Public Policy Commons^™

Suicide Rates Among Adolescents And Young Adults In The Mountain West, Isabelle G. Graham, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet shows data on suicide death rates among adolescents aged 10 to 24 years in the Mountain West:Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. This fact sheet includes data from a report published by the Center for Disease Control in the National Vital Statistics Report which examines adolescent suicide in the U.S.

Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (Hpsas) In The Mountain West, Nicole Diaz Del Valle, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

Using data from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s “Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)” 2022 report, this fact sheet looks at the mental health care health professional shortage area (HPSA) designations for Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

The Impact Of The Deinstitutionalization Policies On Homelessness, Henrique Krigner

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

Homelessness is a growing issue in America. In 2019 there were 567,715 homeless individuals in the United States, distributed in emergency shelters (63%) or residing unsheltered on streets (27%). In 2021, even though specialists argue that the Covid-19 restrictions greatly harmed an accurate counting, the total number of unsheltered homeless in America increased in 20%. Such increase became a central discussion not only to regular citizens and neighborhood associations, but it also became a great concern within the federal government which has been appropriating billions of dollars each year to “end homeless”.

Specialists point out that the growth of the …

False Advertising And Young Girls’ Self Esteem, Caitlin Bohannon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is becoming impossible to recognize the level of photoshop on advertisements. However, little is known how continuous exposure to such images can negatively impact the short- and long-term psyche of young girls aged 6 to 14 years old. The study’s theoretical framework was Benet’s polarities of democracy, emphasizing freedom and authority and human rights and communal obligations. The research question focused on the negative impacts false advertising has on young girls and what public policies could assist in mitigating these short- and long-term impacts. A general qualitative design, with semistructured interviews of seven adult participants with relevant insight on …

False Advertising And Young Girls’ Self Esteem, Caitlin Bohannon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is becoming impossible to recognize the level of photoshop on advertisements. However, little is known how continuous exposure to such images can negatively impact the short- and long-term psyche of young girls aged 6 to 14 years old. The study’s theoretical framework was Benet’s polarities of democracy, emphasizing freedom and authority and human rights and communal obligations. The research question focused on the negative impacts false advertising has on young girls and what public policies could assist in mitigating these short- and long-term impacts. A general qualitative design, with semistructured interviews of seven adult participants with relevant insight on …

Emergency Care For Youth Who Experience Suicidality And Identify As Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning (Lgbtq+): An Interpretive Phenomenology, Theresa Schultz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Suicide is a leading cause of death in children; youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are at an exponentially higher risk of suicide. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of young adults who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency care for suicidality when they were adolescents.

Methods: Heideggerian hermeneutics phenomenology is the research method used in this study. Youth, ages 18-25 years, who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency treatment for suicidality when they were adolescents (13-17 years) were recruited to participate;fifteen youth enrolled. Individuals ranged in age from 20 to 25 years. Participants described …

Mental Health Professionals And Family Burden: Ways To Improve Training And Treatment, Johnnie Lee Jenkins, Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During deinstitutionalization, schizophrenia treatment shifted from state facilities to communities and families. This change stressed families. This study investigated mental health professionals' (MHPs) knowledge and training about this stress also called family burden (FB). The study had three research questions. These addressed MHPs’ view of FB, what barriers exist in treating FB, can multiple viewpoints define FB, and if these views influence MHPs to reduce it. This grounded theory study used 22 MHPs in seven focus groups (FGs). The participant recruitment process included email, list serves, phone calls, and one state conference. The participants were MHPs licensed for 3 years …

The Program To Reduce Implicit Bias In Carroll Hospital Center Using The Implicit Association Test, Katherine E. Traynor

Capstone Showcase

Natural brain processes make all individuals susceptible to unconscious bias; however, stressful, fearful, or anger-evoking situations as well as the negative influence of media and social surroundings increase the risk of holding obstructive bias, and there is a greater risk of being negatively impacted by this phenomenon when belonging to a minority population (Rose & Flores, 2020). As a result, high rates of infant mortality (10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births for the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 4.1 in the White population) and cardiovascular related diseases (190.0 cases per 1,000 in the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 161.3 in …

