Social Work Commons^™

Remarital Chances, Choices, And Economic Consequences: Issues Of Social And Personal Welfare, Kevin Shafer, Todd M. Jensen

Kevin Shafer

Many divorced women experience a significant decline in financial, social, physical, and psychological well-being following a divorce. Using data from the NLSY79 (n= 2,520) we compare welfare recipients, mothers, and impoverished women to less marginalized divorcees on remarriage chances. Furthermore, we look at the kinds of men these women marry by focusing on the employment and education of new spouses. Finally, we address how remarriage and spousal quality (as defined by education and employment) impact economic well-being after divorce. Our results show that remarriage has positive economic effects, but that is dependent upon spousal quality. However, such matches are rare …

Wood County Project Connect: Final Report For Event Held October 18, 2017, Melissa Winston Burek 3729542, Mamta U. Ojha, Marisa Hutchinson, Brandon Peebles

Melissa Burek

Dignity, Table Of Contents, Special Issue, Freedom From Sexploitation, Donna M. Hughes Dr.

Donna M. Hughes

No abstract provided.

Bits Of Belonging:Information Technology, Water, And Neoliberal Governance In India, Simanti Dasgupta

Simanti Dasgupta

India’s global success in the Information Technology industry has also prompted the growth of neoliberalism and the re-emergence of the middle class in contemporary urban areas, such as Bangalore. BITS of Belonging shows that this economic shift produces new forms of social inequality while reinforcing older ones. The study investigates this economic disparity by looking at IT and water privatization to explain how these otherwise unrelated domains correspond to our thinking about citizenship, governance, and belonging. The ethnographic study in this book shows how work and human processes in the IT industry intertwine to meet the market stipulations of the …

The Problem Of State Intervention In Post-Abolition Slavery: A Critique Of Consensus, Anthony Talbott, David Watkins

David Watkins

Slavery is now illegal by all states and under international law. Contrary to the hopes of abolitionists, this state of affairs has transformed rather than eradicated slavery as an institution. Furthermore, responses by states to post-abolition forms of slavery have often been less than ideal. This paper begins by comparing two state responses to slavery in the early 20th century: the federal peonage trials in Montgomery, Alabama from 1903-1905, and the federal response to an alleged epidemic of “white slavery” from 1909-1910, culminating in the passage of the White Slave-Traffic Act. Taken together, these responses engender pessimism about the state …

From Placement To Prison Revisited: Do Mental Health Services Disrupt The Delinquency Pipeline Among Latino, African American And Caucasian Youth In The Child Welfare System?, Antonio R. Garcia, Johanna K.P. Greeson, Minseop Kim, Allison E. Thompson, Christina Denard

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP

Racial and ethnic disparities in delinquency among child welfare-involved youth are well documented. However, less is known about the mechanisms through which these disparities occur. This study explores the extent to which sets of variables predict the occurrence of juvenile delinquency and whether race/ethnicity moderates the strength of the relationships between (1) social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) problems and delinquency and (2) mental health service use and delinquency. We used a nationally representative sample of 727 African American, Caucasian, and Latino youth between the ages of 12 and 17 who were referred to the child welfare system. Controlling for age, …

Predictors Of Homelessness Among Families And Single Adults After Exit From Homelessness Prevention And Rapid Rehousing Programs: Evidence From The Department Of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services For Veteran Families Program, Thomas Byrne, Daniel Treglia, Dennis P. Culhane, John Kuhn, Vincent Kane

Dennis P. Culhane

The Social Practice Of Human Rights, Joel Pruce

Joel Pruce

The Social Practice of Human Rights bridges the conventional scholar-practitioner divide by focusing on the space in between. In capturing this cutting edge research program, the volume proposes a perspective that motivates critical self-reflection of the strategies that drive communities dedicated to the advocacy and implementation of human rights. The social practice of human rights takes place not in front of a judge, but in the streets and alleys, in the backrooms and out-of-the-way places where change occurs. Contributors to this volume investigate the contexts and efforts of activists and professionals devoted to promoting human rights norms. This research takes …

Youth Homelessness: Prevalence And Associations With Weight In Three Regions, J. J. Cutuli, Caren Steinway, Staci Perlman, Janette E. Herbers, Karin M. Eyrich-Garg, Joe Willard

J. J. Cutuli

This study investigated the utility of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to document associations between homeless status and weight while estimating the prevalence of youth homelessness in three regions. A school-based survey, the YRBS includes youths who have been difficult to involve in past research. Analysis of 2011 YRBS data produced populationweighted estimates of youth homelessness prevalence separately for Connecticut, Delaware, and Philadelphia. Public high school students anonymously reported their housing status, height, and weight on the YRBS. Height and weight were converted to body mass index (BMI) percentile-for-age scores. Homelessness was associated with higher BMI percentile scores for …

