Social Work Commons^™

Understanding Writing Challenges Of Rural Msw Students: Preparing Students For Ethical Practice, Jennifer A. Shadik, Sarah B. Garlington, Terry Cluse-Tolar, Glenn Abraham

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

This study explores the attitudes and reflections of rural MSW students regarding writing. Twenty-seven students completed the modified Writing-to-learn Attitudes Survey (WTLAS). Fourteen completed an open-ended reflection where they were asked to assess their strengths and challenges in writing, as well as strategies for improvement. Results of WTLAS indicated students were anxious about writing, had difficulty organizing their thoughts, presenting their ideas clearly, and had little confidence in their writing. Results of the writing reflection indicated students were able to identify multiple challenges and strengths as well as means to remedy shortcomings. Qualitative analysis indicated the most frequent challenges were: …

Self-Care Among Social Workers Employed In Rural Settings: A Cross-Sectional Investigation, Diane N. Loeffler, J. Jay Miller, Theresia M. Pachner

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Despite growing recognition about the importance of self-care for social work professionals, research related to the topic has not kept pace with the changing landscape of the profession. Particularly, self-care practices among rural social work professionals have been overlooked in the research. Rural social work practice is, in many ways, decidedly different from practice in more urban areas. Thus, the primary aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the personal and professional self-care practices of rural social workers. Specifically, the study sough to better understand how often social workers engage in self-care and whether or not there are associations …

Learning Outside The Box: How To Incorporate An Experiential Service-Learning Project Encompassing Implicit And Explicit Curriculum In Rural Areas, Kimberly M. Wickersham

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The theoretical basis of this teaching pedagogy combines infusion methodology with experiential learning. The infusion method addresses two areas which faculty specifically wanted to include: critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A comparable project by Young, Lee and Kovacs (2016) also used experiential learning and stated, “university student engagement in service-learning type activities has been shown to have an impact on students’ beliefs, attitudes, and values, particularly related to working with older adults”. (p. 2) As a measurement of explicit curricula and core competencies, the students developed a portfolio with content prescribed to meet CSWE EPAS 1-9. The portfolio may also …

On The Politics Of Mobility A Review Of Milking In The Shadows, Kimberley Klein

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Keller explores in MILKING IN THE SHADOWS: Migrants and Mobility in America’s Dairyland, the complexity of the undocumented workers experience on rural Midwest dairy farms. Analyzing the shift from small family run dairy farms to mega-dairy operations that rely on the labor of undocumented immigrants, Keller exposes the paradox of America’s demand for cheap dairy products while also denying these individuals basic labor rights. Written largely from the lens of immigrant workers, Keller outlines the circular migration pattern of these dairy workers and the dangers they face not only crossing the border but also living on Midwest dairy farms. Expressing …

Using Person-Centered Scheduling With Geriatric Patients To Reduce Anxiety With Telepsychiatry, Jody G. Long, Patricia A. Wilkerson, Evi Taylor, John H. Hall, Christopher Peters

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study explored using person-centered scheduling with telepsychiatry for rural community geriatric patients. Quantitative research approaches were used to determine the level of satisfaction participants experienced with person-centered scheduling and geriatric telepsychiatry. Method: Quantitative data were collected by using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) before scheduling the first appointment and to assess the intervention’s effectiveness after the telepsychiatry session. Results: Person-centered telepsychiatry scheduling decreased geriatric patients’ anxiety as evidenced by Zung SAS scores. Conclusion: Older adult patients saw telepsychiatry as a viable means of treatment. Future research with geriatrics from different regions is needed.

Implications and future …

Rural Attitudes Toward Government Benefit Programs, Mary Laidlaw, Peter A. Kindle, Teresa M. Thomas, Melissa Fellows, Jennifer Reeves

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

This study explores rural Midwestern attitudes (N = 126) toward 21 government benefit programs. Findings indicated that there were substantial differences between male and female respondents with male respondents believing that means-tested government benefits were too generous by almost a full standard deviation (d = .90) in comparison with female respondents. Entitlement programs were also deemed too generous, but by a lesser effect (d = .67). No gender differences were noted for farm programs. Linear regression explained 23.3% of the variance in attitudes toward mean-tested programs, 20.8% for entitlement programs, but only 8.1% for farm-related programs. Findings …

