Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Chinese Digital Platform Companies’ Expansion In The Belt And Road Countries, Yujia He

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

The emergence of digital platforms is shifting the digital economy toward a platform economy, and Chinese platform-based businesses like Alibaba, Tencent, and JD are increasingly expanding in the Global South. Alongside this, the Chinese government has been promoting digital economy collaboration with emerging markets through high-level engagement under the banner of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its digital economy component the Digital Silk Road (DSR). Despite significant market interest and policy attention, grounded empirical analysis of Chinese digital platforms’ expansion within Belt and Road Initiative countries is scarce. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, drawing on both quantitative …

Changes In Criminal Thinking Among Homeless Veterans Receiving Housing First Services, Deirdra Robinson

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Homelessness is a social problem that has plagued the United States for decades. as early as 1987, veterans were identified has making up a large proportion of people living unhoused. This dissertation is a retrospective exploratory, quantitative study exploring the relationship between criminal thinking and specific characteristics (mental health symptoms, social connectedness, perception of seriousness of legal issues, and housing) of veterans who received services from a Housing First program. Using Survival Mode Theory as a framework for organizing and understanding the context of the study, and the utility of the findings, this dissertation aimed at improving practice and theoretical …

Policy Brief, Zachary Owen

Dean's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Scholarship

The US grapples with a housing crisis, exacerbated in part by a shortage of conventional mortgage loans. Data from 2020 reveals a severe racial disparity, with 27.1% of Black mortgage applicants denied compared to only 13.6% of White mortgage applicants. These denial trends are highly correlated with homeownership rates. Current trends in homeownership by race mirror or exceed those present during the discriminatory practices of the 1960s. Lenders often cite low credit scores and high debt-to-income ratios as grounds for denial. Therefore, proposed solutions include mandating the inclusion of rental payment history in credit scores, offering free homebuying education, and …

The Impact Of Measure 110 On Fatal Overdoses, Property And Violent Crime In Oregon, Hannah Mercado

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In November 2020, the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act (also known as Measure 110) was passed in Oregon with the purpose to provide access to treatment and recovery services available to anyone who may need to utilize them, while focusing on a health-oriented approach towards substance use disorder (SUD) across the state through the removal of low-level drug possession criminal penalties (Oregon Health Authority, n.d.). Historically, Oregon has consistently had some of the highest rates of substance use in the U.S., making this a pertinent issue which was addressed through the implementation of Measure 110. Citing a critical need …

Developing Best Practices For Successful University Fundraising Events, Ravyn Ladenburger

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This research study addresses the crucial role of fundraising in sustaining universities in the United States, particularly public institutions facing funding challenges. For this paper, fundraising refers to the seeking of financial support from individuals to support initiatives at a nonprofit entity, such as a public university. It identifies a gap in research and professionalization within higher education philanthropy, emphasizing the need for standardized training and empirical research. The focus is on studying the effectiveness of fundraising events, especially in public universities like the University of Kentucky, amidst declining government support and rising operational costs. The research problem to be …

Analysis Of Implementation Of Student Homeless Programs Per County School District In The State Of Georgia, Hannah Watson

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This report investigates the implementation of federal and state policies concerning homeless students within school districts across Georgia. This analysis focuses on understanding how these policies are translated into practical strategies to meet the unique needs of homeless students, encompassing identification, enrollment, and provision of essential support services that result in proof of academic success. Through a combination of policy assessment techniques of current county school district procedures and services offered to students experiencing homelessness and a descriptive assessment of the contents of the current policies through the lens of public administration theories; we will develop a series of key …

A Review Of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act In Kentucky Schools System, Spencer Collins

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The federal government's role in education has been center stage for the past decade. Policy actors on the right call for a complete deconstruction of the federal Department of Education (ED). In today's partisan fighting over government funding, the topic of education services is critical. With further investigations into education services provided by federal funding, one vulnerable population that needs to be safeguarded is those students with disabilities. Protecting those students with disabilities and ensuring equal access to education and resources provided for non-disabled students should be one of the highest priorities of policy actors within the education sphere today. …

Relationship Between Weir Openings And Green Tide Variation In Korean Rivers, Uisuk Jung

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

On the four major rivers in South Korea (Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River, and Yeongsan River), 16 weirs were installed in 2011 to secure water resources. However, there is controversy that the weirs allow the summer Green Tide (hereafter referred to as GT) to thrive, so the South Korean government has been opening them since 2017 to evaluate their effectiveness. The opening of the weirs was mainly done at three weirs on the Geum River, where there are few constraints, and some on the Yeongsan and Nakdong rivers, depending on the degree of constraints, while the Han River was …

