Social Work Commons^™

What Are We Waiting For? A Collection Of Poems And Essays About Family, Love, Loss, Time, And Hope, Right/Write To Heal, Skye Adams, D W, N L, D G, Jillian Foley, Madison Burke, Erica King, Becky Wurwarg

Justice Policy

This anthology is a collaboration with the Opportunity Scholars project and the Right/Write to Heal Initiative. The collection tells the stories of women and their families who have been impacted by incarceration in Maine and New York, the pathways that brought them to justice system involvement, and what inspires them to remain hopeful. These stories of family, love, loss, time, and hope were written by residents at the Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center and the Women’s Center at the Maine Correctional Center, and partners from New York who participated in a weekly creative writing project together. The authors and editors …

Predictors Of Identity Crime Victimization Of Adolescent Youth In Foster Care, John Gyourko, Greg Ridgeway

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

Identity crimes pose serious risks and challenges for youth in foster care. As young people move through various out-of-home placements and schools, their personal data are often widely disseminated, difficult to secure, and thus vulnerable to theft and misuse. When they transition from foster care to adulthood, identity crime victims with compromised credit histories may be denied loans, employment, and/or housing during the already-precarious period of emerging adulthood. Even though federal law requires state child welfare agencies to conduct annual credit checks for adolescent youth in foster care, little is known about the factors contributing to risk of identity crime …

Advancing Strength-Based Inclusive Mental Health Research In Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Luther Kalb, Joan B. Beasley

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Acknowledgments, Matt Wappett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Towards Addressing Poverty And Inequality In Nigeria: Rethinking Social Protection Strategies, Olanrewaju O. Ogunnubi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Poverty and inequality are major issues that fuel agitations and violent conflicts in Nigeria today. Although the Nigerian government continues to implement various social protection strategies, these have not been able to bridge the vast poverty and inequality gap in the country. This study examines social protection programs in Nigeria. It draws out observable challenges in the implementation of these programs and provides recommendations for improving social protection schemes in the country. The study adopts a qualitative historical analysis approach with data obtained from secondary sources. The study reveals that social protection schemes have largely failed to bridge the widening …

Protecting Foreign Victims Of Trafficking In Iceland: An Interpretive Analysis Of Policy Efforts, Hlin Saethorsdottir

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Social justice and human rights are fundamental principles of social work. Today’s globalized world requires social workers to expand their local perspectives and to be alert to the negative sides of globalization, such as trafficking in person (TIP), which affects all countries around the world. TIP is a severe form of exploitation and a grave human rights violation (Jones et al., 2007). Iceland has been categorized as a transit and destination country for foreign victims who are mainly trafficked for sexual and labor exploitation (U.S. Department of State, 2016b).

Although much has been written on TIP, some scholars have pointed …

Ebci Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is a federally-recognized tribe. The Family Safety Program (FSP) is the child welfare program that serves the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, under the tribal Division of Public Health and Human Services. FSP was established in 2015 with around 10 staff members and has grown to about 60 staff, all located in one office in Cherokee, North Carolina. Since FSP was a relatively new agency when they began working with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD), turnover had not been a signficant problem, however, vacancies were a challenge. In October 2017, …

Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians Family Safety Program, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is a federally-recognized tribe. The Family Safety Program (FSP) is the child welfare program that serves the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, under the tribal Division of Public Health and Human Services. Addressing Historical Trauma and Preparing the Child Welfare Workforce

In this video, an EBCI elder discusses historical trauma and why it is important for child welfare workers to understand it, so they can be successful. Watch the Video

Background

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians worked with the QIC-WD to develop an onboarding program. This video highlights the experience of …

Organizational Commitment, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is organizational commitment?

Organizational commitment, along with job satisfaction, is one of the most commonly studied job attitudes within the psychological sciences and is often used to gauge how employees feel about their job. Research on organizational commitment has largely been a fragmented endeavor, with no clear consensus on what organizational commitment actually is or how it should be conceptualized. To date, there is not one definition that is regarded as the best, but there are some common themes that can be seen throughout the many definitions in existence. For example, most definitions refer to organizational commitment in terms …

Job Satisfaction, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is job satisfaction?

