Digital Commons Network^™

Are Accountability Courts In Georgia A Cost-Effective Public Health Policy Alternative?, Brian D. Graves, Orion Mowbray, Leaanne Derigne, Holly Lynde, Angel Ellis, Rachel Meyer

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of accountability courts in Georgia, presenting them as a viable alternative in public health policy.

Methods: The research utilized survey data collected from 37 court programs across 40 distinct accountability court programs; it was conducted by the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government in collaboration with the Council of Accountability Court Judges. The analysis includes a comparative assessment of cost savings, benefits, and differences among various court types, specifically focusing on drug courts, DUI courts, mental health courts, family treatment courts, and veterans treatment courts.

Results: Results reveal that …

Access And Utilization Of Counseling For People With Sexual Offense Histories, Darrell Antonio Jones Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in understanding the low rate of utilization of mental health support services among adult men and women with criminal sex offense histories, which worsened mental health challenges for this population. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to explore human services professionals’ perceptions and recommendations about access and utilization of mental health counseling for formerly incarcerated adults with sexual offense histories. Grounded in the good lives model of offender rehabilitation, the research question was: How do human services professionals perceive access to and utilization of mental health, holistic, and wellness counseling for formerly incarcerated …

Mapping Coastal Community-Based Tourism Empowerment: Public Policy And Sustainable Development On Bangka Island, Putra Pratama Saputra, Hadiyanto Abdul Rachim, Arie Surya Gutama, Moch. Zaenal Hakim

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study analyzes the conceptualization and practice of community-based tourism empowerment on Bangka Island, serving as a strategic approach to promote sustainable and inclusive coastal tourism. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, data were gathered through interviews with nine key informants, observations, and policy document analysis. Findings reveal that these empowerment initiatives significantly strengthen individual and institutional capacities, enhance community participation in tourism planning, and drive economic diversification from extractive industries to sustainable tourism. Furthermore, this approach facilitates economic transformation through the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and coastal ecotourism, concurrently reinforcing environmental conservation and cultural preservation. However, …

Exploring The Intersectional Identities Of Youth Mentees And Their Mentors In Shaping The Quality And Duration Of Their Relationships, Kristian V. Jones, Theresa N. Melton, Amy J. Anderson, Thomas E. Keller, David L. Dubois

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mentoring programs enjoy considerable empirical support as a strategy for supporting the positive development of youth, particularly those with marginalized identities (e.g., minoritized racial identities) and/or from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. There tends to be considerable variability, however, in both the quality of the mentor–mentee relationships established through programs and whether these relationships are sustained for intended periods of time. Research indicates these features of relationships can be significant influences on the outcomes of participating youth, thus making it imperative to better understand the factors that may contribute to mentoring relationship quality and duration. To expand inquiry in this area, the …

Human Service Professionals’ Support And Practice-Informed Strategies For Uninsured And Underinsured Adults Needing Mental Health-Related Services In Brazoria County, Texas, Henry Palacios

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Access to mental health-related services has remained a significant human services concern for uninsured and underinsured adults in Brazoria County, Texas, where financial, transportation, provider-capacity, and service-coordination barriers affected access and continuity of care. The purpose of this qualitative modified action research study was to explore how human service professionals supported uninsured and underinsured adults needing mental health-related services and to identify practice-informed strategies to improve access, coordination, and continuity of care. Lewin’s change theory provided the theoretical framework. The research question explored how human service professionals supported this population and identified strategies to strengthen access, coordination, and continuity of …

Enhancing Housing Stability Among Homeless Lgbtq+ Youth, Chaunita Lotoya Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies on LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, specifically concerning causes, health outcomes, and barriers to access, have garnered increased attention from social scientists in human services. Applying Ecker’s work, this study addressed how intersectionality impacts homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth, highlighting disparities related to race, poverty, and identified gender. This study also explored the question of whether family rejection is a significant cause of housing insecurity among LGBTQ+ youth. The methodology featured collaboration with service providers and generating recommendations informed by empirical research and professional practices. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to collect data for this study, ensuring comprehensive findings while providing …

