Digital Commons Network^™

The Embeddedness And Reproduction Of Ableism In Social Work And A Call To Centre Disability Justice, Amber P.E. Young, Kathleen C. Sitter

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Predominately focused on a northern Turtle Island (otherwise known as Canada) context, this article focuses on how ableism, colonialism, and white supremacy intersect, and are embodied and reproduced in dominant social work education spaces and practices. We begin by providing a brief contextual background of the development of social work on northern Turtle Island and how certain social workspaces maintain and (re) produce ableism while intersecting with multiple forms of oppression. We then explore/reflect upon how centering a disability justice framework can inform/transform social work research design (including doctoral research design) and pedagogical practices, citing examples to support these claims.

Mandatory Supporting As A Radical Ethic Of Care: Supporting, Not Reporting, Black Disabled Mothers, Siobhan M. Pokorney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Racism and ableism are intricately linked in the United States. Since the antebellum period, disability has been weaponized against the Black population. As the overriding punitive institution of white supremacy has shifted from slavery to mass incarceration with time, the experiences of Black disabled people within this institution have changed little. Black disabled individuals are at greater risk of harm at every step of the criminal legal system. Furthermore, the prison system exacerbates and creates debilitation and disability for those who are incarcerated. The family regulation system is the adjacent punitive system to mass incarceration, disproportionately impacting Black disabled women …

Teaching Beyond Trans-Competency: Exploring Trans-Affirming Pedagogy Through Applied Case Studies, Sam Harrell, Sarah Mountz, Hazel (Bobbi) Ali Zaman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this paper, we share two applied case studies social work instructors can use to teach trans-affirming, anti-oppressive practice. These cases span two practice arenas, child welfare and low-barrier shelter services, and are derived from practice in the authors’ personal and professional experiences in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States. For each case, we describe the accompanying class context, share our pedagogical approach, name the underlying assumptions and structures that facilitate harm, explore relevant practice skills, and identify theoretical, philosophical, and ethical commitments essential for trans-affirming practice. Our approach to social work education on transgender and gender …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Mental And Physical Health For Low-Income Women Receiving Tanf, Elizabeth Hendrix, Mary Beth Vogel-Ferguson, Christina Gringeri

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to poorer mental and physical health in adulthood. We examine the experiences of low-income women (N = 884) receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance through a state workforce service agency. Participants averaged 4.66 out of 10 ACEs. Higher ACE scores were significantly associated with increased odds of: any physical health issue, fair/poor physical health, any mental health issue, fair/poor mental health, depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and drug misuse. We discuss implications for state TANF agencies and others administering employment programs, and recommend flexibility in eligible participation activities, including activities …

Applying Critical Race Theory And Risk And Resilience Theory To The School-To-Prison Pipeline: Theoretical Frameworks For Social Workers, Christopher Thyberg, Christina Newhill

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social workers are essential stakeholders in the mounting efforts to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. This article presents a theoretical framework integrating Critical Race Theory and Risk and Resilience Theory as a tool for social workers and other school-based social service providers seeking to create meaningful change to school discipline policies. In this article, we apply the theories to expand the understanding of the school-to-prison pipeline and why it has persisted, compare and contrast each theory’s relative strengths and limitations, and conclude with implications for social workers, counselors, and social service providers at the practice, policy, and research levels.

A Qualitative Exploration Of Justice System Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Disproportionate Minority Contact And Behavioral Health Access Among System-Involved Youth Of Color, Tiffany D. Baffour, Dawn X. Henderson, Denise Nation, Pedro M. Hernandez

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Previous research demonstrates that system-involved youth of color experience procedural and structural biases within the U.S. juvenile justice system. These biases and disparities are evident in behavioral health access and treatment. This study examined justice stakeholders’ (social workers, therapists, court counselors, judges, and school resource officers) perceptions of barriers and facilitators to behavioral health treatment among youth of color in the juvenile justice system. This qualitative exploratory study examined data from six focus groups comprising statewide stakeholders (n = 55) from a southeastern state. Results showed that the stigma associated with behavioral health treatment and the incapability of juvenile justice …

Journal Of Sociology And Social Welfare Vol. 49, No. 2

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Using Complex Adaptive Systems Theory To Identify Best Adaptive Practices For Inclusion Within Systems Of Care: The Impact! System Of Care And Its Model Theory Of Change, Marya R. Sosulski