University Of Kentucky Healthcare Community Engagement Program Strategic Plan, Madison Fyffe

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Strategic planning is an essential tool in providing direction to an organization through analysis of its current state and ideal future, and development of strategic goals. The University of Kentucky HealthCare’s community engagement program is a robust program within the department of Brand Strategy, tasked with serving all 120 Kentucky counties and over 150 local, state, and national organizations through health education, event sponsorship, and promotional resources. In its current state, a strategic plan to guide and track performance does not exist. This capstone aims to develop a strategic plan through the assessment of strategic planning theory, stakeholder analysis, and …

Sports Betting In Kentucky: An Analysis Of Kentucky’S Sports Wagering Legislation Through Local And Regional State Budgetary Revenue Trends, Brett Gillispie

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Kentucky’s legislation legalizing sports wagering in the Commonwealth and delineating its taxation, HB551 of the 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly, has been implemented and posted numbers in its early months that suggested it will exceed revenue projections for the Commonwealth. Researchers have raised concerns, particularly in studying West Virginia, which implemented similar legislation in 2019, that sports betting may be cannibalizing existing gambling revenue for states that implement it. However, this was not conclusive. While evidence from West Virginia suggests that sports betting may be cannibalizing existing revenue, evidence from Kentucky and the individual and broader regional trends …

Defining And Evaluating Quality In Early Childhood Education, Abigail Jacob, Anna Nayyir, Vaughn Nebbitt, Nate Terrell

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Quality early childhood education is essential to ensure that children grow into well-adjusted, healthy, and happy adults. Early childhood is considered a child’s first five years before kindergarten, and nearly 90% of brain development occurs in these five short years (Brain Development, n.d.). According to the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood, preschool attendance decreases the likelihood that the child will drop out of high school, be held back a grade, or be placed in special education (Importance of Early, n.d.). Not only does early childhood education benefit the child, but it can also positively influence society. Early childhood education …

Employer Incentivized Cancer Screenings In Kentucky: A Case Study, Addison Dumes, Sophia Freeman, Megan Latiff

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Kentucky has some of the highest mortality rates for colon, breast, cervical and lung cancer in the United States, according to the Center of Disease Control. Our Client, The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, is seeking to lower these rates by increasing employer driven cancer screenings. Previous studies show many states have been successful in implementing programs to motivate employees to participate in preventative screenings. Through individual interviews with Kentucky employers, this study aims to answer what factors affect the best practices and perceived barriers amongst employers with health and wellness programs to increase the rate of preventative breast, cervical, …

Lfcug's Utilization Of 2022 Opioid Settlement Funds For Recovery Housing, Emily Wiley, Ken Britton Jr, Madelaine Coy

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Following national settlements to combat the opioid epidemic, Kentucky and its local governments received a collective $842 million to invest in prevention and treatment. To employ these dollars most effectively, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) aims to become “recovery ready” as a part of Kentucky’s Recovery Ready Communities (RRC) certification program. This mixed methods comparative case study determined the following high-priority variables that align with RRC certification requirements: recovery housing infrastructure, certification disclosure, and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) services. To provide additional insight into Fayette County’s recovery housing landscape, we analyzed the following supplemental variables: vulnerable populations served, …

Government Grant Receipts And Revenue Volatility: A Correlational Investigation Of Medium-Sized Arts Organizations, Carly Colvin

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Minimal revenue volatility has been shown to enable more accurate planning by nonprofit managers and contribute to nonprofit financial sustainability. The volatility of government revenues, a major income source for nonprofit organizations, is not a well-researched topic. This capstone presents correlational tests to study the relationship between government grant receipts and revenue volatility within medium-sized nonprofit arts organizations in California. In addition, a data compilation methodology is tested and documented to enable future research. The results do not show a correlation between receipt of government grants and revenue volatility. The ensuing considerations for nonprofit managers along with areas for future …

How Do Hospital Characteristics Affect Veteran Patients’ Satisfaction In South Korea?, Miran Jo

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This study examined the impact of the characteristics of commissioned hospitals on the satisfaction of veterans by using the satisfaction survey data of Korean veterans. As a result of a regression analysis using departments, beds, and specialists as independent variables and satisfaction scores as dependent variables, it was found that there was a positive correlation between the number of specialists and satisfaction in general hospitals. However, in clinics and tertiary hospitals, the number of beds was found to have a negative effect on satisfaction. Additionally, the presence or absence of a Veterans Affairs hospital did not have a significant effect …

