Social Work Commons^™

Policy Mandated Collaboration, Jan Ivery

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This exploratory study examined the collaborative strategy used by Tri Cities Partnership (TCP) to facilitate the collaborative process required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to receive Continuum of Care funding. The study examined partner perceptions of TCP's leadership, organizational structure, benefits and drawbacks of participation, and relationships with partners. A follow-up survey and key informant interviews explored themes related to organizational affiliation with TCP, benefits and drawbacks of participation, relationships with partners, challenges impacting the ability of TCP to facilitate collaboration and strategies for involving key stakeholders. The study also identified factors that motivate …

Establishing A Basis For Multi-System Collaboration: Systemic Team Development, Rosalyn M. Bertram

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Reports of child sexual abuse require police, child protective services, forensic and medical evaluators, prosecutors, family court and treatment providers to negotiate complementary, overlapping roles with children and families. Administrators from these agencies in Kansas City, Missouri clarified this multi-system response by applying a theory-based model for team development previously studied in direct practice with families. This article presents that model and an exploratory case study of this effort. Findings suggest the model's efficacy for resolving inter-agency conflict and may contribute to constructing logic models in multi-system collaboration

African American Grandmothers Providing Extensive Care To Their Grandchildren: Socio-Demographic And Health Determinants Of Life Satisfaction, Dorothy Smith-Ruiz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The article explores the relationships between grandmothers' socioeconomic and health characteristics in relation to life satisfaction. Reasons for caregiving, assumption of the caregiver role, and grandmothers'attitudes and experiences in custodial caregiving were discussed qualitatively from data gathered in detailed interviews of a convenience sample of 99 custodial African American grandmothers caringf or one or more grandchildreny ounger than 18 in North Carolina. Most grandmothers in this sample reported mixed feelings toward custodial caregiving, both as a burden as well as a blessing. They also reported a weak support system and relied on their faith more than family and friends to …

Racial/Ethnic Differences In Religious Congregation-Based Social Service Delivery Efforts, R. Khari Brown

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The current study utilizes Swidler's (1986) cultural toolkit theory to explain racial/ethnic differences in American religious congregations' provision of social service programs. This study suggests that black Americans' reliance upon structural tools to assess poverty contributes to their congregations being more heavily involved than majority white congregations in the provision of social services that attempt to make a longer-term impact on community life (i.e. academic tutoring and job training). In contrast, white Americans' greater reliance upon individualistic tools to understand poverty arguably contributes to their congregations being more heavily involved in the provision of programs that have a shorter- term …

The Politics, Economics, And Culture Of Mexican-Us Migration: Both Sides Of The Border. Edward Ashbee, Helene Balsev Clausen, And Carl Pedersen, Editors., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Edward Ashbee, Helene Balsev Clausen and Carl Pedersen (Eds.), The Politics, Economics, and Culture of Mexican-US Migration: Both Sides of the Border. New York: Palgrave, 2007. $79.95.

A Boiling Pot Of Animosity Or An Alliance Of Kindred Spirits? Exploring Connections Between Native Americans And African Americans, Hilary N. Weaver

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The relationship between indigenous people and people of African heritage in the United States is a long and complex one. An examination of historical and contemporary connections between indigenous persons and African Americans not only clarifies complex and frequently overlooked parts of American history but sets the stage for examining future possibilities. It is useful for helping professionals to understand these relationships since this history may serve as the basis for positive connections or animosities between clients and professionals. This article begins with a discussion of selected historical intersections between these populations that highlight the complex and varied nature of …

Rethinking Social Work's Role In Public Assistance, Julie Cooper Altman, Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article presents an argument for revisiting social work's relationship to public assistance in the wake of 10 years of welfare reform. Three case studies drawn from a mixed-method study of the quality of life of former TANF recipients illustrate the range, depth and complexity of the needs of persons while they are on the welfare rolls, transitioning off and living without cash relief. The article briefly traces the history of social work's commitment to and provision of social services for this population and argues that it may be time to revisit the profession's role in public assistance. In light …

Racial Diversity And Social Capital: Equality And Community In America. Rodney E. Hero., Jaehee Yi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Rodney E. Hero, Racial Diversity and Social Capital: Equality and Community in America. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. $58.00 hardcover; $19.95 papercover.