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Systems of Care (SOCs) are distinctive among health care organizations because they focus on process as much as outcomes and consider families as equal partners in improving clients’ outcomes. Because SOCs attend to interactions among all aspects of the clients’ world, we may think of them as ecosystems with continually changing environments. “Theories of Change” (TOCs) are logic models that structure and coordinate SOCs’ conceptualization, implementation, evaluation, and adaptation. Of these elements, current SOC literature is least focused on adaptation, though adaptive practices are vital to addressing clients’ interests. A Complex Adaptive Systems model is used to analyze an exemplary …

School Lunch Participation And Youth School Failure: A Multi-Racial Perspective, Shiyou Wu, Kalah M. Villagrana, Siobhan M. Lawler, Renee Garbe

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In the United States, students from low-socioeconomic status and minority ethnic groups graduate from high school at lower rates than their peers. Limited studies exist about the risk and protective factors that affect the disproportionate graduation rates by income and ethnicity. Using the 2016 Arizona Youth Survey data (N = 32,178), this study aims to explore the relationship between the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation and school failure, and other risk and protective factors from a multi-racial perspective. Logistic regressions were conducted on the total sample and the six ethnic subsamples (i.e., White, Latino, Black, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, …

Structural Competency In Child Welfare: Opportunities And Applications For Addressing Disparities And Stigma, Jaclyn Chambers, G. Allen Ratliff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Increased Immigration Enforcement And Perceived Discrimination Among Latino Immigrants, David Becerra, Jason Castillo, Maria Rosario Silva Arciniega, Michela Bou Ghosn Naddy, Van Nguyen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of this paper was to examine the impact of perceived discrimination among Latino immigrants in the context of recent immigration policies and immigration enforcement strategies. Data for this study were drawn from a pilot study (n=213) of adult Latino immigrants living in Arizona during the summer of 2014. The results of multivariate OLS linear regressions indicated greater perceived discrimination was significantly related to reporting: (1) avoidance of immigration officials; (2) family has suffered; and (3) friends have suffered. In addition, greater perceived discrimination was significantly related to lower confidence in a better future for the individual, their families, …

The Social Exclusion Of Dually-Involved Youth: Toward A Sense Of Belonging, Joann S. Lee, Jessie Patton

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

We use an institutional life course perspective to explore the social exclusion of dually-involved youth. We begin by defining the concept of social exclusion and present one mechanism of social exclusion, the set of institutions operating in the lives of dually-involved youth. We use the social exclusion framework to extend the implications of studies of dually-involved youth, and propose three stages of social-exclusion for dually-involved youth. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of broad investments in families, schools, and communities to ensure that dually-involved youth develop a sense of belonging and the capabilities necessary to live meaningful lives.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 43, No. 4 (December 2016)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE - Melinda McCormick and Yvonne A. Unrau

THE ENVIRONMENT-WITHIN-PERSON PERSPECTIVE: INTEGRATING A MINDFULNESS FRAMEWORK INTO SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE - Yvonne A. Unrau and Melinda McCormick

EVOLVING FROM AN ILLUSIONARY AND SELF DESTRUCTIVE QUEST FOR POWER TO A STATE OF EMPOWERMENT: THE CURATIVE POTENTIAL YOGA MAY HOLD AS A VEHICLE TO RECLAIMING BODILY EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN WITH ANOREXIA - Heather C. Pizzanello

BEING ON THE MAT: A PROCESS EVALUATION OF TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA FOR WOMEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS - Amy B. Smoyer

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS IN THE INCARCERATED SETTING - …

Review Of Dreams And Nightmares: Immigration Policy, Youth, And Families. Marjorie S. Zatz And Nancy Rodriguez. Reviewed By Xiafei Wang., Xiafei Wang

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Marjorie S. Zatz and Nancy Rodriguez, Dreams and Nightmares: Immigration Policy, Youth, and Families. University of California Press (2015), 202 pages, $85.00 (hardcover), $39.95 (paperback).

Toward Housing Stability: Exiting Homelessness As An Emerging Adult, Jeff Karabanow, Sean A. Kidd, Tyler Frederick, Jean Hughes

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper explores the lives of formerly homeless young people as they transitioned towards housing stability. The study employed a longitudinal design involving 51 street youth in Halifax, N.S. (n = 21) and Toronto, ON (n = 30). This paper sheds light upon the pathways through which young people transitioned away from homelessness using the developmental lens of emerging adulthood: a stage involving numerous developmental struggles (identity, instability, self-focus, feeling in-between) but also an age filled with hope and possibilities. There are numerous interrelated factors at play that allow participants to regain a sense of citizenship with mainstream society. While …

Cross-Reporting Of Interpersonal Violence And Animal Cruelty: The Charlotte Project, Dennis D. Long, Shanti J. Kulkarni

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The overlapping nature of interpersonal violence and animal cruelty is well established, however historically each issue has been addressed by distinct and separate protective systems. An innovative community-based project is described that utilized crosstraining as a mechanism to foster collaboration between human services and animal control agencies. Findings are useful for professionals and community stakeholders interested in facilitating the cross-reporting of interpersonal violence and animal cruelty.