Exploring Former Foster Parents’ Perspectives On The Resignation Process And Returning To Foster Care, David Michael Wermuth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The foster care system faces a persistent challenge in retaining foster parents, resulting in adverse outcomes for foster children. The literature identifies multiple reasons for foster parent attrition (e.g., foster agency dissatisfaction, life changes, and lack of resources and support). This study explored former foster parents’ narratives of exiting foster care. I illuminated how foster care agencies treat foster parents who exit the system and how this affects their attitude about the foster care system. General systems theory (GST) was used to guide the analysis. The research design was basic qualitative, and purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit …

Kidfluencing: What Monetizing Children Costs, Mary Helen Pollard

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Kidfluencing: The Exploitation Of Children And Resulting Challenges, Mary Helen Pollard

Creating Change: The Online Journal of Zines about Social Movements

No abstract provided.

Autistic Menopause: Where Should Research Go From Here?, Christine A. Jenkins, Margaret Janse Van Rensburg

Faculty and Staff Publications

Plain language summary

This letter lists seven priorities for future research on autism and menopause. It is written by an early career researcher/assistant professor and a community researcher. Both are neurodivergent themselves.

The Effects Of Short-Term Individual Development Account For Young Workers In South Korea, Intae Yoon, Dong-Ho Jang

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

This study evaluated a short-term individual development account for young workers (SIDAY) with low income in Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea. SIDAY used random sampling methods to form an experimental group (n = 191) and a control group (n = 106) out of 2,589 applications. The experimental group received a 100,000 Korean Won (KRW), which is the equivalent to an $85 USD monthly savings match for 10 months, as well as financial capability programs and services, such as online financial mentoring, spending plan consultations, and electronic financial newsletters. Upon completion of SIDAY, the experimental group on average had …

Gene-Environment Interactions In Cardiovascular Aging: Volunteering, Polygenic Risk, And Biomarker Change In European And African Ancestry Populations, Seoyoun Kim, Byeongju Ryu, Erin Ware, Koichiro Shiba, Cal J. Halvorsen

Brown School Faculty Publications

Volunteering has been associated with better cardiovascular health, but whether this association varies by genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular disease remains unclear. This study examined associations between volunteering and cardiovascular biomarkers, assessed associations between biomarker-specific polygenic scores (PGSs) and these outcomes, and tested whether polygenic risk moderated volunteering–biomarker associations among U.S. adults aged 51 years and older.

New York City Women’S Experiences With Perinatal Depression Inquiries, Diagnosis, And Treatment Initiation, Caterina Pisciotta

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Perinatal depression represents a significant public health concern, yet many women who experience depression symptoms during the perinatal period (either during pregnancy and/or after birth) do not receive treatment. Initiatives, such as ThriveNYC, were designed to address these gaps by screening and treating perinatal women for maternal depression, integrating screening into routine perinatal care and strengthening pathways to treatment. Using representative survey data collected between 2016 and 2021 via the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), this study examined trends in perinatal depression inquiries (a proxy for “screening”) and postpartum diagnosis, as well as …

Pornography And Men's Violence Against Women And Children: From Production To Consumption, Gail Dines Phd., Mandy Sanchez Phd

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The average age of first viewing mainstream pornography for boys is around ten to twelve years old. The pornography they encounter is largely from “tube sites,” named after YouTube, which are popular because they require no registration, no payment, and no subscription. For the most part, an adolescent only needs access to a digital device to view hundreds of thousands of free videos. As we discuss in this article, the weight of the scientific evidence shows that viewing pornography is associated with multiple social, emotional, sexual, and cognitive harms. However, none of these studies provide a detailed analysis of …

Sedentary Behaviors And Functional Disability Among Chinese Older Adults (2008–2018): Evidence Including Mahjong, Yen-Han Lee, Yen-Chang Chang, Minzhi Ye, Cai Xu

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study examined how different types of sedentary behavior relate to changes in functional disability, measured by activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), among Chinese older adults.