Contested Lands: Israel-Palestine, Kashmir, Bosnia, Cyprus And Sri Lanka. Sumantra Bose., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Sumantra Bose, Contested Lands: Israel-Palestine,Kashmir, Bosnia, Cyprus and Sri Lanka. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007. $27.95 hardcover.

"I'M Glad You Asked": Homeless Clients With Severe Mental Illness Evaluate Their Residential Care, Katherine Tyson Mccrea, Lesa Spravka

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Homeless clients with severe mental illness can offer considerable insight about their residential care, but there are significant methodological challenges in eliciting their service evaluations: maximizing participation, facilitating self-expression, and preserving clients' natural meanings. This study addresses those challenges and presents qualitative data residential care staff obtained from 210 clients. While clients prioritized meeting their subsistence needs, they emphasized attaining inner well-being and mutually respectful relationships, and that group services needed to reduce confrontational interactions in order to be helpful. For after-care services, clients sought sustained relationships with staff grounded in client initiative, combining respect for their autonomy with psychosocial …

Review Of Saving Children From A Life Of Crime: Early Risk Factors And Effective Interventions. David P. Farrington And Brandon C. Welsh. Reviewed By Stephanie Cosner Berzin., Stephanie Cosner Berzin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

David P. Farrington and Brandon C. Welsh, Saving Children from a Life of Crime: Early Risk Factors and Effective Interventions. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. $29.95 hardcover, $21.95 papercover.

Review Of Why Welfare States Persist: The Importance Of Public Opinion In Democracies. Clem Brooks And Jeff Manza. Reviewed By Allan Brawley., Allan Brawley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Clem Brooks and Jeff Manza, Why Welfare States Persist: The Importance of Public Opinion in Democracies. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. $45.00 hardcover, $18.00 papercover.

Review Of The Lost Promise Of Civil Rights. Risa L. Goluboff. Reviewed By Wilma Peebles-Wilkins., Wilma Peebles-Wilkins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Risa L. Goluboff, The Lost Promise of Civil Rights. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007. $35.00 hardcover.

Review Of Citizen Lobbyists: Local Efforts To Influence Public Policy. Brian Adams. Reviewed By Michael Woodford., Michael Woodford

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Brian Adams, Citizen Lobbyists: Local Efforts to Influence Public Policy. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2007. $71.50 hardcover, $25.95 papercover.

Review Of Wives Without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion And Welfare In New York, 1900-1935. Anna R. Igra. Reviewed By Laura Curran., Laura Curran

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Anna R. Igra, Wives without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion, and Welfare in New York, 1900-1935. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2007. $19.95 papercover.

Revitalising Communities In A Globalising World. Lena Dominelli, Editor., Kristine Frerer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Lena Dominelli (Ed.), Revitalising Communities in a Globalising World. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing, 2007. $114.95 hardcover.

Dynamics Of Social Welfare Policy: Right Versus Left. Gardenia Harris, Bernard Ivan Tamas, And Nancy S. Lind, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Gardenia Harris, Bernard Ivan Tamas and Nancy S. Lind, Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy: Right versus Left. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2007. $80.00 hardcover; $39.95 papercover.

Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers And Head Home. Pamela Stone., Cara Ellis Pohle

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Pamela Stone, Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. $45.00 hardcover, $16.95 papercover.

Review Of Survival Of The Knitted: Immigrant Social Networks In A Stratified World. Vilna Francine Bashi. Reviewed By Qingwen Xu., Qingwen Xu

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Vilna Francine Bashi, Survival of the Knitted: Immigrant Social Networks in a Stratified World. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2007. $21.95 papercover.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 35, No. 4 (December 2008)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• ESTABLISHING A BASIS FOR MULTI-SYSTEM COLLABORATION: SYSTEMIC TEAM DEVELOPMENT - Rosalyn M. Bertram
• AFRICAN AMERICAN GRANDMOTHERS PROVIDING EXTENSIVE CARE TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN: SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH DETERMINANTS OF LIFE SATISFACTION - Dorothy Smith-Ruiz
• POLICY MANDATED COLLABORATION - Jan Ivery
• RETHINKING SOCIAL WORK'S ROLE IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE - Julie Cooper Altman and Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg
• RACIAL/ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN RELIGIOUS CONGREGATION-BASED SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY EFFORTS - R. Khari Brown
• A BOILING POT OF ANIMOSITY OR AN ALLIANCE OF KINDRED SPIRITS? EXPLORING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NATIVE AMERICANS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS - Hilary N. Weaver
• "I'M GLAD YOU ASKED": HOMELESS CLIENTS WITH SEVERE …

Social Security In Ireland, 1939-1952: The Limits To Solidarity. Sophia Carey., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Sophia Carey, Social Security in Ireland, 1939-1952: The Limits to Solidarity. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 2007. $34.95 papercover.