The Potential Of Youth Savings Accounts In Three East African Countries: Kenya, Tanzania, And Uganda, Njeri Kagotho, Proscovia Nabunya, Fred Ssewamala, Vilma Ilic

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper explores the potential of expanding a youth-focused asset-based intervention program for poor communities heavily affected by HIV and AIDS-currently underway in one East African country, Uganda-into similar communities in the other two East African countries: Kenya and Tanzania. This concept paper is informed by prior work on youth-focused asset-based programs first proposed in the United States of America and now successfully implemented in Uganda (Ssewamala, 2008; Ssewamala, Alicea, Bannon, & Ismayilova, 2008; Ssewamala & Ismayilova, 2008, 2009) and grounded in an asset-based development theoretical framework, which denotes an integrated approach to human, social, and economic capital development (Sherraden, …

The "L" Word: Nonprofits, Language, And Lobbying, Jocelyn D. Taliaferro, Nicole Ruggiano

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the many benefits associated with policy advocacy, many nonprofit organizations do not lobby. Recently, scholars have called attention to the possibility that the vagueness and ambiguity of the term lobbying may hinder policy advocacy activities, though few studies have systematically explored the relationship between nonprofit professionals' perception of this term and political activity. This study explored the social construction of the term "lobbying" by examining nonprofit leaders' beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding lobbying activities. Participants reported having a strong aversion to the term "lobbying" and preferred alternative language to describe their political activities. Implications for practice and research are …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 40, No. 2 (June 2013)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• A HALF-CENTURY OF CALIFORNIA POVERTY - Robert G. Mogull
• THE POTENTIAL OF YOUTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS IN THREE EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES: KENYA, TANZANIA, AND UGANDA - Njeri Kagotho, Proscovia Nabunya, Fred Ssewamala, and Vilma Ilic
• THE MASARYKS OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA: CONTRIBUTIONS IN SOCIOLOGY, SOCIAL WELFARE AND POLITICS - Rebecca L. Hegar
• SWEDEN'S PARENTAL LEAVE INSURANCE: A POLICY ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIES TO INCREASE GENDER EQUALITY - Juliana Carlson
• REMARITAL CHANCES, CHOICES, AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES: ISSUES OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL WELFARE - Kevin Shafer and Todd M. Jensen
• BLACK WOMEN IN THE "BLACK METROPOLIS" OF THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY: THE CASE …

Skew Selection Theory Applied To The Wealth And Welfare Of Nations, Susan F. Allen, Deby L. Cassill

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

According to skew selection theory, working citizens who build wealth and, at the same time, share portions of their wealth with those in need are more likely to survive economic downturns than citizens who hoard wealth. In this article, skew selection is employed as a theoreticalframework to support governmental efforts to develop social policies that protect the income of working citizens and, at the same time, provide for vulnerable, non-working children and elders. To illustrate its applicability, the social policies of Japan, Sweden and the United States-all of which are challenged by decaying ratios of working to non-working citizens-are compared …

Parental Cognitive Disabilities And Child Protection Services: The Need For Human Capacity Building, Sandra T. Azar, Kristin N. Read

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Theories regarding the social cognitive origins of parenting risk have recently emerged. This work not only has implications for the nature of interventions with parents, but also for the approaches taken by the social service systems that work with them. This paper reviews the evidence that there is a significant number of parents with cognitive disabilities within child protection caseloads and outlines the types of human capacity building and organizational development that are needed to support the parents' needs. Such capacity building will not only increase the effectiveness of child protection interventions with parents with cognitive disabilities (PCD), but will …

Rescuing Children And Punishing Poor Families: Housing Related Decisions, Corey Shdaimah

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Child welfare policy is not self implementing; an understanding of child welfare policy must therefore include the decision making practices by those whom Michael Lipsky (1980) has called "streetlevel bureaucrats." This article reports data from a qualitative study exploring perceptions of child welfare professionals about housing-related child welfare decisions. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 18 child welfare lawyers, judges, and masters level social workers from a large city in the mid-Atlantic U.S. All agreed that there is insufficient affordable adequate housing. They held conflicting views, however, on: 1) the standard for adequate housing in the absence of …

Promoting Positive Outcomes For Healthy Youth Development: Utilizing Social Capital Theory, Julie Anne Laser, George Stuart Leibowitz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article discusses the central tenets of the theories of social capital, which include exchanges, trust, obligation, bonding, bridging, and issues concerning the marginalization of certain groups. Included is an exploration of the limitations of the approaches of the key theorists, followed by the presentation of a theoretical framework and model of the development of social capital among youth. Additionally, the article discusses the relevancy of social capital for social work practice.

