Digital Commons Network^™

Path2 Services Court: A Process Evaluation, Octavio Jimenez

Master's Projects

In 2014, the Santa Clara County Superior Court received a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant to improve the efficacy of the Juvenile Treatment Court (JTC) and Court for the Individualized Treatment of Adolescents (CITA) programs by streamlining the referral, screening, and court hearing processes. Receipt of the grant allowed the Superior Court to integrate JTC and CITA to establish the Progress Achieved Through Hope and Holistic Services (PATH2 Services) Court.

This research analyzed whether the Santa Clara County Superior Court successfully integrated the JTC and CITA programs when it established PATH2 Services. In addition it determined …

Family Impact Seminar 2018: The Kids Are Not All Right: Policy Options To Address Youth Trauma In Massachusetts, Denise Hines, Laurie Ross Ph.D, Marianne Sarkis Ph.D

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

Family Impact Seminars are a series of annual seminars, briefing reports, and discussion sessions that provide up-to-date, solution-oriented research on current issues for state legislators and their aides. The seminars provide objective, nonpartisan research on current issues and do not lobby for particular policies. Seminar participants discuss policy options and identify common ground where it exists.

The Kids are NOT All Right: Policy Options to Address Youth Trauma in Massachusetts is the ninth Massachusetts Family Impact Seminar. Today’s seminar is designed to emphasize a family perspective in policymaking on issues related to early intervention in childhood trauma, sex trafficking and …

The Effect Of Ammonia On The Germination And Outgrowth Of Bacillius Globigii, Joseph B. Kunicki

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated the germination and outgrowth of Bacillus globigii in the presence of ammonia in laboratory scale experiments. Germination was measured by monitoring the release of dipicolinic acid, an organic compound present in bacterial spores, while outgrowth was measured using phase-bright microscopy and semi-automated counting procedures. The ammonia-N concentrations investigated generally did not cause statistically significant differences in the initial 1-hr germination rates or the average 3-hr outgrowth rates of Bacillus globigii spores in batch style experiments. The average 1-hr germination rates observed in the absence of ammonia-N was 0.0258 hr^-1 for the water and buffer controls and …

Perceived Access And Barriers To Care Among Illicit Drug Users And Hazardous Drinkers: Findings From The Seek, Test, Treat, And Retain Data Harmonization Initiative (Sttr)., Mika Matsuzaki, Quan M Vu, Marya Gwadz, Joseph A C Delaney, Irene Kuo, Maria Esther Perez Trejo, William E Cunningham, Chinazo O Cunningham, Katerina Christopoulos

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Illicit drug use (DU) and hazardous drinking (HD) among marginalized populations may be associated with greater barriers to care.

METHODS: We used baseline data on the participants of the Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain data harmonization initiative. DU includes use of any illicit drugs within the past 6 months. HD was defined as scores ≥8 for men and ≥ 7 for women on Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test within the past 12 months. Social support scores were assigned by summing scores from individual questions related to social support. Two outcomes for multivariable regression models and mediation analysis were perceived …

Hydrophilic Polymer Embolism: Implications For Manufacturing, Regulation, And Postmarket Surveillance Of Coated Intravascular Medical Devices, Rashi I. Mehta, Rupal I. Mehta

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Hydrophilic polymers are ubiquitously applied as surface coatings on catheters and intravascular medical technologies. Recent clinical literature has heightened awareness on the complication of hydrophilic polymer embolism (HPE), the phenomenon wherein polymer coating layers separate from catheter and device surfaces, and may be affiliated with a range of unanticipated adverse reactions. Significant system barriers have limited and delayed reporting on this iatrogenic complication, the full effects of which remain under-recognized by healthcare providers and manufacturers of various branded devices. In 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration acknowledged rising clinical concerns and stated that the agency would work with …

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Georgia Southern Conducts an Analysis of Food Service Risk Classification and Violation Frequency

Exploring Places Of Street Drug Dealing In A Downtown Area In Brazil: An Analysis Of The Reliability Of Google Street View In International Criminological Research, Elenice De Souza Oliveira, Ko-Hsin Hsu