Major findings: Using data from 17,939 participants in four waves (2008–2018) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), sedentary behavior was categorized into four types: none, playing mahjong only, combining these with other sedentary activities, and other activities alone (e.g., reading and watching TV). Cox two-state regression models estimated the hazard of transitioning in ADL and IADL disability. Engaging in sedentary behaviors was generally …

Practical Aspects Of Religious Social Work In Modern Ukraine, Inna Vladislavivna Kovalchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This work analyzes the current state and specifics of the activity of religious organizations in the social sphere of Ukraine. Special attention is paid to the transformation of religious social work in the conditions of a full-scale war, where religious communities have become key agents of humanitarian, psychological and spiritual assistance. The article examines the mechanisms of interaction between the church, the state and non-governmental organizations in solving social problems. The findings are based on the practical experiences of those working with internally displaced persons (IDPs), veterans, large families, and individuals facing difficult life circumstances. Unique methods of denominational assistance …

Solidarity In Action: Social Service Of Caritas Organizations In Ukraine In Wartime, Andrii Marchenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to the analysis of the activities of Caritas charitable organizations in Ukraine, which are affiliated with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Caritas Ukraine) and the Roman Catholic Church (Caritas-Spes Ukraine), in the realities of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Particular attention is focused on considering how the fundamental ideas of Christian love, mercy, common good, and solidarity are embodied in the various practices of humanitarian, spiritual, and other support that these institutions provide to different categories of the population of Ukraine, especially those who have suffered from the destructive consequences of the war. Types of such support include, …

Resilience Ain’T Free: Surviving And Resisting While Navigating Well-Being As Black School Social Workers In California’S Bay Area, Ashley Lynnette Bonton

Doctoral Dissertations

The well-being of school-based mental health professionals is critical to the functioning of educational systems, yet the experiences of Black school social workers remain largely absent from existing research. Black school social workers often navigate complex professional demands while also confronting racialized expectations, systemic inequities, and emotional labor within predominantly white educational institutions. This qualitative study examines how Black school social workers in the San Francisco Bay Area navigate their personal and professional well-being within these conditions. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory and Critical Race Theory, this study explores how multiple environmental contexts and racialized institutional dynamics shape their experiences. …

“When I’M Not Heard, I Feel Like I Don’T Matter”: Advancing Equity In Disability Policy Through Critical Participatory Action Research With People With Intellectual Disability, Cris Marchionne

Student Theses

People with intellectual disability deserve a system that offers flexible, timely, and person-centered support — one that is innovative, sustainable, and holistic in enabling them to live fulfilling lives. This qualitative study, grounded in Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR), examines how people with intellectual disability experience participation in decision-making within New York State's disability service system. By centering lived experience, the study identifies factors that facilitate or hinder participation in decision-making and examines structural, social, and policy-related barriers that limit agency. Through six focus groups and a Photovoice project with self-advocates receiving OPWDD services, participants described systemic barriers that limited …

Beyond Boundaries: Unlocking Positive Social Change Through Shared Expertise, Sigifredo Castell Britton

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Societal progress thrives through the dynamic interplay of diverse disciplines, each contributing unique insights to advance positive change. Interdisciplinary collaboration plays a crucial role in addressing complex social challenges by combining the strengths of various fields. This article explores the historical evolution, theoretical foundations, and practical applications of interdisciplinary collaboration to foster positive social change. The discussion provides definitions of key terms, such as societal progress and positive social change, within distinct ideological and contextual frameworks. It makes use of these to clarify the direction of positive change in different societal settings. Historical and contemporary examples, such as Bolivia’s social …

The Post-Covid Experiences Of Low-Income Single Mothers In Maintaining Social Capital And Informal Social Support, Marissa L. Goldman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low-income single mothers often manage financial, caregiving, emotional, and logistical demands with limited resources and rely on informal support networks that may be inconsistent. This problem matters to social workers, community-based practitioners, and researchers because a greater understanding can guide interventions that reduce isolation and role overload and improve resource access. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how low-income single mothers used trust, reciprocity, social norms, and collective support to maintain informal networks in the post-COVID era. Guided by Bourdieu’s social capital theory, the study included 10 English-speaking U.S. mothers with household incomes at or below …