It's Good To Know That You Got Somebody That's Not Going Anywhere: Attitudes And Beliefs Of Older Youth In Foster Care About Child Welfare-Based Natural Mentoring, Johanna K.P. Greeson, Allison E. Thompson, Samira Ali, Rebecca Stern Wenger

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP

This exploratory study is the first to investigate the attitudes and beliefs of older adolescents in foster care toward the implementation of a child welfare-based natural mentoring intervention designed to promote enduring, growth-fostering relationships between youth at risk of emancipation and caring, supportive nonparental adults from within the youth's existing social network. Six focus groups were conducted with 17 older youth in foster care attending a specialized charter high school for young people in out-of-home care in a large, urban city in the Northeast United States. Focus group data were transcribed and analyzed using a conventional content analysis approach. The …

Development And Validation Of An Instrument To Assess Imminent Risk Of Homelessness Among Veterans, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, Jamison Fargo, Vincent Kane, Dennis P. Culhane

Dennis P. Culhane

Who Needs Goals? An Analog Experiment Comparing Goal-Based Evaluation And Goal-Free Evaluation Utility, Alayna Zielinski, Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

The poster highlights the results of an analog experiment that compared to approaches to program evaluation: goal-based evaluation and goal-free evaluation. Which approach had more utility per the evaluation client?

A Bottom-Up Definition Of Self-Sufficiency: Voices From Low-Income Jobseekers., Philip Young P. Hong, Vamadu A. Sheriff, Sandra R. Naeger

Philip Hong

Self-sufficiency (SS) is the epitome of America’s ‘reluctant’welfare state. It is generally accepted in social welfare policycircles as a concept related to independence and financialstability. Nevertheless, SS is not a term agreed upon inpractice by policymakers, researchers, or service providersand is frequently used without a clear common definition.In this sense, the purpose of this study is to explore the extentto which the top-down definition of ‘economic’ SS as thesocial policy goal is consistent with how the clients of job training programs perceive the term. Using a groundedtheory approach, a bottom-up definition of SS was derivedfrom a focus group of low-income …

Parenting In The Face Of Homelessness, Staci M. Perlman, Sandy Sheller, Karen Hudson, C. Leigh Wilson

Staci Perlman

The number of families with children experiencing homelessness increased by over 30% from 2007 to 2011 (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2011). Of the more than 300,000 children within these families, it is estimated that the majority are under age six (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2009). These young children and their families are disproportionately more likely to experience a myriad of structural, economic, social, and health stressors. Left unaddressed, these stress experiences can adversely influence children’s short- and long-term growth, development, and well-being (Shonkoff, 2011). Recent research demonstrates the protective influence that positive parent-child relationships can exert …

Social Capital And Homeownership In Low To Moderate Income Neighborhoods, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Yeong Hun Yeo, Kim R. Manturuk, Mathieu R. Despard, Krista A. Holub, Johanna K.P. Greeson, Roberto G. Quercia

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP

This study examined the relationship between homeownership and social capital among low- and moderate-income (LMI) households. Using data from the Community Advantage Panel Study, the authors used propensity score weighting and regression analyses to explore the relationship between LMI homeownership, neighborhood conditions, and social capital. After controlling for several important individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics, the authors found that homeownership is related to greater access to social resources in general but not to social resources within the neighborhood. Instead, resource generation within the neighborhood is largely predicted by neighborhood stability and perceived neighborhood size. Policy implications are discussed.

Attempting Preventing Reinventing The Wheel: Establishing Chicano/A-Latino/A Studies At A Midwest Urban University, Joseph A. Valades, Theresa Barron-Mckeagney, Michael Carroll, Lourdes Gouveia, Lucy Garza

Michael W. Carroll

“This session will focus on the personal observations of three faculty who sought to establish a minor in Chicano/a-Latino/a Studies . . . Follow our graphic accounts as we wrestle with the decision of actually embarking on such a quest amidst our thencurrent demands of doctoral coursework, research, teaching and tenure.” In the fall semester of 1995, Chicano/a Studies was formally recognized as a "minor" at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Two years previously, three faculty members from the College of Public Affairs and Community Service at UNO diligently worked to gather student and faculty support and put the …

Defining Empirically Based Practice, Deborah Siegel

Deborah H Siegel

The article deals with a study, which described the integration of research and practice into the graduate social program of the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago. The need to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical practice is an increasingly frequent theme as agencies scramble for limited funds. Reaganomics has helped bury the once-fashionable belief that social ills can be cured by tax dollars. More than ever, social workers are required to justify the services they deliver. In addition to the economic reasons for the profession's need to integrate research and practice, social workers also have an ethical obligation …

A Duty To Warn, An Uncertain Danger / Discussion, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

The commitment of confidentiality in the various health and mental health professions is deep-seated. Codes of ethics routinely cite the professional's obligation to hold in confidence information that a client shares. The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers--which is pertinent to Mrs. D's predicament--is representative: "The social worker should respect the privacy of clients and hold in confidence all information obtained in the course of professional service."

