Digital Commons Network^™

An Advocacy Approach For More Effective Program Delivery And Coordination: A Case Study Of Maine's Housing Rehab Techs, Kenneth K. Ahn, James F. Horan, G. Thomas Taylor

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A detailed case analysis of the Maine Housing Rehabilitation Project provides an exploratory observation of the innovative use of human resources at the federal, state and regional levels through an evolutionary development process of housing rehabilitation technicians. Functioning largely as advocate planners and human service delivery administrators through self-expanded roles, these individuals were able to promote change in the context of this intergovernmental environment. The analysis presented here reveals findings of intrastate regional differences between the urban and rural areas. Low income citizens appear to be the main beneficiaries of a proactive style of leadership that was performed by the …

Alternative Service Delivery Strategies: Factors In States' Decision Making, Harold W. Demone Jr., Margaret Gibelman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article focuses on the range of choices and factors affecting state level decision making about how human services are to be delivered. In light of the dual thrusts of decentralization and privatization, the viability of public-private partnerships through contracting for services is explored. Among the significant factors affecting decisions about alternative forms of service delivery are: political and fiscal preferences; the strength of organized labor; the role and availability of the private service sector and history with purchase of service. The advantages and disadvantages attributed to a contracting model for delivering services are unlikely to be argued from an …

Women, Welfare, And Work, Norman L. Wyers, Portland State University School Of Social Work

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

There are many popular misconceptions about people on welfare. This study challenges these myths with empirical findings, confirming the results of earlier studies. Four misconceptions contradicted by the findings of this study are as follows:

1. MYTH: She Doesn’t Want to Work
2. MYTH: Welfare Breeds Welfare
3. MYTH: She Rides the Gravy Train
4. MYTH: She Finds Life is Easy on Welfare

Will A Private War On Poverty Succeed? The Case Of The St. Louis Provident Association, Robert H. Lauer, Jeanette C. Lauer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In view of the current emphasis on private approaches to social problem resolution, it is instructive to look at private efforts of the past. The St. Louis Provident Association was a private effort to deal with poverty. It was organized in 1860 to provide relief for the "needy and distressed." Data on the volunteer leaders of the association and on the people who were actually helped show a number of things about the 19th-century effort to deal with poverty. First, the volunteers were upwardly- mobile business and professional men who were concerned about the stability of their society. Second, the …

Social Workers Who Left The Profession: An Exploratory Study, James Herrick, Calvin Y. Takagi, Robert Coleman, Linda Jewell Morgan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Why professional social workers leave the field of social work for other types of employment has implications for social work practice and education. The study suggests that economic advantage is but one of the factors involved in choosing other employment.

Adult Foster Care: Its Tenuous Position On The Care Continuum, Ruth E. Dunkle

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Frequently any move away from independent living for an elderly person is viewed as a downhill road to the nursing home and ultimate death. Adult foster care has been viewed as one such step closer to institutionalization. Service provision to the elderly needs to be viewed on a continuum where the elderly are seen as being capable of moving in and out of supportive living arrangements when the need arises. Barriers to providing this care are identified with future needs highlighted.

A Comparison Of Social Service Workers' And The Public's Views Of Nursing Home Characteristics, Lucinda Lee Roff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using the determinant attribute model, this study examined and compared the criteria which 277 social service workers and 842 members of a general population would employ in selecting a nursing home. The results suggested substantial differences between the two groups in selection criteria. Implications of these results and of the use of the determinant attribute model as an aid to practice are discussed.

Going Among Them: The Evolution Of The Home Visit, Terry Holbrook

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The methods, motives and objectives of home visiting have been ignored by most social work historians, while the profession of social work has become almost universally associated with this practice by the public. This paper examines the historical, social, and political implications of home visiting from the founders of the profession to the present day, suggesting a revitalization of this taken for granted practice for the purpose of collecting "social evidence" to be used for social reform.

Qualitative Methodology, Hypothesis Testing And The Needs Assessment, John W. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The qualitative methodologist argues that data have meaning only when they are verified experientially. In order for this type of verification to take place, program evaluators must utilize a "responsible" methodology when conducting research. In this paper a definition of responsible methodology is advanced, while the proper operationalization of this type of methodology is illustrated. In particular, it is shown how key needs assessment strategies can be used in a responsible manner, so as to capture the experiential significance of data.