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study assesses the reliability of Google Street View (GSV) in auditing environmental features that help create hotbeds of drug dealing in Belo Horizonte, one of Brazil’s largest cities. Based on concepts of “crime generators” and “crime enablers,” a set of 40 items were selected using arrest data related to drug activities for the period between 2007 and 2011. These items served to develop a GSV data collection instrument used to observe features of 135 street segments that were identified as drug dealing hot spots in downtown Belo Horizonte. The study employs an intra-class correlation (ICC) statistics as a measure …

Reliability And Validity Of The Alcohol Marketing Assessment Rating Tool (Amart), Jonathan K. Noel, Thomas F. Babor, Katherine Robaina

Health & Wellness Department Faculty Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, And Dietary Acculturation Among Foreign-Born Blacks In New York City, Margrethe F. Horlyck-Romanovsky

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Black immigration to the US quadrupled between 1980 and 2000, and between 2000 and 2013 it further increased by 56%. The US Census estimates that by 2060, 16.5% of the US Black population will be foreign-born. Half of all foreign-born Blacks (FBBs) in the US, or more than 1.9 million people, are from the Caribbean, and of those, 682,000 were born in Jamaica alone. Besides the Caribbean, there are 1.36 million immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa. In New York City, non-Hispanic black Caribbean and West African immigrants constitute 19% and 4%, respectively, of the total foreign-born population. Research is limited …

Dispatch Guided Allocation Optimization For Effective Emergency Response, Supriyo Ghosh, Pradeep Varakantham

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Effective emergency (medical, fire or criminal) response iscrucial for improving safety and security in urban environments. Recent research in improving effectiveness of emergency management systems (EMSs) has utilized data-drivenoptimization models for efficient allocation of emergency response vehicles (ERVs) to base locations. However, thesedata-driven optimization models either ignore the dispatchstrategy of ERVs (typically the nearest available ERV is dispatched to serve an incident) or employ myopic approaches(e.g., greedy approach based on marginal gain). This resultsin allocations that are not synchronised with the real evolution dynamics on the ground or can be improved significantly.To bridge this gap, we make the following contributions: …

Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner As A Subspecialty: A Case Study, Debra M. Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to describe the ONP role by exploring how and why NPs are utilized in orthopedic health care settings. Two problems associated with the evolving ONP role were addressed: the concomitant decrease in the supply of and increased demand for orthopedic patient care services and the nursing profession’s unmet challenge to keep pace with that increased demand and protection of the public and nursing profession through credentialing of ONPs and programs providing certification and training for ONPs.

Approach: This study employed a single-embedded case study research approach to answer the research questions and …

Backpacks: A Program For Improving Children’S Readiness To Learn And Family Food Security, Lauri Wright

Showcase of Faculty Scholarly & Creative Activity

An increasing gap has been seen between the government food assistance programs and need. One program filling the deficit is Feeding America’s BackPack Program. The Backpack provides nutritious food to children to eat on the weekends when they may not have access to an adequate amount of food. This study evaluated the impact of the program on children’s food security, readiness to learn, and behavioral and mental health. A mixed methodology was utilized. Results showed improved food security and increased readiness to learn among participants. BackPack may be an effective program for meeting the gap in food assistance.

Using Photovoice As A Tool For Community Engagement To Assess The Environment And Explore Environmental Health Disparities, Heather M. Brandt, Venice E. Haynes, Lashanta J. Rice, Dayna Campbell, Edith Williams, *Sacoby Wilson, Saundra H. Glover

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Photovoice was used as a participatory research method to document perceived local environmental hazards, pollution sources, and potential impact on health among community members to address environmental health disparities. A convenience sample of 16 adults in Orangeburg, South Carolina participated in Photovoice. Photos depicted positive and negative implications of the environment across seven themes: recreation and leisure; food access; hazards and pollution; health, human, and social services; economic issues; beautification; and accommodation and accessibility. Positive and negative photos demonstrated a high level of interest among community members in considering how the environment influences health and health disparities.

Harm Reduction Programs: West Virginia Vs. United States, Morgan L. Belcher, Hannah Sayre

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Harm reduction has been a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs. It has been defined as a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. The U.S. has been experiencing an opioid/heroin epidemic, with significant increases in overdose death among drug users with more than 72,000 Americans having died from drug overdoses in 2017.

