Social Work Commons^™

Honoring God: Purity In A Promiscuous World, Tonnette Kellett

Doctor of Leadership

A significant number of Native American girls get pregnant in their teens, permanently affecting their future. This issue has been observed both within the Choctaw communities in Mississippi and among local churches surrounding the reservation of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The project, Teenage Consequences, was developed through stakeholder workshops and feedback and is a result of the independent research of a much larger project entitled Honoring God: Purity in a Promiscuous World. Five videos have been created and uploaded to YouTube and TikTok. Moreover, the content will be a curriculum in nearby churches catering to Native American communities …

Developing The Weaving Healthy Families Program To Promote Wellness And Prevent Substance Abuse And Violence: Approach, Adaptation, And Implementation, Catherine E. Mclinley, Jenn M. Lilly, Jessica L. Liddell, Hannah Knipp, Tamela Autumn Solomon, Nikki Comby, Harold Comby, Patricia Haynes, Kathleen Ferris, Maple Goldberg

Social Service Faculty Publications

Family prevention programs that enhance mental health, wellness, and resilience—while simultaneously addressing violence and alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse—among Indigenous families are scarce. This gap in culturally grounded and community-based programs creates a critical need to develop and evaluate the efficacy of such prevention programs. This article fills this gap, with the purpose of describing the structure and content of the Weaving Healthy Families (WHF) program, a culturally grounded and community-based program aimed at preventing violence and AOD use while promoting mental health, resilience, and wellness in Indigenous families. The focus then turns to how to approach this process …

Why Are So Many Indigenous Peoples Dying And No One Is Paying Attention? Depressive Symptoms And “Loss Of Loved Ones” As A Result And Driver Of Health Disparities, Catherine E. Mckinley, Jennifer Miller Scarnato, Sara Sanders

Social Service Faculty Publications

Indigenous peoples have not only experienced a devastating rate of historical loss of lives, they are more likely to experience mortality disparities. The purpose of this article is to examine Indigenous women’s lived experiences of grief and loss in two Southeastern tribes and the relationship between depressive symptoms and recent loss of a loved one. Our exploratory sequential mixed-methods research was informed by the Indigenous based Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience, and Transcendence (FHORT). We summarized key qualitative themes from ethnographic data from 287 female participants across the two tribes, collected through focus groups, family interviews, and individual interviews. We …

“When You Come Together And Do Everything, It’Ll Be Better For Everybody”: Exploring Gender Relations Among Two Southeastern Native American Tribes, Jenn M. Lilly, Catherine E. Mckinley, Hannah Knipp, Jessica L. Liddell

Social Service Faculty Publications

Prior to the imposition of patriarchal colonial norms, Native American (NA) gender relations were characterized as complementary and egalitarian; however, little research has explored gender relations within NA communities today. This study used a community-based critical ethnography to explore contemporary NA gender relations with a purposive sample of 208 individuals from the “Coastal Tribe” and 228 participants from the “Inland Tribe.” After participant observation, interviews, and focus groups were conducted, a collaborative approach to reconstructive analysis was used to identify themes in the data. Within these communities, gender relations tended to reflect egalitarian and cooperative but gendered norms, and participants …

“It’S In The Family Circle”: Communication Promoting Indigenous Family Resilience, Catherine E. Mckinley, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

Objective: We use the Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience, and Transcendence (FHORT) to investigate the framework’s core concept of family resilience and related protective and promotive factors that contribute to greater resilience, namely communication.

Background: Scant research has examined communication in Indigenous families; yet general research suggests that family communication is a prominent aspect of family resilience.

Methods: In this exploratory sequential mixed-methods study with data from 563 Indigenous participants (n = 436 qualitative and n = 127 quantitative survey), thematic reconstructive analysis was used to qualitatively understand participants’ experiences of family communication and quantitatively examine protective …

Native American Veterans And Mental Health: Culture Vs Modern Medicine, Willis Dean Torres Jr.

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aims to determine that, when it comes to mental health, are Native American veterans more inclined to utilize their cultural practices, or seek out modern Western medicine practices to attain mental wellness. The significance behind this research is to help future social workers and social service agencies better understand that perhaps when it comes to Native American veterans’ cultural practices should be taken into consideration when helping to try to attain mental wellness. The study will include interviews conducted with Native American veterans. The data will help to determine which types of practices are better suited for each …

Factors Affecting Student Success At A Native American Indian University, Philbert John

Scholar Week 2016 - present

This study investigated the factors affecting American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) student success at a Native American Indian University (NAIU) in the Midwest. Thirty-nine students who graduated from Tribal College University (TCU) contributed to this study as they represented the student population at NAIU. This exploratory study was guided by three research questions that analyzed the collected data through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software tool. The two tools utilized in this study were the Pearson Correlation and the Independent Samples t-tests. The designed study was created to determine the pursuit, preparation, and persistence AI/AN students had that lead …