Reaganism And The Poor Family: Life On Afdc After The Budget Cuts, Norman L. Wyers, Robert C. Holloway

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Recent changes in federal and state welfare policies have had negative consequences for public welfare recipients. This paper summarizes a study which focused on the impact of these policy changes on the AFDC population in the most populous region of Oregon. Of particular importance are the changes in income levels, employment, and social service utilization of recipients. Personal reactions of recipients are also reviewed, as are expectations for the future. The differential economic impact of the policy changes on various categories of recipients is stressed.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 10, No. 1 (March 1983)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Reaganism and the Poor Family: Life on AFDC After the Budget Cuts - NORMAN L. WYERS, ROBERT C. HOLLOWAY
• Will A Private War on Poverty Succeed? The Case of the St. Louis Provident Association - ROBERT H. LAUER, JEANETTE C. LAUER
• Racial Change or Racial Stabilization: Policy and Process at A Neighborhood Level - JOHN D. MORRISON
• The Service Orientations of Social Service Administrators: Towards a Normative Model - WALTER LAMENDOLA, PATRICIA YANCEY MARTIN
• Adult Foster Care: Its Tenuous Position on The Care Continuum - RUTH E. DUNKLE
• Social Workers Who Left the Profession: An Exploratory Study …

Racial Change Or Racial Stabilization: Policy And Process At A Neighborhood Level, John D. Morrison

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Housing segregation and integration are areas of great concern to all citizens. Public policy in the past favored segregation, and while formal policy now favors integration, relatively little is done to implement this policy.

Social science data in the area of residential integration have often been used to foster the status quo by misinterpretation or selective use. This paper reviews some of these data and suggests some principles for practitioners who wish to enhance the potential for integration.

A comprehensive view of a neighborhood should be taken rather than examining only racial factors. Families choose to enter or leave a …

The Service Orientations Of Social Service Administrators: Towards A Normative Model, Walter Lamendola, Patricia Yancey Martin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The service orientations of 28 administrators of social service agencies are examined as part of a normative model of service delivery. Six service issues are identified, and their interrelationship is described and examined. The service orientation issues include: effectiveness, efficiency, responsiveness to constituency interests, agency autonomy, community involvement, and services integration. In part, the results show that, as a group, the executives rank effectiveness (or the setting and achievement of programmatic goals) as of greatest concern. Community involvement and responsiveness follow in importance. Efficiency ranks fourth and autonomy, fifth. Services integration is of least concern. Service orientation is examined in …

Variables Influencing Publication In The Field Of Social Work, John S. Wodarski, Michael Brenner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The manuscript presents a descriptive summary of variables influencing professional publication in four major journals: Social Work, Social Service Review, Social Casework and Clinical Social Work Journal. Data were drawn from a random sampling of the years 1960 to 1976. The following descriptive variables were analyzed: degree, sex, occupation, organizational affiliation, and geographic location of author; topic of article; and single VS multiple authorship. Implications the data have for the production of knowledge in social work and future research questions are briefly educidated.

Book Reviews, Samuel R. Friedman, Gary P. Freeman, Susan Meyers Chandler

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

• The New Class War: Reagan's Attack On The Welfare State and Its Consequences by Francis Fox Piven and Richard A. Cloward. Reviewed by SAMUEL R. FRIEDMAN
• Social Service Politics In the United States and Britain by Willard C. Richan. Reviewed by GARY P. FREEMAN
• Mothers At Work: Public Policies In the United States. Sweden and China by Carolyn Teich Adams and Kathryn Teich Winston. Reviewed by SUSAN MEYERS CHANDLER

Reaganism And The Poor Family: Life On Afdc After The Budget Cuts, Norman L. Wyers, Robert C. Holloway

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recent changes in federal and state welfare policies have had negative consequences for public welfare recipients. This paper summarizes a study which focused on the impact of these policy changes on the AFDC population in the most populous region of Oregon. Of particular importance are the changes in income levels, employment, and social service utilization of recipients. Personal reactions of recipients are also reviewed, as are expectations for the future. The differential economic impact of the policy changes on various categories of recipients is stressed.

Computer Use In Social Services Network Newsletter, Dick Schoech

Computer Use in Social Services Network

No abstract provided.

Social Work, Kenneth J. Dawes

UND Departmental Histories

This departmental history was written on the occasion of the UND Centennial in 1983.

Sociology, Anthropology-Archaeology And Social Work, Kenneth J. Dawes

UND Departmental Histories

This departmental history was written on the occasion of the UND Centennial in 1983.