Financial Monitoring And Oversight Of Public Higher Education Institutions By States A Descriptive Case Study Analysis, Ryan Kaffenberger

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Higher education in America is at an inflection point with numerous challenges threatening the traditional business model relied on by institutions across the country. These forces include, but are not limited to: 1) A decrease in the number of high school graduates due to historical declines in birth rates (Grawe, 2018; Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, 2020) 2) Sustained disinvestment by many states in their higher education institutions which has effectively shifted the cost of education to students and families (Kunkle & Laderman, 2023) 3) Increasing skepticism among Americans of the value of higher education, particularly given its rising …

Impact Of The Availability And Affordability Of Childcare On The Economy, Valentina Osunmade, Cameron French

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Kentucky's workforce participation rates are among the lowest in the nation, thus underscoring the urgent need to strengthen and sustain its workforce (Aull, 2023). One significant barrier for many families in the workforce is the lack of accessibility and affordability of childcare. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) in Kentucky aims to alleviate this burden for low-income families. Despite the program's importance, no prior study has examined the direct impact of CCAP enrollment on workforce participation in Kentucky. This research addresses this gap by conducting a multiple regression analysis using aggregate data from the Kentucky Center for Statistics, the US …

Venture Capital & State Policy: A Mixed Methods Approach For Identifying And Understanding “Bright Spots”, David Durman Ii, Cole Wilson

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The relationship between the availability of venture capital at the state level and state policy is largely unexplored in research. To expand the understanding of this subject, the aim of this paper is to determine what states are performing greater than would be expected in the area of venture capital availability and examine the nature of policy in those states in order to glean insights in regard to policy improvement. To that end, the researchers developed a multiple regression model to identify overperforming states, then performed an examination of policy within the states identified and contacted subject matter experts within …

Self-Reported Consumption Of Bottled Water V. Tap Water In Appalachian And Non-Appalachian Kentucky, Jason W. Marion

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Quantitative studies on drinking water perceptions in Appalachia are limited. High-profile water infrastructure failures in the U.S. and Eastern Kentucky, coupled with human-made and natural disasters in the Appalachian Region, have likely impacted opinions regarding tap water.

Purpose: To use existing unexplored data to describe baseline tap water v. bottled water consumption in Kentucky.

Methods: Telephone-based cross-sectional data were obtained from the 2013 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) directed by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Among many items in KHIP, self-reported consumption of bottled water over tap water, reasons for bottled water use, and demographic data were obtained. …

A Better Life: Factors That Help And Hinder Entry And Retention In Mat From The Perspective Of People In Recovery, Adam D. Baus, Martha Carter, Jennifer Boyd, Erin Mcmullen, Trey Bennett, Alexandra Persily, Danielle M. Davidov, Christa Lilly

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Opioid addiction and opioid-related overdoses and deaths are serious public health problems nationally and in West Virginia, in particular. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an effective yet underutilized treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).

Purpose: Research examining factors that help individuals succeed in MAT has been conducted from provider and program perspectives, but little research has been conducted from the perspective of those in recovery.

Methods: This study, co-developed with individuals in recovery, took place in West Virginia-based MAT programs using an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach. The survey was open February through August 2021. Data were analyzed late 2021 …

Homeownership And Mortgage Loans: How Important Is A Conventional Loan?, Zachary Owen

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

Communities across the United States face a housing crisis that stems in part from a scarcity of conventional home mortgage loans. Conventional mortgage loan application numbers have decreased, and racial disparities persist in mortgage application denial rates. In 2020, the Urban Institute reported that when applying for a mortgage, Black applicants were denied 27.1% of the time, yet White applicants were denied only 13.6% of the time. These denial rates are highly correlated with homeownership rates. Today, despite policy efforts, the difference in White and Black homeownership rates is higher than in the 1960s when the government enforced discriminatory housing …

Foster Caregiving: How Interactions With The Child Welfare Agency Impact Foster Parent Satisfaction, Recruitment, And Retention, Ethan Engelhardt

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Professionals of the child welfare system in Kentucky have continuously worked to retain and recruit new foster parents for the foster care system. Foster parents are uniquely placed in a surrogate caring position for children removed from their homes for reasons of abuse or neglect. Foster parents accept this role and step in to provide a safe and loving household for many children. There are more than 9,000 children placed in Out of Home Care (OOHC) on any given day in Kentucky, leaving many children in need of a loving and supportive household. Foster parents hang in the balance between …

Improving Connectivity For Remote Cancer Patient Symptom Monitoring And Reporting In Rural Medically Underserved Regions, Esther Max-Onakpoya

