Digital Commons Network^™

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Springfield, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Springfield. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting of a minimum census population …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Brockton, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the Brockton-Abington area. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting of a minimum …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Cambridge, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Cambridge. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting of a minimum census population …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Chelsea, Revere, And Winthrop, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Framingham, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the Framingham area. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting of a minimum census …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Holyoke, Chicopee, And Easthampton, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Holyoke, Chicopee, and Easthampton. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Lowell, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Lowell. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting of a minimum census population …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Malden And Medford, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Malden and Medford. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Somerville And Everett, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Somerville and Everett. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen other cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Worcester, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in Worcester. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of a larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting of a minimum census population …

The Growing Latino Population Of Massachusetts: A Demographic And Economic Portrait, Phillip Granberry, María Idalí Torres

Gastón Institute Publications

This report highlights the growing number, and increasing diversity, of Latinos in Massachusetts. In this state, as well as nationally, Latinos’ share of the population continues to increase, in contrast to the aging non-Latino white population. If Massachusetts were to keep all its congressional seats in the reapportionment that will follow the 2010 Census, it would be chiefly due to the growth in its Latino and Asian population.The Latino population is young, with a high rate of dependent children and a very low rate of dependent elders. Its work- force composition remains stable: Latinos continue to be over-represented in blue-collar …

The Health Of Latinos In Massachusetts: A Snapshot, Dharma Cortés, Rodolfo R. Vega

Gastón Institute Publications

People’s health outcomes are shaped in part by non-biological factors. Most immediately, limited access to health care services can have a deleterious impact on individuals’ health outcomes (Andrulis, 1998). In turn, access to healthcare services is influenced by socioeconomic factors such as whether a person has health insurance or the financial means to pay for their health care. Familiarity with the health care system is another important factor that may influence an individual’s access to healthcare services (Morgan et al., 2008). Language also plays an important role in health outcomes. For instance, individuals with limited English proficiency may find it …

The Latino Population In Massachusetts: Selected Economic Indicators, Josiah Lamp, Ramon Borges-Mendez

Gastón Institute Publications

This report highlights economic indicators for the Latino and total population in Massa- chusetts, including income, poverty, education, and occupation in 2008. As allowed by the data, the report compares indicators for the cities of Lawrence, Lowell, and New Bedford, and the Metropolitan Statistical Areas of Boston, Springfield, and Worcester. The informa- tion was drawn primarily from the 2008 American Community Survey of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, although selected data for Lowell and New Bedford was drawn from the aggregate 2006-2008 American Community Survey in order to achieve an adequate sample size.The report compares economic …

Educational Outcomes Of English Language Learners In Massachusetts: A Focus On Latino/A Students, Faye Karp, Miren Uriarte

Gastón Institute Publications

This report analyzes trends in enrollment and outcomes for English Language Learner stu- dents (ELLs), a growing population in Massachusetts, in the post–Question 2 policy envi- ronment. Where possible, the report presents data on Latino students of Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

Few LEP students, and few of the native Spanish speakers among them, reach the highest level of English language proficiency as measured by the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA).Though some improvements have been seen in terms of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) performance and graduation rates, the rates remain low and the persistence of large gaps between LEPs and …

The State Of Latinos And Education In Massachusetts: 2010, Billie Gastic, Melissa Colón, Andrew Flannery Aguilar

Gastón Institute Publications

Schools are critical public institutions for Latino youth in the Commonwealth, who make up 15% of the public school enrollment in the state. Sadly, despite leading the nation in student achievement, Massachusetts is still leaving its Latino students behind. This is evident from several indicators of Latino students’ academic success. School attendance is a significant concern since Latino students lose an average of more than two and a half weeks of school each year due to absences. Latino students are also frequently disciplined for behavioral is- sues at school. Latinos account for 23% of the incidents that result in disciplinary …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Lynn, Nahant, And Saugus, Phillip Granberry, Sarah Rustan