Review Of Freud And Women, By Lucy Freeman And Herbert S. Strean, Leslie B. Alexander

Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research Faculty Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Traits In Marathon And Recreational Runners, Amy C. Sterling

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether marathon runners exhibit a higher degree of obsessive compulsive personality traits than do recreational runners. Because competing in a marathon requires a great amount of energy and discipline, incidences of traits such as perseverance, rigidity, orderliness and drive were examined in both male and female marathon and recreational runners. To carry ·out this investigation, semi-structured interviews regarding running history were conducted with two non-probability sample groups of 12 marathon and 12 recreational runners; each group consisted of seven men and five women. In addition~ each runner completed a true/ false test …

The Needs Of Older People As Seen By Themselves And Support Providers, Sarah Movius Schurr

Dissertations and Theses

This study compares perceptions of older people's needs from two vantage points: needs as seen by the older people themselves, and the needs of the elders as seen by their family support group. Two hypotheses were examined. The first hypothesis was that the elders and the support people would disagree on the needs of the elders. Secondly, the disagreement would be strongest on more abstract needs, like life satisfaction and contact with the opposite sex.

Computer Use In Social Services Network Newsletter, Dick Schoech

Computer Use in Social Services Network

No abstract provided.

Social Support Systems Of A Selected Sample Of Older Women, Carol Thorpe Tully

Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to examine social organizational structures and support systems in the social world of the older lesbian woman, 73 self-identified lesbian women fifty years of age or older provided data on their personal interactions with the economic, political, educational, religious, social welfare and familial social systems of the heterosexual culture and the homosexual subculture. Results from this cross-sectional survey depict the sample as well educated, professional, financially secure, politically liberal women in good health who are selective with whom they reveal their sexual orientation. The knowledge of their lesbianism is shared more with female friends than with family …

Social Action Organization Participation And Personal Change In The Poor: Part I, Robert D. Herman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Evidence bearing on the hypothesis that participation by the poor in social action organizations results in personal change is inconsistent and open to diverse interpretations. This paper first reviews that evidence and then takes the first step toward a substantive reconciliation of the apparently inconsistent evidence - the development of a typology of social action organization forms. The typology, which is derived from the literature on poverty and organizational analysis, incorporates the elements of (1) inclusion of the poor, (2) resource base of organizational sponsors, and (3) output goal orientation. The typology will be used in Part I I to …

"Medical Democracy In A Health Systems Agency: The Role Of Staff", James Latimore

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The performance of consumers or laypersons in government programs has been studied extensively, usually from the standpoint of the control exercised by providers or other professionals, or correlative, what consumers need in order to be on an equal footing with the experts. At stake is lay control -i.e., democracy. This case study of one Health Systems Agency (HSA) in contrast, focuses attention on the crucial role of the HSA staff in the democratization of health care. Outcomes, such as cost-containment and allocation of resources, can be examined in terms of the staff's interests and the constraints of its multi-leveled environment. …

Current Training Needs In Public Social Services: Impact On Schools Of Social Work, David C. Pritchard

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

An empirically based study was designed to identify evolving training needs in public social services agencies which are in transition. The characteristics and capacity of these service delivery systems have been significantly altered by funding reductions and subsequent administrative redesign. Schools of social work preparing MSW's for future professional employment and also responsible for operating Title XX training projects need to be sensitive to emerging trends. Specific areas of skills and knowledge requiring greater educational and training emphasis were reported. Curricula planning and development needs to be responsive as social work roles and responsibilities are changing in the marketplace. Concern …

Scientific Ideologies And Conceptions Of Drinking Behavior And Alcoholism, Keith M. Kilty

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Conventional explanations of drinking behavior and alcoholism suffer from serious inadequacies, due in large part to their unquestioning acceptance of certain assumptions about the effects of alcohol on human behavior that are rooted in moral prescriptions. That is, most contemporary models of drinking behavior assume that the consumption of alcohol leads to the loss of inhibitions or self-control, ultimately leading to behaviors that are not predictable by either the drinker or society. This perspective has become so deeply ingrained in the social scientific literature that it is no longer even perceived as hypothetical; instead, it has taken on the character …

Dissemination Of Research Reports And Other Publications To Social Workers, Susan Whitelaw Downs

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The author analyzes the response of social workers to a national materials dissemination effort. The publications advocated program innovations based on research and evaluation of a demonstration project. Questions addressed are: do social workers order material based on their occupational category, and are they more likely to order materials if they also receive personal contact in the form of workshops and consultation. Other findings related to this dissemination of materials effort are also described.

Computer Use In Social Services Network Newsletter, Dick Schoech

Computer Use in Social Services Network

No abstract provided.