Connecting Families Through Cash Transfers And An Enabling Environment In Colombia, Mexico, And The Philippines: A Qualitative Study, Johanna K P Greeson, John Gyourko, Sarah Wasch, Kristin Mallory, Lory Fehlig, Cesar Jácome, Nestor David Lara Yanes, Fátima Areli Ruiz Gutiérrez, Dennis Guamos, Adele R. Lehman

Faculty Scholarship

Nearly 700 million people worldwide live in extreme poverty, and almost half of the world’s population lives below the poverty line. Cash transfer programs are increasingly used to address poverty’s effects on family well-being, yet less is known about how families experience programs that combine cash transfers with peer-driven mutual aid. Children International’s (CI) Community Independence Initiative (CII) provides conditional cash transfers and promotes family-led goal setting, mutual support, and shared learning. This qualitative study explored how families in Colombia, Mexico, and the Philippines experienced CII and made meaning of its material and relational components. We conducted focus groups with …

Understanding Familicide: Psychosocial, Behavioral, And Mental Health Risk Factors And Implications For Forensic Behavioral Health Professionals, Molly M. Vogl

Master of Arts in Human Services

Familicide is a rare but devastating form of family violence involving the killing of multiple family members by another family member. Although research examining domestic violence, homicide, and homicide-suicide has expanded, familicide remains less understood due to its low occurrence and complex nature. This capstone examined the psychosocial, behavioral, and mental health risk factors commonly associated with familicide perpetrators and explored how forensic behavioral health professionals may use this information to improve violence risk assessment, prevention, and intervention efforts. A review of peer-reviewed research from academic databases and scholarly search engines identified common themes associated with familicide, including relationship conflict, …

Msw Portfolio: Development Of A Social Work Practitioner, Loren Fitzpatrick

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio details my experiences and professional journey throughout the University of Montana's Master of Social Work program. It provides significant reflection of core social work elements and competencies while highlighting an understanding of trauma informed care, development of theoretical orientation, and the importance of culturally responsive practice. Examples of competency are displayed through provided coursework assignments, group projects, and research papers.

Msw Portfolio, Aunnika K. Woods

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

A professional portfolio displaying a collection of experiences and development throughout my time in the MSW program, documenting growth, challenges, and values.

Roots And Systems: A Portfolio Of Clinical Growth, Trauma-Informed Care, And Culturally Centered Practice, Sarah Rice

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Looking Beneath The Surface: Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Through The Caregiver’S Lens—Support, Advocacy, And Self-Care, Melissa Fredin

Master of Arts in Human Services

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure that can affect cognitive functioning, adaptive skills, communication, emotional regulation, and daily living abilities. Individuals with FASD and their caregivers often face complex challenges while navigating behavioral, educational, healthcare, human service, and criminal justice systems. Although awareness of FASD continues to increase, gaps remain in caregiver education, professional understanding, and access to coordinated, trauma-informed supports. The literature indicates that caregiver education is central to improving outcomes for individuals with FASD and is associated with stronger advocacy, more effective support strategies, greater caregiver resilience, and improved …

Reflections In Practice, Joshua William Erickson

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio narrative documents my professional development through the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana. It discusses how I've developed my skills through practicum sites at Youth Villages and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) as well as coursework spanning from clinical practice, policy analysis, program evaluation, and community organizing. Using the Five Elements of Advanced Integrated Practice and all ten CSWE competencies as an organizing structure, clinical skills with adolescents, families, and older adults are reflected on. Growth in macro-level practice, program evaluation, and interdisciplinary leadership is …

Spiral & Wheel, Red Audiss

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Becoming A Social Worker, Sheyanne Marie Herron

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio is a reflective overview of my journey toward becoming a social worker. It highlights how my education, professional experiences, practicum placements, and coursework have shaped my development as a clinician, advocate, and leader. The portfolio demonstrates growth across the core MSW competencies, including ethical practice, assessment, intervention, research, policy, advocacy, cultural humility, and leadership. It also emphasizes my person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed approach to practice and my commitment to social justice and lifelong learning.