The Sleep Gap: Advancing Healthy Sleep Among Youth In Rural Communities, Vanessa N. Jones, Justin Bucchio

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Sleep is essential to survival yet remains a public health concern affecting rural youth and adults (Chang et al., 2012; Kakkar, Bohra, Trivedi, Gupta, & Saini, 2016). Besides emotional and social problems, regular short sleep among youth contributes to neurodevelopmental and mental health concerns. Youth that reside in rural communities experience higher rates of short sleep (Daly et al., 2015); therefore, understanding and recognizing specific health risks and protective factors among this population is important to addressing sleep disparity. Future research should explore translating sleep knowledge into practical strategies to help reverse sleep insufficiency among rural youth. This practice note …

A Community And University Collaborative: Responding To The Opioid Crisis, John Conahan, Chelsea Toth, Sheryl Mcklveen

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

One of the 12 Grand Challenges of Social Work, as identified by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (2018), is Ensuring Healthy Development for all Youth. This article explores the importance of community-wide prevention efforts in meeting this challenge by utilizing grassroots coalition action in concert with engaged universities. Through perspectives of the Communities that Care Model and an Engaged University Model, this case study examines one community’s response to reduce the prevalence of youth substance abuse behaviors. Recommendations include effective coalition building strategies.

Behavioral Health In Rural America: Understanding Citizen Perceptions And Willingness To Respond To Community Needs, John M. Keesler, Helen Johnston, Jonah Simon, Taegan Anthony, Meagan Barnhart, Madison Bartlett, Janet Delong, Sharon Galloway, Melissa Kilpatrick, Jonathan Laucella, Hope Moreland, Gaby Ryan, Valerie Shannon

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Amid nationwide efforts to address behavioral health needs, rural communities often face unique challenges and a lack of resources. This study presents a bottom-up approach used by one rural community in the Midwest to respond to their needs regarding mental health and substance use. A survey instrument was developed from interviews with community stakeholders and disseminated in both online and paper formats. The survey sought to understand citizen perspectives regarding quality of life, barriers to treatment, and willingness to engage in efforts to address the community’s needs. Data from 1,303 respondents (71.5% women, 54.7% income <$42,000) were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses. Results indicate that cost of treatment, shame, and lack of privacy were a barrier for most citizens’ treatment-seeking behavior. In addition, many citizens were willing to engage in strategies to address the community’s needs, including increased county spending, forming a neighborhood watch, and donating money. Differences associated with gender and income emerged across perceptions and willingness to support efforts. Implications for community efforts are discussed.

Review Of Dreams Derailed: Undocumented Youths In The Trump Era, Carleen A. Simpson

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Review of Dreams Derailed: Undocumented Youths in the Trump Era

Project Rafiki: Consumer And Provider Perspectives On Food Assistance And Its Impact On Quality Of Life For Individuals Living With Hiv/Aids, Emily C. Holderfield-Gaither, Saundra Starks, William Mkanta

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Project Rafiki was designed to provide nonperishable food assistance to individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, East Africa. The research study was developed to examine the extent to which the Project Rafiki food assistance program had impacted its participants over the course of one year. The aim of this research can be divided into five smaller objectives: 1) to gage the effectiveness of the food assistance program; 2) to assist in the expansion of inter-professional knowledge of resource-development regarding health and nutrition for vulnerable communities or rural areas; 3) to involve and immerse students in learning on a global level; …

From The Editor, Peg Munke

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Volume 10 for 2018 is finally completed and closed. This year, actually 2019, we have finally mastered the software for editing and publication so we expect to be closer to our target date in publication henceforth. We appreciate everyone’s patience more than we can tell you.

Teaching Msw Students Suicide Assessment, Intervention, And Postvention In Rural Areas, Aisling Del Quest, Randall Nedegaard

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

This teaching note argues the need for enhanced suicide assessment and intervention training for MSW students preparing for rural social work practice. A detailed outline of a suicide elective course is presented, addressing rural specific challenges. After course completion, students (N = 49) reported feeling better prepared to work with suicidal clients and better able to conduct an accurate assessment and suggest appropriate interventions.