Methodology: The methodology for this study was a literature review with a semi structured interview with Tina Rameriz of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department …

Disparities In Utilization Of Social Determinants Of Health Referrals Among Children In Immigrant Families, O. T. Uwemedimo, H. May

Journal Articles

© 2018 Uwemedimo and May. Objective: Children in immigrant families (CIF) are at elevated risk of experiencing adverse social determinants of health (SDH), particularly material hardship, which contribute to disparate health outcomes. Previous studies have found that SDH screening programs integrated into pediatric practices have increased receipt of social service resources. Few studies have examined use of social services in these programs among ethnically-diverse patient populations and associations with caregiver immigrant status or limited English proficiency (LEP). Methods: Caregivers of children (<18 >years) were routinely screened in a practice-based, SDH screening program offering referral, assisted navigation and follow-up support. Information …

Evidence-Based Interventions To Address Workplace Violence In The Emergency Department, Gari Leigh Adams

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Workplace violence, as a result of violent patient behavior, is a problem in health care settings and the incidence is increasing. The vulnerability of the emergency department (ED) contributes to the high incidence of violence and includes long waits, crowded spaces, high anxiety levels, substance abuse, and a large number of behavioral health patients seeking treatment. ED team members admit they do not always feel safe when caring for patients due to the risk of violent behavior. Workplace violence effects team member productivity, job satisfaction, and burnout. Team members are at risk for injury or harm and coping challenges as …

The Regionalization Of Public Health Services: A Review, Kristina Ramdial, Jonathan K. Noel

Health & Wellness Department Faculty Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Three Systems: Improving Three Emergency Communication Systems, Elizabeth M. Williams

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

This paper examines the current state of communications between the public, first responder organizations, and hospitals during mass traumatic casualty events. While the current system that exists nationwide, the National Incident Management System (NIMS), is an effective system, there are several improvements that could be made on a community level. This paper looks at national-level plans, such as the national emergency communications plan, NIMS, Hospital Incident Command System (HICS), and national Incident Command System (ICS). This paper sets forward several cost-sensitive recommendations to add to local emergency communication plans and structures in order to make better use technology that already …

Student Handbook 2018-2019, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Differential Treatment Outcome Factors For Custodial And Noncustodial Mental Health Care Programs, Sheila Fay Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have suggested that jails and prisons in the United States are becoming the new mental health clinics, contributing to the phenomenon of mass incarceration and costing upwards of $15 billion per year in public revenue. The problem is no conclusive evidence exists that treatment in these custodial environments is more effective than that provided by noncustodial programs; especially for substance users. Additionally, the continuing incarceration of people with mental health problems by the hundreds of thousands poses a difficult ethical dilemma regarding why this population does not receive noncustodial or hospital treatment instead. The study addressed the research question …

Causes Of Recidivism Among Mentally Ill Prerelease Offenders From The Perspective Of Former Correctional Mental Health Professionals, Rina Desiree Deneice Bradley Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The move toward reducing the prison population was driven by an increase in the number of reentry programs that focused on the needs of the offender, such as the provision of stable housing, employment, education, and sustaining strong familial bonds. While the literature supported these areas as being effective in reducing recidivism, there was no consensus that they were effective for offenders with mental illness (OMI). The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze the impact of prerelease services for the OMI population from the perspective of former correctional mental health professionals who provided these services. The research questions …

Advocating Ideal Type Policy For Police Officer Wellness Based On Body Mass Index As A Predictor Of Self-Reported Occupational Stress, Louis Chiappetta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars have validated both the damaging presence of police officer stress and separately, their increasing obese condition in the United States. Previous studies of police officers focus on stress or body weight, but not these variables conjointly. The purpose of this study was to inform policy creation by examining the problem of officer stress in relation to the calculated body mass index (BMI) values and to gain insight into stress outcomes. Lazarus and Folkman's stress-coping theory served as the research lens to examine if BMI would significantly contribute to the percent change of R2 variance accounted for in the predictive …

Emergency Medical Services First Responder Certification Level's Impact On Ambulance Scene Times, Devin Todd Price