The Potential Of Mental Health Policy Implementation: Methods And Applications, Meagan Renee Pilar

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental illness affects roughly 20% of the world in some capacity and can be debilitating. Though a large emphasis has historically been placed on individual-level interventions (e.g., therapy or medication), mental health policies present an opportunity to intervene on a large scale, with the potential to enhance impact and equity. This dissertation contributes to the mental health policy research literature in three main ways—(1) exploring factors affecting policymakers’ overall support of mental health policies; (2) assessing the use and quality of quantitative and qualitative methods within this field; and (3) exploring implementation determinants and outcomes, as well as strategies used …

The Opioid Crisis Meets Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah M. Westerman

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Abstract: How have the COVID-19 pandemic and the Opioid Crisis have collided to create a negative effect on those who abuse drugs and other substances? These two wicked problems are now collectively making it more difficult for those to recover and overcome substance and drug abuse worsening the Opioid Epidemic. With no clear answer in sight can vaccines and more accessible rehab help to progress these wicked problems?

Mental Health And Covid-19, Haley Thiel

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The recent pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health. Transitioning to full freedom and opportunity to lockdown with no human interaction was a huge adjustment. The global pandemic especially hit home to college students and had a significant impact on universities. In this paper we discuss and analyze how the pandemic has shifted college students mental health and the negative toll it had. We will examine how anxiety, depression, and other general mental health disorders have skyrocketed in college students during the pandemic. The need for reform and attention on college campuses to preserve students mental health is …

Post-Conflict Mental Health Policy And Substance Use Among Liberian Adults, Ekua Amonoo-Lartson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe objective of post-conflict countries after an extended period of war and trauma is to maintain peace and stability. However, the physical and psychological effects of substance use to cope with the devastation of war remains long after the crisis has ended. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine substance use among Liberian working-age adults, including their substance use habits, experiences with substance use, and access to mental health rehabilitative treatment. The access to medical care theoretical framework was used to guide the study. Data were collected from face-to-face semistructured interviews with 15 individuals regarding their experiences …

The Strategically Broken System: A Grounded Theory Study Of The Clinical Implications Of Immigration Law, Policy, And Practice, Kelle Agassiz

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The majority of clinicians do not receive education pertaining to the legal aspects of immigration in their curriculum, training, or continuing education. In addition, the process of navigating the immigration system has been exacerbated in recent years due to rapid policy changes under the Trump administration, which has contributed to a hostile political climate, particularly for immigrants from Central America and Mexico. Using a classic grounded theory research approach, this study explored the relationship between the psychological implications of immigration and the legal challenges that immigrants face today, with a specific focus on immigration from Central America and Mexico. Through …

Wicked Problems: Depression, Sebastian Wendolowski

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Depression is a disorder that can affect anybody and is the leading cause of disability and disorders in the United States. This year, due to COVID-19, it has hit an all time high, affecting many more people. Suicide rates have been steadily growing across all ages, and this year is at a record high too, showing correlation with depression. There are two types of depression, major depressive disorder and chronic depressive disorder. Diagnosis of depression is typically done physically or through a questionnaire, which is compared into a DSM-5. There are many risk factors for depression and other common mental …

Marginalization And Criminalization Of People With Mental Illness, Ariana Walker

Student Writing

It is worth noting that people with a mental illness or disorder have a stigma around them that dictates how others treat them. With this stigma comes discrimination stemming from an already established opinion and experience with a person who has a mental illness. People who have a mental illness that affects their life are marginalized within our society, which means they get treated differently than the majority. This essay will serve as a discussion of the treatment history of mental disorders, forced institutionalization of the people, the impact deinstitutionalization had, and how this led to today’s problem of criminalization. …

Barriers To Mental Health Services Related To Stigma In Northern California, Kandalena Ary

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

California Senate Bill 1041 recognized mental health as a contributing barrier for individuals struggling to achieve independence from aid through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program to meet the needs of the state's low-income families while reducing barriers to self-sufficiency. As mental health illnesses continue to increase, the engagement and utilization of services have not increased. The purpose of this study was to explore county policy infrastructure addresses making mental health services known, accessible, and increase participation to decrease barriers in utilization of available resources. The research questions were used to examine the effectiveness of processes …