Gastón Institute Publications

This report provides a descriptive snapshot of selected economic, social, educational, and demographic indicators pertaining to Latinos in the cities of Lynn, Nahant, and Saugus. This report is prepared for the 2010 Statewide Latino Public Policy Conference organized by UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy. It is part of larger series that covers fourteen cities, or clusters of cities, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each report analyzes data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS’s smallest geographic area is a Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) consisting …

Women’S Health Disparities And Midwifery Care, Adeola Oni-Orisan, Dorothy Hiersteiner, Althea Swett

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

This fact sheet was developed for the roundtables project “Midwifery Care in New England: Addressing the Needs of Underserved and Diverse Communities of Women.” Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (Region I), this initiative addresses the challenges and opportunities related to the provision of midwifery care to underserved and vulnerable populations of women. The project aims to increase our understanding of regional midwifery workforce needs in the context of ensuring that all women living in New England have access to timely, affordable, and high-quality health care.

The September 2010 roundtables were …

Women’S Health Disparities And Midwifery Care: Spotlight On Connecticut, Dorothy Hiersteiner, Kaye Inandan

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

Although Connecticut’s Medicaid programs, Husky A and B, are essential providers of coverage for maternity care, there are still major racial and ethnic disparities in access to, use of, and quality of prenatal care in Connecticut. The cesarean birth rate in the state is almost 9% higher than the US average. African American/black and Hispanic mothers experience comparatively high rates of low birth weight births. Furthermore, Connecticut is home to a substantial rural population which experiences unique challenges to accessing adequate health care. While 75% of the Connecticut population is non-Hispanic white, 9% is African American/black, 12% is Hispanic and …

Women’S Health Disparities And Midwifery Care: Spotlight On Maine, Dorothy Hiersteiner

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

With a large percentage of its population living in rural areas, Maine faces obstacles to providing adequate prenatal and maternity care to many women. The vast majority (96.2%) of Maine residents are non-Hispanic white, 1.2% are African American/black, 1.4% are Hispanic and 1.2% have other racial/ethnic backgrounds.

Women’S Health Disparities And Midwifery Care: Spotlight On Massachusetts, Dorothy Hiersteiner

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

As a result of Massachusetts’ 2006 health insurance coverage law, there has been a significant decrease in the uninsurance rate for women of color. Access to and use of health care for all women in the Commonwealth has also increased. Despite these coverage and access gains, major racial/ethnic disparities in health conditions and outcomes still exist among women, especially in the use and quality of prenatal care, the occurrence of preterm and low birth weight births, and infant mortality rates. The proportion of Massachusetts births that were cesarean deliveries in 2007 was 8% higher than the national rate. Compared to …

Women’S Health Disparities And Midwifery Care: Spotlight On New Hampshire, Dorothy Hiersteiner

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

New Hampshire faces significant obstacles to serving the nearly 6% of the population living in medically underserved areas. In addition, many residents of New Hampshire are uninsured, limiting their access to vital medical care. According to 2007-8 data, the racial/ethnic breakdown of New Hampshire residents is: 1% African American/black, 2% Hispanic, 94% non-Hispanic white and 3% Other. In 2005, 5.9% of the total New Hampshire population was foreign born.1 Since 1996, New Hampshire has seen increases in low birth weight births, cesarean births2, and infant mortality with racial/ethnic disparities reflected in most maternal and infant indicators.

Women’S Health Disparities And Midwifery Care: Spotlight On Vermont, Dorothy Hiersteiner

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

In Vermont, racial and ethnic dispariti es in low birth weight and preterm birth rates exist alongside racial and ethnic disparities in health insurance coverage and use of preventative care. As of 2005, the percentage of racial and ethnic minorities in Vermont was approximately 3.3%, compared to 25% for the nation as a whole. In 2005, 3.4% of the Vermont population was foreign born.