Job satisfaction is generally thought of as the degree to which an individual likes or dislikes their job (Spector, 1997). Along with organizational commitment, it is one of the most commonly studied job attitudes and is used as a way to gauge how employees feel about their jobs and as a reflection of how well the organization is functioning. Job satisfaction is commonly considered as either “a global feeling about the job or as a related constellation of attitudes about various aspects or facets of the job” (Spector, 1997, p. 2). Thus, job satisfaction is …

Navigating Complexity Of Serving Displaced Communities: A Study Of Yemeni Community-Based Organizations In Egypt, Alya Mohammed Al-Mahdi

Theses and Dissertations

Forced displacement is a global crisis that poses challenges for nations like Egypt. Despite international NGO support, escalating displaced individuals have overwhelmed existing capacities. Refugee Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have emerged as a natural response from the communities themselves to bridge the gap between the state and NGOs and the refugee community. However, CBOs in Egypt face challenges that impact their operation and continuity. Through qualitative research, this study aims to explore the experience of the Yemeni CBOs. Through interviews with seven people from six CBOs conducted through field visits and online calls, this research uncovers the dynamics of Yemeni CBOs …

Mata Pencaharian Berkelanjutan Kondisi Masyarakat Adat Lekuk 50 Tumbi Dan Peran Lembaga Adat, Muhamamd Hasan Izzurrahman, Muhammad Azami Nasri

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Sustainable livelihoods are key for communities to sustain their lives. However, limited access to and utilisation of natural resources, particularly customary forests, has led to a decline in the livelihoods of the Lekuk 50 Tumbi indigenous community. Difficulty in clearing land is a major obstacle for them in finding alternative income. This research aims to evaluate the quality of life of the Lekuk 50 Tumbi indigenous community with a focus on indigenous institutions' initiatives based on sustainable livelihoods, considering the five aspects of capital. Through in-depth interviews and qualitative analysis, natural capital, physical capital, human capital, financial capital and social …

Pelaksanaan Tanggung Jawab Sosial Perusahaan Melalui Program Pemulihan Mata Pencaharian Oleh Lembaga X, Muhammad Hanif Ridho, Mochammad Rizqy Maulana, Muhamad Azami Nasri

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This study examines the implementation of corporate social responsibility through the Livelihood Restoration Program (LRP) by Institution X. The study employs a qualitative approach with descriptive research methodology. Data collection techniques include in-depth interviews and literature review. The study is motivated by land acquisition conducted by PT Y, which affected the livelihoods of the local community. Consequently, PT Y initiated livelihood restoration for the affected community through the LRP managed by Institution X. The findings indicate that Institution X has two primary roles: providing consultancy services and facilitating the implementation of the LRP. First, as a consultancy agency, Institution X …

Program Penanganan Fakir Miskin Di Desa Mulyasari Kota Banjar Provinsi Jawa Barat, Aep Rusmana, Eri Susanto, Muhammad Rai Jemadila, Nabila Aulia Putri

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Poverty is a condition where a person cannot fulfill their basic needs to achieve a more dignified life. This research aims to explain the program for handling the poor in Mulyasari Village which is directed at three things, namely: 1) managing social problems, 2) mechanisms for meeting needs, and 3) providing opportunities for advancement for the poor. The method used in this research is a descriptive qualitative method with a phenomenological tradition. Determining the research sample used purposive sampling technique. There were 6 research informants consisting of Mulyasari Village officials, poor families who received social welfare services, and Community Social …

Keterlibatan Serikat Pekerja Dalam Perubahan Kebijakan Pengupahan Melalui Advokasii Sosial, Zeni Tri Lestari, Arif Wibowo

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research is about the involvement of trade unions in changing wage policies through social advocacy from the social welfare perspective. The urgency of conducting this research is to reveal how KASBI's involvement as a worker's union encourages changes in wage policies to ensure better labor welfare through advocacy against the Job Creation Law and advocacy against Minister of Manpower Regulation Number 2 of 2022. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method. Data were collected from February to June 2023 through online and offline interviews involving three informants selected by the purposive sampling technique. The research results reveal that KASBI …

Pengembangan Sistem Informasi Desa Dalam Upaya Penanggulangan Kemiskinan Di Desa Rarang Selatan, Meita Annisa, Bambang Shergi Laksmono

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Indonesia continues to face challenges in poverty alleviation, with extreme poverty still prevalent in the country. Despite having a social protection system aimed at reducing poverty and cushioning the poor and vulnerable from crises, its implementation often encounters difficulties, particularly in obtaining valid and verified data sources. This study explores how the development of the Village Information System (SID) can contribute to poverty alleviation in Rarang Selatan Village, West Nusa Tenggara Province (NTB). When SID was introduced in 2016, Rarang Selatan was a newly established village classified as underdeveloped. By 2022, the village had progressed to the category of an …

Turnover, Megan Paul, Sarah Stepanek

Umbrella Summaries

What is turnover?

