduate Projects

It is becoming more common for practitioners to discuss advance directives, thereby affirming each person's right to participate in directing end-of-life care. However, little attention has been paid to models of end-of-life planning. This study, a secondary analysis of research completed in 18 La Crosse area health care organizations, explores the extent to which practitioners engage patients and surrogates in exploring values and goals while educating patients about advance directives. It also explores the communication process, including retrievability of directives. Despite uniform training throughout the community, the extent to which practitioners discuss treatment options with patients, families, and surrogates varies …

Community Capacity Building: How Are Low-Income Families And Communities Of Color Engaged In The Process?, Juanita Judie Cutler

Theses and Graduate Projects

An issue for policy-makers and community organizations across Minnesota is the lack of knowledge about how to engage low-income families and people of color in community decision-making and community capacity building efforts. A culturally diverse research team interviewed forty-nine community leaders who had been identified as change agents, had struggled to become leaders, were perceived as mentors, and/or were viewed as cultural leaders. A major theme of what worked for communities to engage the disenfranchised centered on the development of safe forums for dialogue to create insightful trusting and meaningful relationships and to better understand race, class and culture. A …

A Needs Assessment To Determine If There Is A Need For Information/Support Groups For Informal Caregivers Of Terminal Cancer Patients, Keri Bolduan

Theses and Graduate Projects

This needs assessment was undertaken to determine if Aberdeen, South Dakota is in need of an informational/support group for informal caregivers of terminal cancer patients. A 112 professionals (doctors, nurses, social workers and pastoral care workers) from The Cancer Care Center, Avera St. Lukes Hospital, and it's affiliate, North Plains Hospice were surveyed using both quantitative and qualitative questions. Only 19 of the 112 responded to the survey. The survey focused on the professionals' experience and knowledge of working with terminal cancer patients and informal caregivers as well as resources available to their clients. The findings of this study indicated …

Qualitative Study Of Prenatal Care And Low Income Women, Amy B. Hoppe

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study explored the experience of low-income pregnant women in obtaining prenatal care. The literature review focused on the issues of accessibility and barriers in obtaining healthcare for low-income pregnant women. The review also included the concept of motivation for seeking and obtaining healthcare. Five pregnant women who sought prenatal care at an inner-city clinic were interviewed using semi-structured questions. The interviews focused on barriers to accessing health care and the women' s motivations for seeking and continuing care throughout their pregnancies. The study found that barriers such as long wait times did exist, but the main problem for …

An Historical And Policy Analysis Of The Child Abuse Prevention And Treatment Act (P.L. 93-247) And Amendments With Special Reference To The Crisis Nursery Prevention Model, Lyra L. Peterson

Theses and Graduate Projects

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatrnent Act of L9l4 (P.L. 93-247) was the federal legislation that included the first definition of child maltreatment and funded both treatment and prevention projects, including crisis nursery demonstration projects.

This social policy and historical analysis examines the legislative policy that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Nixon (1974). The analysis will include subsequent amendments. This law defines child abuse and sets provisions for reporting, investigating, treating, and preventing child abuse.

This research reveals competition between the provision of treatment and prevention throughout the policy. This competition is driven by two …

A Hermeneutical Study: The Personal Meaning Of The Dying Experience Of Individuals With A Terminal Illness, Maurine E. Mccort

Theses and Graduate Projects

Most research in the study of dying has focused on the attitudes towards death, anxiety surrounding the dying experience, and bereavement. There is scant research done in examining the personal meaning of the dying process of persons with a terminal illness. This study employed the methodology of hermeneutics, a qualitative research design in the study of phenomenology using text. This study used the interpretation of the text from two 60-90 minute in-depth interviews with individuals with a terminal illness to create a deeper understanding of the personal meaning of dying. The findings indicate that the phenomena of dying are an …

Narrative Therapy: A Multi-Dimensional Case Evaluation, Brad Hanson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This case study examines the effects of narrative therapy on a client diagnosed with depression. I performed six sessions of narrative therapy with the client while measuring change in several different ways. After the referral, the study began with the client taking the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), as well as setting two goal attainment scales that measured behaviors linked to her depression. I kept field notes during the intervention in order to track the progress of the sessions as well as my application of the model. At the conclusion of the intervention I performed a depth interview with the …

The Experience Of Alcohol Use In Adolescence: A Hermeneutic Study, Stacy O. Swenson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Alcohol use among adolescents has been a long-standing problem in the United States. This study was undertaken to gain a better understanding of what the experience of using alcohol as a teenager is like. For this hermeneutic study, three participants took part in an in-depth interview that focused on their experiences with alcohol. The main theme that emerged from the experiences was Maturing. This theme and two subthemes, Peer Influence and Risk Taking, were examined for deeper meaning. These findings suggest that professionals working with adolescents can further help their clients by keeping the door open for discussion of …

The School Experience Of Gay, Lesbian And Bisexual Students, Lisa Stromquist

Theses and Graduate Projects

A content analysis was conducted on of the public school experience of 3 youth from gay-straight alliance groups, who self identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. The major themes found are the importance of caring and involved teachers, the positive experience of gay-straight alliance groups, and the affects of peer harassment. Implications for social work practice and policy are discussed.

Social Support And Depressive Symptoms Of Older Adults Residing In An Age Segregated Housing Complex, Erica M. Doyen

Theses and Graduate Projects

Research regarding social supports and depression has been extensive with the older adult population except for areas of mid-stzed communities ranging between 25,000 to 75,000. This was an exploratory, cross-sectional study examining the social supports and depressive symptoms of older adults residing in an age segregated housing complex in a Midwest city with a population under 35,000. The participants (N:8), were residents of an age segregated public housing complex. Through the completion of a scheduled stzurdardized interview, the participants answered forty-two questions from the Duke Social Support Index and the Geriatric Depression Scale. The questions were based on current mood …

Is The Overrepresentation Of Minorities In Special Education An Undesirable Consequence Of The 1975 Education For Aii Handicapped Children Act (P.L. # 94-142) And Its Amendments?, Eve M. Toomey

Theses and Graduate Projects

Research studies have shown that there is a disproportionate number of minority students being identified as needing special education services. This research study examined special education policy as it has evolved overtime, beginning with the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act through the 1997 amendments to this Act to determine if special education law has contributed to the over representation of minorities in special education.

This historical policy analysis was performed by utilizing congressional logs between 1974 and 1997 as well as examining copies of the pertinent policies themselves. The study has found that special education policies have adequate …