Battery Technology For Electric And Hybrid Vehicles: Expert Views On Prospects For Advancement, Erin D. Baker, Haewon Chon, Jeffrey M. Keisler

Management Science and Information Systems Faculty Publication Series

In this paper we present the results of an expert elicitation on the prospects for advances in battery technology for electric and hybrid vehicles. We find disagreement among the experts on a wide range of topics, including the need for government funding, the probability of getting batteries with lithium metal anodes to work, and the probability of building safe Lithium-ion batteries. Averaging across experts we find that U.S. government expenditures of $150M/yr lead to a 66% chance of achieving a battery that costs less than $200/kWh, and a 20% chance for a cost of $90/kWh or less. Reducing the cost …

Women’S Health Disparities And Midwifery Care: Spotlight On Rhode Island, Dorothy Hiersteiner

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

Rhode Islanders face unique health disparities based on race, ethnicity and location. Just over six percent (6.3%) of the Rhode Island population is living in Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), according to 2008 data. Native American and African American/black communities face particular health disparities, specifically in the areas of reproductive and infant health. In 2008, 79% of the Rhode Island population was non-Hispanic white, while 5% was African-American/black, 11% was Hispanic and 5% had other racial/ethnic backgrounds. In 2005, 12.4% of the total Rhode Island population was foreign born.

Asian Adoptees And Post-Adoption Services In Massachusetts: Data From Providers And Reflections From Adult Adoptees, Nathan James Bae Kupel

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

In the summer of 2009, the Institute for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston in consultation with Boston Korean Adoptees, Inc. (BKA), commenced a project aimed at documenting post-adoption services and programs available to Asian adoptees, principally Korean, in Massachusetts and assessing their content and relevance. In the first part of the project, a questionnaire was sent to providers of post-adoption services and program currently available requesting information about their services—number, content, clientele, resources, and staffing. In addition providers were asked to comment on the frequency of requests for services and on challenges faced in offering them. …

Data Note: Measuring The Outcomes Of Job Seekers With Intellectual Or Developmental Disabilities In The Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Daria Domin, Alberto Migliore

Data Note Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

Most people with intellectual or developmental disabilities aspire to gainful employment. To assist them with this goal, state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies offer employment-development services that are based upon Individualized Plans for Employment (IPEs). A commonly used measure of outcomes is the rehabilitation rate, which is defined as the percentage of individuals who achieve employment out of all individuals whose cases were closed after receiving services. This indicator, however, neglects to consider that for various reasons not all individuals progress to receive services. This information is important because not receiving services translates directly into exiting the VR program without an …

Tension And Critical Thinking In Art, Marnie A. Jain

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This paper is a discussion about the existence, purpose, and use of tension in works of art. It does not take the form of standard papers, but is written as an interview where I am both the interviewer and interviewee. As the interviewee I am an artist and researcher of this topic. As the interviewer, I challenge myself to support my assertions with examples, and I try and catch myself in contradictions, and ask for clarifications. Similar to conversations we have in the classrooms of the Critical and Creative Thinking Graduate Program, the discussion in this paper does not cease …

The Boom Not The Slump: The Right Time For Austerity, Arjun Jayadev, Mike Konczal

Economics Faculty Publication Series

Should the United States cut its deficit in the short term? This has been the subject of intense debate among politicians, policy analysts and thinkers over the past year. What are the consequences of cutting the deficit with interest rates low, unemployment high and growth uncertain?

Program Evaluation Of A Community-Based Door-Through-Door Medical Escort Service, Lauren A. Martin

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report summarizes the program evaluation findings of a Boston-based organization’s Medical Escort program. This “door-through-door” service strives to provide medical transportation, physical assistance, and emotional support to elders on their way to the doctor’s office, during medical appointments and on the way back home again. By offering added assistance the program attempts to remove environmental barriers associated with access to health care. This evaluation combines previously collected program statistics with surveys (32) from program volunteers and phone interviews (78) with recipients.

Applying Critical And Creative Thinking In Teaching Buddhism, Doan Van Thua

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This synthesis describes my journey preparing myself for teaching Buddhism in a way that moves beyond traditional approaches of transmitting information to students. I describe learning, teaching activities, tools, and methodologies using critical and creative thinking that can be applicable to Buddhist education. I describe some changes towards more interactive modes of teaching and progress in teaching I have made so far in my teaching Sunday school for children, in public teaching, and in giving instruction to Buddhist groups. Some further expectations and some defects in my teaching that need improvement are noted. A Buddhist is not a blind follower, …