Welcome To The Neighborhood: Does Where You Live Affect The Use Of Nutrition, Health, And Welfare Programs?, Molly De Marco, Allison C. De Marco

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the recent upsurge in neighborhood effects research, few studies have examined the impact of neighborhood characteristics on the use of nutrition, health, and welfare programs. To explore these issues, this study used data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, a longitudinal dataset comprised of low-income neighborhoods in Boston, San Antonio, and Chicago (n=1,712). Using hierarchical linear models, the results indicated that both individual (education, employment, and marriage) and perceived neighborhood disorder factors were related to social service use.

Foster Parents' Reasons For Fostering And Foster Family Utilization, Kathryn Rhodes, Mary Ellen Cox, John G. Orme, Tanya Coakley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Better utilization of foster families might be linked to parents' reasons for fostering. This study used data from the National Survey of Current and Former Foster Parents to examine relationships between reasons for fostering and types of services and length of service foster parents provide. Top reasons for fostering were child-centered. The least endorsed reasons were self-oriented. Those who fostered to help children with special problems were more likely to have a child placed, had more children, and had fostered more types of special needs children. Parents who fostered because their children were grown were more likely to have a …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 33, No. 3 (September 2006)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• THE EFFECTS OF PROLONGED JOB INSECURITY ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF WORKERS - Cynthia Rocha, Jennifer Hause Crowell, and Andrea K. McCarter
• THE POET/PRACTITIONER: A PARADIGM FOR THE PROFESSION - Rich Furman, Carol L. Langer, and Debra K. Anderson
• "PUT UP" ON PLATFORMS: A HISTORY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY ADOPTION POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES - Michelle Kahan
• ALTRUISM OR SELF-INTEREST? SOCIAL SPENDING AND THE LIFE COURSE - Debra Street and Jeralynn Sittig Cossman
• ECONOMIC WELL-BEING AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE: NEW FINDINGS ABOUT THE INFORMAL ECONOMY - Loretta Pyles
• JOB SATISFACTION AMONG TANF LEAVERS - Jeff Scott
• SEARCHING …

The Effects Of Prolonged Job Insecurity On The Psychological Well-Being Of Workers, Cynthia Rocha, Jennifer Hause Crowell, Andrea K. Mccarter

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Job insecurity has been increasing since the 1980s. While researchers have found job insecurity to be negatively associated with multiple indicators of well-being for workers and their families in cross sectional studies, less is known about the long term effects of prolonged job insecurity. Specifically, there is a need to collect measures of both insecurity and its consequences at multiple time periods. The current study followed workers for 3 1/2 years to assess the effects of chronic job insecurity on psychological distress. Results indicate that while workers reported increased feelings of security over time, there were longer term negative effects …

When Policy Meets Practice: The Untested Effects Of Permanency Reforms In Child Welfare, Amy D'Andrade, Jill Duerr Berrick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (P.L. 105-89; ASFA) passed into federal law in 1997. ASFA emphasized child protection over family preservation, and introduced reforms intended to increase the likelihood and the speed with which children in the child welfare system attain a permanent home. This article details two provisions of the law, concurrent planning and reunification exception, and explores challenges in their implementation. These provisions have the potential to shift the nature of how child welfare services are delivered, and which families zill receive them. An examination of implementation in the state of California suggests there is a need …

Family Group Conferencing In Child Welfare: Responsive And Regulatory Interfaces, Joan Pennell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A regulatory approach compels the child welfare worker to make decisions according to set procedures and prevents responding flexibly to families. Differential response is a way that child welfare is departing from legal formalism. One means is convening a family group conference (FGC) to develop a plan. John Braithwaite's regulatory pyramid assists in concep- tualizing differential response. This article reports a factor analysis of data on achievement of FGC objectives to elaborate three interfaces for fostering responsive regulation. Each interface keeps the family group at the center of planning while firmly maintaining their connections with community and government programs.

The Settlement House Tradition: Current Trends And Future Concerns, Beverly Koerin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The settlement tradition represents a comprehensive approach that "strengthens individual and neighborhood assets, and builds collective capacity to address community problems" (Hirota, Brown, & Martin, 1996, p. i). While there is a rich literature on the history of the settlement movement, there is little information about contemporary settlement houses. This paper reports findings of a national survey of settlement houses/neighborhood centers that provide information about programs and services offered, populations served, unmet community needs, and policies or trends that contribute to or respond to these needs.