The Untold Story Of Welfare Fraud, Richelle S. Swan, Linda L. Shaw, Sharon Cullity, Joni Halpern, Juliana Humphrey, Wendy M. Limbert, Mary Roche

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The experiences of women who have been charged with welfare fraud in the years following the passage of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act cast a shadow over the claim that welfare reform has been an unequivocal success. This article addresses this under-explored issue by considering the face of welfare fraud in San Diego, California after the change to federal welfare law. After a brief discussion of the socio-historical context of welfare fraud prosecution and a summary of the scholarly findings related to welfare fraud post-PRWORA, the aiticle details a new "poverty knowledge" about welfare fraud drawn …

Long-Term Tanf Participants And Barriers To Employment: A Qualitative Study In Maine, Sandra S. Butler, Janine Corbett, Crystal Bond, Chris Hastedt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although welfare rolls have declined dramatically since the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in 1996, many of those parents still receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) face multiple barriers to employment. In response to a proposed state bill increasing work requirements and imposing stricter time limits, the authors conducted focus groups and interviews in order to learn about the experiences of long-term recipients of TANF in Maine. Domestic violence, children's disabilities, and health issues for the mother emerged as key obstacles to meeting TANF work requirements for the 28 women participating in the …

Tearing Down The Gates: Confronting The Class Divide In American Education. Peter Sacks.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Peter Sacks. Tearing Down the Gates: Confronting the Class Divide in American Education. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. $24.95 hardcover.

Welfare And Family Economic Security: Toward A Place-Based Poverty Knowledge, Deborah A. Harris, Domenico Parisi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 is viewed by many as a resounding success. Its success, however, is predicated primarily on caseload reduction rather than improvement of family well-being. In addition, provisions in the act ignore the importance of place in shaping one's life chances. Using Alice O'Connor's influential book, Poverty Knowledge, as a framework, we discuss findings from a qualitative study that examines how low-income families plan for a life without welfare in places with different opportunities and structural constraints. We find that returns to TANF are common among welfare leavers and that place …

The Promise Of Welfare Reform. Keith M. Kilty And Elizabeth Segal.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Keith M. Kilty & Elizabeth Segal, The Promise of Welfare Reform. Binghampton, NY: Haworth Press, 2006. $34.96 papercover.

Review Of Drugs And Drug Policy: The Control Of Consciousness Alteration. Clayton J. Mosher And Scott M. Akins. Reviewed By Sean R. Hogan., Sean R. Hogan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Clayton J. Mosher & Scott M. Akins. Drugs and Drug Policy: The Control of Consciousness Alteration. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2007. $54.95 papercover, $99.95 hardcover.

Busier Than Ever: Why American Families Can't Slow Down. Charles N. Darrah, James M. Freeman And J. A. English-Leuck.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Charles N. Darrah, James M. Freeman & J. A. English-Leuck. Busier Than Ever: Why American Families Can't Slow Down. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2007. $19.95 papercover.

Human Behavior And The Social Environment: Models, Metaphors, And Maps For Applying Theoretical Perspectives To Practice. James Forte.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for James Forte. Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Models, Metaphors, and Maps for Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Practice. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2007. $67.95 papercover.

Dropped From The Rolls: Mexican Immigrants, Race, And Rights In The Era Of Welfare Reform, Alejandra Marchevsky, Jeanne Theoharis

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Welfare reform transferred considerable discretion over eligibility standards and benefits to individual caseworkers, contributing to a highly diffuse, yet system-wide, practice of discrimination against nonwhite and foreign-born families within the new TANF program. Based on a two-year ethnographic study of welfare reform's impact on Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles County, this article documents a pattern of heightened anti-immigrant sentiment and disentitlement within L.A. County's welfare system following the passage of PRWORA. The vast majority of eligible immigrant families in our study lost some or all of their cash and food stamp benefits, and were systematically denied access to the work …