Effects Of Native American Geographical Location And Marital Status On Poverty, Tess Collett, Gordon Limb, Kevin Shafer

Kevin Shafer

This study examined the association between geographic location (urban, rural, and tribal) and marital status on poverty among the Native American community. A sample of 5,110 Native Americans in the 2008-2010 American Community Survey were used for analyses. Results indicated that Native Americans were similar with the general population in their geographic location, marital status, and poverty. We found that the protective characteristics of marriage in the Native American community varied according to geographic location. We also discuss the impact this may have on the Native American community and what practitioners and policy makers should consider when working with the …

Tribal Governance In American Indian Country, Terry E. Mcdonald

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Public Administrators seek to synthesize, comprehend, and clarify challenging problems of social progress as it relates to the administration of public services. We must, therefore, think about all forms of governance to have a comprehensive understanding of the discipline. If civilization ignored the prehistory of the past 600 million years, from the Late Precambrian Era through the Mesozoic, there would be a consequential loss of knowledge. A comprehensive understanding would be absent regarding one of the fundamentals in our evolution – life's ability to avoid demise by symbiosis and adaptation. In the same way, we may have overlooked an essential …

Barriers To Recruiting Native American Foster Homes In Urban Areas, Shirley Mae Begay, Jennifer Lynn Wilczynski

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the current practice of and barriers specific to recruiting Native American foster homes in urban areas. The literature review suggested that historical, cultural, and bureaucratic barriers to recruitment existed. The study used a qualitative, exploratory design. The data was obtained from in-depth interviews with 10 individuals whose job it is or has been to recruit Native American foster homes. The participants were employed with either a foster family agency, county child welfare agency, or a supporting organization servicing Los Angeles County and/or the San Francisco Bay Area. The …

Developing Transformational Curriculum To Educate Social Work Students About Indigenous Peoples And Indigenous Knowledge, Deborah Thibeault

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

While efforts to recruit Indigenous social work students must be continued, social work educators need to ensure that non-Indigenous social work students are learning about the history, culture, and wisdom of Indigenous peoples. Additionally, social work students need to become aware of the impact the social work profession has had on this population. This awareness and understanding will help social workers practice from a place of being an ally and will assist in altering the views many Indigenous people have about social work. There are three products in this banded dissertation that focus on engaging social work educators in a …

Native American Tribal Child Social Workers' Experiences On Co-Occurrences Of Domestic Violence And Child Maltreatment, Elaine Brown

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Native American women and children suffer from domestic violence at an alarming rate on and off Indian reservations in the United States. Often these families that are impacted by domestic violence are involved in the state/county child welfare system. This study was to gain knowledge about Native American tribal child social workers experiences and challenges with co-occurrences of domestic violence and child maltreatment cases. This study used an exploratory, qualitative design with a phenomenological approach by collecting data through face-to-face and over the phone interviews with four Native American tribal child social workers from four different tribes across the nation. …

Effects Of Native American Geographical Location And Marital Status On Poverty, Tess Collett, Gordon Limb, Kevin Shafer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examined the association between geographic location (urban, rural, and tribal) and marital status on poverty among the Native American community. A sample of 5,110 Native Americans in the 2008-2010 American Community Survey were used for analyses. Results indicated that Native Americans were similar with the general population in their geographic location, marital status, and poverty. We found that the protective characteristics of marriage in the Native American community varied according to geographic location. We also discuss the impact this may have on the Native American community and what practitioners and policy makers should consider when working with the …

Reframing New Frontiers For Indigenous Peoples, Hilary N. Weaver

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper examines colonial and Indigenous perspectives on frontiers. The United States context is used to further focus on the historic impact of the frontier on Native Americans. This is followed by a discussion of how boundaries and frontiers might be reframed in more balanced ways that respect the sovereignty of Indigenous nations. Examples are presented from child welfare and casino gaming to illustrate contemporary interactions across boundaries.

Mental Health In Diabetes Prevention And Intevention Programs In American Indian/Alaska Native Communities, Wynette Whitegoat, Jeremy Vu, Kellie Thompson, Jennifer Gallagher

Buder Center for American Indian Studies Research

American Indian and Alaska Natives youth and adults experience higher rates of type 2 diabetes and mental health problems than the general United States population. Few studies have explored the relationship other than detail the two issues independently. The present review aims to identify programs that seek to prevent/treat type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders in the American Indian and Alaska Native population. Available programs were reviewed for AI/AN adults and youth who suffer with both. As part of the review process, databases were searched for peer reviewed published studies. It was found that very few programs effectively incorporate …

Parenting Stress Among White, Black, American Indian, And Hispanic Mothers, Yunju Nam, Nora Wikoff, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