Utilization And Impact Of Peer-Support Programs On Police Officers’ Mental Health, Beth A. Milliard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officer suicides rates hit an all-time high in the province of Ontario, Canada, in 2018. Sadly, this statistic is somewhat unsurprising, as research has shown that police officers suffer from higher rates of mental health disorder diagnoses compared the general public. One key reason for the elevated levels of suicide and other mental health issues among police officers is the stigma associated with seeking help. In an attempt to address these serious issues, Ontario’s police services have begun to create internal peer-support programs as a way of supporting their members. The present research explores the experiences of police officers …

Improving Access To Mental Health Care With Nurse Practitioners, Jessica Whelan

Dissertations

Problem: Over 40% of those with mental illness are untreated since the supply of psychiatrists does not meet the demand. The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) may be an adjunct in providing those services. The purpose of this quality assurance study was to evaluate outcomes of care between a PMHNP and a psychiatrist (medical doctor [MD]).

Methods: An observational, descriptive design with a retrospective medical record review of adult patients over a six-month period in a suburban, Midwestern, privately owned psychiatric practice.

Results: A total of 787 individual patients encountered at least one visit (N=787) although 3,679 …

Community Health Worker's Perceptions Of Integration Into The Behavioral Health Care System, Juliette Swanston Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness in the United States is a major public health problem. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2017, 18.9% of adults in the United States had a mental illness. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the perceptions held by community health workers (CHWs) regarding their integration into the behavioral health care system in Maryland. Using a social constructivism paradigm and phenomenological approach, a purposive sample of 11 CHWs who supported patients with behavioral health conditions in 17 counties in the state were interviewed. Howlett, McConnell, and Perl'€™s five stream confluence …

Is It Who Am I Or Who Do You Think I Am? Identity Development Of Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders, Danielle N. Treiber

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to unearth how adolescents with substance use disorders achieve the task of identity formation and the construction of self-concept in the midst of the drug culture and society that exists. It sought to uncover the social constructs designed to ignore and/or remove human complexities and allow an intersectional approach to be brought to a study on this population. Historically, there has been a failure to investigate the underlying social attitudes and behaviors that impact the very delicate and vulnerable process of finding self. Psychosocial and relational adjustment are strongly influenced by the extent to …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Generational Homelessness In New York City Family Homeless Shelters, Deborah Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness has been a problem in New York City (NYC) for decades. Part of the problem is children who grew up in the shelter system and then returned as adults, a phenomenon known as 2nd-generation homelessness. Literature indicates that no researchers have interviewed second-generation homeless adults about their experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of 2nd-generation homelessness from the perspective of homeless adults returning to the shelter system. The sample included 1 second-generation homeless adult and 10 case managers at Tier II homeless shelters. Interviews were conducted and data were analyzed using hand coding to …

Differential Treatment Outcome Factors For Custodial And Noncustodial Mental Health Care Programs, Sheila Fay Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have suggested that jails and prisons in the United States are becoming the new mental health clinics, contributing to the phenomenon of mass incarceration and costing upwards of $15 billion per year in public revenue. The problem is no conclusive evidence exists that treatment in these custodial environments is more effective than that provided by noncustodial programs; especially for substance users. Additionally, the continuing incarceration of people with mental health problems by the hundreds of thousands poses a difficult ethical dilemma regarding why this population does not receive noncustodial or hospital treatment instead. The study addressed the research question …

Evaluating The Impact Of Integrated Care On Service Utilization In Serious Mental Illness, Heidi C. Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Serious mental illness (SMI) affects 5% of the United States population and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Use of high-cost healthcare services is common, including hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits. Integrating behavioral and physical healthcare may improve care for consumers with SMI, but prior research findings have been mixed. This quantitative retrospective cohort study addressed the impact of integrated care on physical health and ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) utilization via a program evaluation of an integrated health clinic (IHC) at a community mental health center (CMHC). The research questions assessed whether there was a predictive relationship between …