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The foundation of modern-day emergency medical service (EMS) systems began in 1966, based on hospital medical care. Demand for evidence to support prehospital practices that have been in existence for the past half-century has continued to grow; yet, researchers have not adequately explored the relationship between the medical certification level of emergency first responders and the amount of time an ambulance spends on the scene. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine and compare ambulance scene times for emergency responses when basic life support (BLS) certified first responders or advanced life support (ALS) first responders are first on …

Speech Recognition Technology: Improving Speed And Accuracy Of Emergency Medical Services Documentation To Protect Patients, Tan Tran

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Because hospital errors, such as mistakes in documentation, cause one in six deaths each year in the United States, the accuracy of health records in the emergency medical services (EMS) must be improved. One possible solution is to incorporate speech recognition (SR) software into current tools used by EMS first responders. The purpose of this research was to determine if SR software could increase the efficiency and accuracy of EMS documentation to improve the safety of patients of EMS. An initial review of the literature on the performance of current SR software demonstrated that this software was not 99% accurate, …

Reducing Firearms-Related Domestic Violence Injuries: Legal Developments And Policy And Practice Implications, Marshall B. Kapp, Robin Hassler Thompson

Florida Public Health Review

The potential dangers posed by a combination of firearms availability and domestic violence are substantial in the United States today. The dangers posed and resulting harms must be addressed as a pressing public health matter. This article reports on a 2016 United States Supreme Court decision that, although fairly narrow in terms of the technical legal question answered, supports broad public health implications for future policy and practice concerning the intersection of firearms regulation and the prevention or mitigation of domestic violence. Following a brief summary of the legal case, we make recommendations for reducing the incidence and severity of …

Evaluation Of A Pilot Intervention To Relink Formerly Incarcerated Plhwhas To Hiv/Aids Care, Graham F. Watts, Heather S. Vaughan, Deidre Kelley, Dana C. Barnes, Sandy Arts

Florida Public Health Review

HIV is a manageable chronic disease. However, it requires knowing one’s status, retention in care, and medication adherence for viral suppression. Disadvantaged groups of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) who experience incarceration and major depressive disorders, homelessness, substance use and lack of social support are overwhelmed by these burdens and do not fully engage in HIV care, without help. Four Northeast Florida entities engaged in action research to influence health equity for formerly detained PLWHAs. The City of Jacksonville, Ryan White Part-A Program, Florida Department of Health-Duval, Lutheran Social Services, and Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office convened a coalition, called CAPRICE. Activities …

2018 Annual Reports And Resolutions, American Dental Association

ADA Transactions

This item is part of the Annual Reports and Resolutions subtitle of the ADA Transactions, a serial publication of the annual activities of the ADA House of Delegates (HOD)/Board of Trustees (BOT) made up of three separate subtitles: Annual Reports and Resolutions, Supplements, and Transactions. Generally, the ADA Transactions are published in multiple volumes throughout the year. Older versions include reports from all departments as subsections, while more recent versions include only those of councils, commissions, and committees.

Mental Health In U.S. Prisons: How Our System Is Set Up For Failure, Katherine Daifotis

CMC Senior Theses

During the past 60 years, United States prisons have become one of the primary institutions caring for mentally ill individuals. Factors such as privatization of mental health care with a focus on profit-maximization, ineffective jail diversion programs, and unsuccessful mental health courts have contributed to prisons having an increased population of mentally ill inmates. In fact, about 20% of people who are currently incarcerated suffer from a major mental illness (Mason, 2007). Other elements outside of the justice system such as a lack of mental health awareness and a lack of resources have led to damaging interactions between the mentally …

Graduate Bulletin, 2018-2019, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A Collaborative Hiv And Hepatitis C Screening Program In Appalachian Urgent Care Settings, Carmen N. Burrell, Melinda J. Sharon, Stephen M. Davis, Elena M. Wojcik, Ian B.K Martin

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Introduction: With the current hepatitis C (HCV) epidemic in the Appalachian region and the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection, there is a need for increased secondary prevention efforts. The purpose of this study was to implement routine HIV and HCV screenings in the urgent care setting through the use of an electronic medical record (EMR) to increase a provider’s likelihood of testing eligible patients.

Methods: From June 2017 through May 2018, EMR-based HIV and HCV screenings were implemented in three emergency department-affiliated urgent care settings: a local urgent care walk-in clinic; a university-based student health services center; and …