Parenting stress can have long-term effects on parents and children, but little is known about racial and ethnic differences in parenting stress. Using baseline survey data from a probability sample in the SEED for Oklahoma Kids experiment (N = 2,26), we examine parenting stress among White, Black, American Indian, and Hispanic mothers. This study employs OLS regressions and Blinder-Oaxaca decompositions. Parenting stress scores among Whites and American Indians were on average significantly lower than among Blacks and Hispanics. Regressions indicate that across all four groups, parenting stress is positively associated with maternal depression and negatively associated with social supports. Decomposition …

Saving For Post-Secondary Education In American Indian Communities, Amy Locklear Hertel, Mary Elizabeth Jäger

Center for Social Development Research

Saving for Post-Secondary Education in American Indian Communities

Saving For Post-Secondary Education In American Indian Communities: A Geospatial And Quantitative Analysis, Amy Locklear Hertel, Mary Elizabeth Jäger

Center for Social Development Research

A college education is critical to achieving financial stability in the United States. Empirical evidence linking college completion to higher incomes supports this assertion (Bergman, 2006). Every child should have the opportunity to obtain a post-secondary education and achieve financial stability. However, little is known about the practices and behaviors of American Indians when it comes to saving for post-secondary education. This pilot study is the first in this regard. There are two objectives for this study. The first is to assess spatially NC 529 College Savings Plan (NC 529 Plan or Plan) awareness and ownership among American Indian participants …

Earned Income Tax Credit (Eitc) Utilization In Native Communities, Kristen Wagner, Amy Locklear Hertel

Center for Social Development Research

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Utilization in Native Communities

Savings And Financial Services In Native Communities, Kristen Wagner, Kristen Wagner

Center for Social Development Research

Savings and Financial Services in Native Communities

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (Vita) Sites In Native Communities, Kristen Wagner, Amy Locklear Hertel

Center for Social Development Research

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Sites in Native Communities

Tribal Innovations In Children's Accounts, Miriam Jorgensen, Peter Morris

Center for Social Development Research

An important frontier in savings policy and research is the effectiveness of accounts at birth. This paper presents ideas and initial findings from the experience of American Indian nations—America’s first asset-builders—with such policies. It describes the motivations for creating “minors’ accounts,” which are offered by approximately 70 tribes. These tribes are the only jurisdictions in the nation to offer universal, unrestricted accounts for children. Increasingly, they also are using conditions and incentives to promote their policy goals. Their experiences and ideas offer important insights for mainstream policy makers and program managers (in the US and elsewhere) about how to design …

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 …

Dialogues On Assets In Native Communities: Recording A Native Perspective On The Definition And Benefits Of Retaining And Building Assets, Amy Locklear Hertel, Kristen Wagner, John Phillips, Karen Edwards, Jessica Hale

Center for Social Development Research

Dialogues on Assets in Native Communities: Recording a Native Perspective on the Definition and Benefits of Retaining and Building Assets

Eitc In Indian Country: Moving Beyond The Safety Net To Asset Building, Kristen Wagner, Amy Locklear Hertel

Center for Social Development Research

EITC in Indian Country: Moving Beyond the Safety Net to Asset Building

Contributions Of The Earned Income Tax Credit To Community Development In Indian Country, Kristen Wagner, Karen Edwards, Miriam Jorgensen, Dana Klar

Center for Social Development Research

The earned income tax credit (EITC) has become a central element in a suite of programs and polices that promote “asset building” for the poor. Increasingly, it has become a way not only for individuals but also communities to turn their economic circumstances around. The Center for Social Development in collaboration with Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies engaged ten Native community organizations currently providing free tax preparation services in a study that examined uptake and potential uses of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) income by Native people. Through community surveys we learned that a majority of survey …

Exploration And Use Of Individual Development Accounts By Three American Indian Tribes In Oregon, Christina Finsel, Jennifer Russ

Center for Social Development Research

Exploration and Use of Individual Development Accounts by Three American Indian Tribes in Oregon

Rural Wealth Building: Native Americans, Eric Henson, Anna Lee, Luxman Nathan

Center for Social Development Research

Rural Wealth Building: Native Americans

Asset-Building In Tribal Communities: Generating Native Discussion And Practical Approaches, Sarah Hicks, Karen Edwards, Mary Kate Dennis, Christy Finsel

Center for Social Development Research

Asset-Building in Tribal Communities: Generating Native Discussion and Practical Approaches

Public Child Welfare And The American Indian: A California Profile, Gordon E. Limb, Robin Perry

Faculty Publications

Historically, American Indians have been disproportionately represented in public child welfare services. This article reports findings from a survey of all public child welfare workers in California (N= 5,741) in 1998. A descriptive profile of American Indian clients (where they reside and who works with them) and American Indian child welfare workers ( n= 1 71) is detailed. Attempts are made to identify counties with a disproportionately high number of American Indians represented on public child welfare caseloads and to estimate the probability that an American Indian worker would have a higher proportion of American Indians on his or her …