Social Work Commons^™

People's Resource Center And Food Insecurity, Jaclyn Logan

COD Library Student Research and Award Symposium

The People’s Resource Center addresses both food insecurity and poverty. The PRC has a long history of serving those in need since 1975. They have a multitude of programs including a food pantry and a clothes pantry. It is through our services that those experiencing food insecurity and poverty can get their necessities, even without having as much money.

Faculty Sponsor: Lisa Higgins

Sustainable Development And Environmental Justice: Connecting Students To Global Issues, Sierra T. Davis

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

This pilot study will contribute to the literature surrounding study abroad using a new framework to gauge the effect travel has on knowledge of global issues. The United Nations created a list of sustainable development goals meant to rectify pressing issues in the United States and abroad. The goals have been separated into the categories of ending poverty, ensuring prosperity for all, and protection of the planet. Using them as the framework for a quantitative study, data were collected from college-level students around South Carolina on perceptions of global issues through a sustainable lens. The project has had two phases; …

Engaging With A Prevention Approach: System Supports Needed In Child Abuse And Neglect Prevention, Silvia L. Vilches, Beth S. Mcdaniel, Haley Sherman, Brianna Burks, Allie Merritt, Terra Jackson, Synithia W. Flowers

Southeastern Council on Family Relations Conference

Public policy has been shifting from child abuse and neglect (CAN) intervention toward prevention, using public health style frameworks, which emphasize shared community and legislative responsibilities to support families (Browne, 2014; CDC, 2014). Analysis of qualitative data from statewide focus groups held in 2019 in Alabama with 99 community-based CAN prevention workers shows strengths in community collaboration, but also, struggles to help families meet basic needs because of lack of community resources, such as transportation and quality child care, and other barriers, including stigma. The results demonstrate confusion between prevention, which is intended to build family resilience to avert crisis, …

Open Adoption: An Expansion Of Family, Madeline Huisjen

Southeastern Council on Family Relations Conference

95% of adoption in the United States are open adoptions (Siegel & Smith, 2012). Past research has focused on the satisfaction of the adoptive parents, birth mother and adoptee in open adoption (Colaner & Scharp, 2016). However, there is a gap in research considering communication within the open adoption relationship (Grotevant, 2009). This qualitative phenomenological study sought to understand the experiences of birth mothers and adoptive parents in open adoption relationships as well as determine what is helpful and/or harmful within this relationship. The researchers conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with birth mothers and adoptive parents. Through open coding, key findings …

The Journey Of Life Before, During And After Foster Care And The Path To Resilience, Sara B. Wood

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Children who are impacted by abuse and situations that result in foster care have the ability to overcome trauma with the support of stable and nurturing adults. This presentation will take participants on a journey of the life of a foster child from the early years to adulthood from the point of view of a foster child, social worker, and teacher.

Act To Save A Life: Evidence-Based Youth Suicide Prevention, Meghan Diamon

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Youth suicide is a preventable tragedy that can occur when children's mental health needs are unmet. Participants will discuss published research on risk factors for youth suicide, how to implement an evidence-based prevention program, and how to tackle common obstacles encountered. Participants will be prepared to mobilize school staff, parents, and community members to address the critical issues of depression awareness and suicide prevention.

We Need Sex Ed, Too! : Addressing The Sexual Risk Behaviors Of System Involved Youth, Nadine Finigan-Carr

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

System involved youth (e.g., youth in child welfare or juvenile services) are a vulnerable population with increased risk for unintended pregnancy, HIV, and STIs. This workshop is designed to (1) identify their sexual reproductive health risk behaviors; (2) describe the related determinants; and, (3) improve awareness of how educators can promote the development of positive sexual risk behaviors among them.

“Re/Imagining Culturally Responsive Educational Practices (Crep) And Effectively Implementing Crep To Meet The Needs Of A Diverse Student Population”, Rena' Glass-Dixon, Shelbie Dixon-Brown

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

The aim of this interactive workshop for educators and administrators is to promote cultural awareness and reflect on the impact that our own cultural influences have on the teaching and learning process. This interactive session will also allow professional educators and leaders to apply culturally informed practices to foster positive school climate, learning and academic achievement relevant to a widely diverse student population. The workshop strives to encourage dialogue between educators, administrators and interdisciplinary/inter-agency team members through the application of evidence-based practices for the development of a deeper understanding of ourselves and how our views as educators, schools and districts …

Get Teens Talking: A Hands-On Approach To Sel Through The Arts, Gina H. Moore, Gina H. Moore

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Explore the power of art to give tweens and teens a vehicle for healthy self-expression and life skills that can take them from risk to resilience. Interact and connect in this hands-on session that demonstrates engaging activities to create a sense of community within groups. Exercise your creativity and leave with unique artwork and a written guide to facilitate the activities in your programs.

Hard Conversations, Healthy Conversations: How To Respond When Tragedy Strikes, Elizabeth Marston, Samuel Marion

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

How do we talk to children and students about tragedy? How do we support families faced with a health crisis or unexpected death? This presentation will discuss the challenges of dealing with tragic circumstances and how we can best support children, students, and their families in a way to promote emotional health.

Practical Strategies For Regulating Students’ Brains, Kathy Van Horn, Joshua Macneill

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Knowing your students are impacted by trauma is only step one. It is more important to know what to do. This session will cover interventions such as brain breaks, fidgets, student curriculum and service dogs. We will share how we transformed four schools to meet the needs of struggling students. Whether you are an academic, clinical, or administrative staff, you will leave with tangible interventions you can implement immediately.

What’S In A Name? How The Language Of Mental Health Diagnoses Affects The Ability To Heal, Elizabeth Marston, Samuel Marion

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

When a person receives a mental health diagnosis, they are often started down a path of receiving help, but also of receiving stigma. This presentation will discuss how language around a diagnosis can affect a child’s sense of self as well as either help or hurt a student’s ability to manage and heal.

Protection Orders And Their Perceived Effectiveness - A Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault Crisis Center Program Evaluation, Shelby Connett

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This presentation showcases the program evaluation of the Spouse Abuse Sexual Assault (SASA) Crisis Center's legal advocacy program in Hastings, NE. The quantitative and qualitative research components assessed the effectiveness of protection orders of individuals receiving services from SASA's legal advocacy program. Results, recommendations, and limitations are discussed.