Executive Director Experiences With Consumer Operated Service Provider Governing Board Members, Merideth Mccallick Erickson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Consumer Operated Service Providers (COSPs) are programs that are directed and administratively controlled by mental health consumers for their peers. As such, many mental health consumers have been placed in the position of serving on a COSP and often with unclear descriptions and no training. As a result, there is often a disconnect between the will of the board and the vision of the executive director, leading to tension and the possibility of failed mission. Using servant leadership as the guide, the goal of this case study was to explore the experiences of executive directors who operate Consumer Operated Service …

Addressing The Ethical, Legal, And Social Issues Raised By Voting By Persons With Dementia, Jason H. Karlawish, Richard J. Bonnie, Paul S. Appelbaum, Constantine Lyketsos, Bryan James, David Knopman, Christopher Patusky, Rosalie A. Kane, Pamela S. Karlan

Bryan G Kane MD

This article addresses an emerging policy problem in the United States participation in the electoral process by citizens with dementia. At present, health care professionals, family caregivers, and long-term care staff lack adequate guidance to decide whether individuals with dementia should be precluded from or assisted in casting a ballot. Voting by persons with dementia raises a series of important questions about the autonomy of individuals with dementia, the integrity of the electoral process, and the prevention of fraud. Three subsidiary issues warrant special attention: development of a method to assess capacity to vote; identification of appropriate kinds of assistance …

Experiences Of Colorado Parents As They Recognized Their Child's Mental Illness, Lori Salgado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness is not only the leading cause of disability among adults, but there is also an emerging public health crisis in childhood mental illness. A majority of parents do not recognize symptoms of psychological disorder in their children, and current policies and programs for mental health service delivery are not sufficiently responsive to the early help-seeking dynamics of families. Using a concurrent mixed methods design, this study explored how parents in the Pikes Peak region of Colorado learned to recognize their child's mental illness. Phenomenological interviews, augmented by poetic inquiry and quantitative measurements, were used to discover factors that …

Addressing The Ethical, Legal, And Social Issues Raised By Voting By Persons With Dementia, Jason H. Karlawish, Richard J. Bonnie, Paul S. Appelbaum, Constantine Lyketsos, Bryan James, David Knopman, Christopher Patusky, Rosalie A. Kane, Pamela S. Karlan

Jason Karlawish

This article addresses an emerging policy problem in the United States participation in the electoral process by citizens with dementia. At present, health care professionals, family caregivers, and long-term care staff lack adequate guidance to decide whether individuals with dementia should be precluded from or assisted in casting a ballot. Voting by persons with dementia raises a series of important questions about the autonomy of individuals with dementia, the integrity of the electoral process, and the prevention of fraud. Three subsidiary issues warrant special attention: development of a method to assess capacity to vote; identification of appropriate kinds of assistance …

The Fatherhood Factor: The Impact Of The Father-Child Relationship On The Social, Interpersonal, And Recidivism Risk Factors Of Previously Incarcerated Men, Larissa A. Maley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Of the men who return home from prison, nearly 7 out of 10 will be re-arrested and sent back within 3 years of their release (Travis, Solomon, & Waul, 2001). This trend has large- scale implications, not just for individuals, but for their families and communities as well. Clearly, understanding the factors that contribute to a man’s success or failure in staying out of prison is extremely important in constructing policy and programs to assist these at-risk individuals and communities. Of the few studies that have explored the lives of previously incarcerated men, some have found fatherhood to be a …

Mentally Ill Persons In Emergency And Specialized Shelters: Satisfaction And Distress, Russell K. Schutt, Stephen M. Goldfinger

Russell K. Schutt

Emergency and specialized mental health shelters represent different service philosophies and are meant to appeal to different segments of the homeless and homeless mentally ill population. This article describes the different characteristics and needs of users of emergency and specialized mental health shelters for homeless persons in Boston. Service satisfaction is described in relation to these characteristics and needs as well as in terms of shelter type. Implications are identified for social and mental health service policies for the homeless.