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

Rural residents are often faced with many disparities when compared to their urban counterparts. Two key areas where these disparities are apparent are access to health and Internet services. Improved access to healthcare services has the potential to increase residents' quality of life and life expectancy. Additionally, improved access to Internet services can create significant social returns in increasing job and educational opportunities, and improving access to healthcare. Therefore, this dissertation focuses on the intersection between access to Internet and healthcare services in rural areas. More specifically, it attempts to analyze systems that can be used to improve Internet access …

Offshoring And Subordinate Financialization In Developing Countries, Logan Kuegel

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

This study will investigate the relationship between global value chain integration and financialization in the Global South. It is intended for policy research committees in international organizations such as the United Nations (Commission on Trade and Development Special Committee on Cization), the International Monetary Fund (Development Committee), the World Trade Organization, and World Bank. The global production network represents the international division of production through intermediate offshoring, while financialization represents the entrance of traditionally nonfinancial actors (namely firms, governments/banks, and households) into the financial system.

Attempting to use a heterodox framework, this paper builds upon literature that synthesizes the two …

Bolstering Resistance To Misinformation Through K-12 Education, Allison Johnson

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

Misinformation online and in news media is a problem because it degrades truth and hinders legitimate democratic discourse. As misinformation becomes more prevalent, we need to start finding ways to limit the extent of the problem. To do so, I recommend a policy solution based on inoculation theory. Inoculation theory, as the name suggests, uses the metaphor of a vaccine. When receiving the flu shot, we get a weakened dose of the virus, which in turn helps us to create antibodies and later be more effective at fighting the real flu. In this instance, people are exposed to weakened doses …

Addressing Money Laundering In The United States Real Estate Sector, Hunter Mccormick

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

The United States faces threats to economic stability and legal integrity from money laundering practices in the real estate market. Legislative loopholes, complicit enablers, and aging technological systems used by government agencies allow individuals to flow ill-gotten wealth into the United States with little effort. As a result of these factors, local economies suffer job loss, once-inhabited properties lie empty in decay, and trust in government weakens. Illegal wealth is transformed into protected assets in the form of property and can stored to later fund terrorism organizations or influence the American people. Approximately $2.3 billion was laundered through real estate …

Curbing Diabetes Prevalence And Reducing Risk Through Policy, Grayson Blount

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

The purpose of this policy brief is to illuminate the dire circumstances surrounding the ongoing diabetes epidemic in Kentucky. Type II diabetes mellitus, a preventable and manageable chronic illness, affects nearly 465,000 Kentuckians currently. Beyond the daily struggle associated with diabetes, many acute complications can arise that are severly detrimental to quality of life, such as blindness or lower extremeity amputation. Additionally, the costs associated with diabetes are tremendous, to patients, to providers, and to the state. It is in the best interest of all stakeholders to do whatever we can in order to reduce prevalence and improve management of …

Convicted Felons And Voting, Olivia Corley

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

Felony disenfranchisement impacts nearly 4.6 million individuals in the United States with low-income communities and communities of color disproportionately affected. This policy is a practice that restricts the voting rights of individuals who have been convicted of a felony. This brief provides an overview of the challenges faced by those affected by felony disenfranchisement, as well as the implications for democracy in the United States. Highlighting a 50-state scan of state voter restrictions, I showcase the different laws and policies that restrict the voting rights of individuals with felony convictions across the United States. The history of felony disenfranchisement in …

Child Welfare And The Opioid Crisis In The Bluegrass State, Irina Mohler

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

This brief discusses the challenges facing Kentucky's child welfare system, particularly due to the opioid epidemic, childhood adversity, mental health needs, and limited social services. Kentucky has one of the highest child neglect rates and opioid dispensing rates in the nation. The state's child welfare system includes services like the Child and Family Services Plan, Independent Living Program, and Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Team (START), but it faces issues such as high caseloads and data gaps. It aims to emphasizes the importance of providing the highest standard of care for children in Kentucky and seeking effective recommendations by examining similar …

Making Transportation Safer, Jack Reynolds

Undergraduate Public Policy Capstone Projects

While often overlooked, the overreliance on private transportation across the United States has become a major source of danger, with thousands of lives lost every year to motor vehicle crashes. These deaths have been taken for granted, yet what is often forgotten is that in the face of increasing rates of motor vehicle crash deaths, we have the capability to prevent future tragedies like these from occurring through targeted policy decisions. While certain reforms to private transportation were found to be effective in improving traffic safety, such as implementing graduated licensing systems and lowering speed limits, the primary component of …