Moral Philosophy Meets Social Work, Frederic Reamer

Frederic G Reamer

In recent years, social workers have become increasingly aware of ethical dilemmas in practice. Beginning especially in the mid-to-late 1970s, social work's literature has included a steady stream of reflections on difficult moral choices involving conflicts among professional duties and obligations (Loewnberg and Dolgoff 1996; Congress 1998; Reamer 1998, 1999). To what extent do clients have the right to engage in self-harming behavior without interference? How should social workers allocate scarce or limited resources such as emergency services, shelter beds, funds, and even their own time? Is it ethically permissible for social workers to violate laws and regulations they believe …

Why Advocates For Economic And Racial Justice Need The Employee Free Choice Act, Peter Dreier, Gary Flowers

Peter Dreier

No abstract provided.

Mother Earth "Speaks": Change Yourself, Change The World, Use The Archetypal Energy "Harmony" As A Guide, Carroy U. Ferguson

Carroy U "Cuf" Ferguson, Ph.D.

In relation to the Cosmos, we all, as human beings, live on this tiny planet we call Earth, a planet that supports and sustains life, as we know it. There are many different kinds of people, plants, and animals functioning in harmony with soil, air, and water--all linked to one another in a complex web of life to form one Earth community. Unfortunately, we often take this miracle and ecosystem of life for granted. When, however, we take the ecosystem of life too much for granted, Mother Earth "speaks," reflecting imbalances and dis-harmonies. When Mother Earth "speaks," her message is …

Homeownership And Parenting Practices: Evidence From The Community Advantage Panel, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Trina R.W. Shanks, Kim R. Manturuk, Clinton C. Key, Jong-Gyu Paik, Johanna K.P. Greeson

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP

This study examines whether there is a significant relationship between homeownership and engaged parenting practices among low- and moderate-income households. Using analytic methods which account for selection effects and clustering, we test whether homeownership can act as a protective factor against parental disengagement from children. Controlling for individual characteristics, analyses demonstrate that homeowners are more likely than renters to demonstrate engaged parenting behaviors such as organizing structured activities for their children. While renters are more likely to read to their children, the children of homeowners spend less time watching television and playing video games. Implications for low-income housing policy are …

Rethinking Substance Misuse Policy And Practice: An Ideas Wales Discussion Paper, Julian Buchanan

Julian Buchanan

This accessible and easy to read paper designed to promote thinking and discussion seeks to develop principles upon which future drug policy and practice could be developed. It examines evidence and makes clear recommendations towards a fit for purpose drug policy.

Archetypal Energies, The Emergence Of Obama As A Practical Idealist, And Global Transformation, Carroy U. Ferguson

Carroy U "Cuf" Ferguson, Ph.D.

During this time of change, AHP and kindred spirits on the edge have important roles to play. We are the keepers and nurturers of a transformative and evolutionary Vision for Consciousness and a more humane world. At issue is what I will call the “psychic politics” for global transformation, nurtured by practical idealism and the Archetypal Energies. In other writings, I have described Archetypal Energies as Higher Vibrational Energies, operating deep within our individual and collective psyches, which have their own transcendent value, purpose, quality, and “voice”, unique to the individual. We experience them as “creative urges” to move us …

Book Review 19 The Third Chapter By Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of the book The Third Chapter by Sara Lawrence Lighfoot which was published in 2009 by Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.

Worksite Wellness Best Practices, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This presentation explored the issues of best practice as they relate to worksite wellness. Best practice resources were also identified.

Pathways To Violent Radicalization In The Middle East: A Model For Future Studies Of Transnational Jihad, Royce Hutson, Taylor Long, Michael Page

Royce A. Hutson

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Low- And Moderate-Wealth Homeownership On Parental Attitudes And Behavior: Evidence From The Community Advantage Panel, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Johanna K.P. Greeson, Yeong H. Yeo, Susanna S. Birdsong, Mathieu R. Despard, Roberto G. Quercia

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP

Considerable research has suggested that homeownership imparts a variety of positive individual, family, neighborhood, and community effects. Yet, much of the research to date has failed to examine such effects by level of income [Dietz, R.D., & Haurin, D.R. (2003). The social and private micro-level consequences of homeownership. Journal of Urban Economics, 54(3), 401–450.]. This study adds to the limited research on the impact of assets on parental attitude and behavior among low- and moderate-income (LMI) families. Data used in this study are from the evaluation of Self-Help's Community Advantage Home Loan Secondary Market Program. Specifically, we focus on the …

Book Review 18 Make Room For Happiness By Steven Melemis, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my review of Make Room for Happiness: 12 Ways to Improve Your Life By Letting Go of Tension. Better Health, Self-Esteem and Relationships by Steven Melemis, published by Modern Therapies in 2008.

Book Review 12 Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps To Being Happy From The Inside Out By Marci Shimoff, William C. Mcpeck

William C. McPeck

This is my personal review of Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out by Marci Shimoff and published by Free Press in 2008.