The definition of turnover tends to somewhat vary in practice and research. The most common element is an employee leaving their job. Beyond that, turnover can be further defined as internal vs. external, voluntary vs. involuntary, functional vs. dysfunctional, and avoidable vs. unavoidable.

• Internal vs. external: Internal turnover means that the employee moves to a different job within the organization, whereas external means that the employee leaves the organization altogether. In child welfare, however, the “organization” may be defined as all of state or county government, which means that a lot of movement is considered internal.
• Voluntary …

Key Findings From The Qic-Wd At Various Stages Of The Employee Lifecycle, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Other QIC-WD Products

Employee_Lifecycle_Additional_Resources.pdf

Secondary Traumatic Stress: Definitions, Measures, Predictors, And Interventions, Anita Barbee, Lisa Purdy, Michael Cunningham

Other QIC-WD Products

Child welfare professionals are exposed to a lot of traumatic events. They may experience trauma first-hand witnessing the negative experiences of children and families on their caseload or it may be experienced second-hand through the stories shared by clients or co-workers, or information being read in a file. The research has a variety of terms for this phenomenon (as described in this brief) but the evidence is clear: child welfare workers experience trauma as an occupational hazard and that exposure can manifest itself in ways similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (e.g., disrupted sleep, difficulty concentrating). In fact, a survey of …

Experiences Of Professionals Of Color In The Child Welfare Workforce, Nina Williams-Mbengue, Anita Barbee

Other QIC-WD Products

“Entrenched disparities in our laws and public policies, and in our public and private institutions, have often denied that equal opportunity to individuals and communities. Our country faces converging economic, health, and climate crises that have exposed and exacerbated inequities, while a historic movement for justice has highlighted the unbearable human costs of systemic racism.”

- Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government, January 20, 2021

Many Americans are currently engaged in a painful examination of the nation’s history of individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism. Leaders within the child welfare system …

Meaningful Work, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is meaningful work?

Meaningful work is defined as “work experienced as particularly significant and holding more positive meaning for individuals” (Rosso et al., 2010, p. 95). In general, meaningful work is considered to be work and work accomplishments that are viewed as valuable, worthwhile, and aligning with one’s values (Allan et al., 2018). Current theory suggests that meaningful work tends to result from self-actualization or from working towards a higher purpose (Lepisto & Pratt, 2016). More specifically, meaningful work may come from feeling a sense of unity with other people, serving others, from developing oneself, or from working towards …

It Takes A Village: An Examination Of Educational Achievement For Transition-Age Youth In Foster Care, Khalilah Louis Caines

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

For the 20,000 youth that exit the foster care system each year in the United States, educational achievement is difficult to attain as they navigate the transition into adulthood with limited supports and resources (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2021). These youth are three times more likely to drop out of high school than their counterparts. Only 50% graduate from high school, and only 3% obtain a college degree (Courtney et al., 2011). Current efforts to support this population primarily focus on individual, relational, and economic factors with less consideration for the impact of community characteristics on educational …

Assessing The Barriers To Reintegration Among Returnees In Nigeria, Itunu Ilesanmi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Reintegration for internally displaced returnees in Nigeria needs improvement due to the barrier returnees encounter when returning to their communities of origin. As a path to recovery following the unsettling experiences of generalized violence caused by Boko Haram terrorist attacks in Northeastern Nigeria, there is a need for best practices to mitigate challenges during reintegration for internally displaced returnees. With an estimated 2.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Northeastern Nigeria at the end of 2022, 1.98 million have returned to their prior residence, where they must cope and survive while attempting to reintegrate without effective and efficient support to …

Caregiver Burden: Support Needed For Those Who Support Others And The National Health Service, Michael Stephanou

Patient Experience Journal

This literature review focuses on the complexities and inequalities of informal caregiving in the UK and was inspired by the story of the following individual: EL is a 68-year-old Caucasian lady who attended Movement Disorder Clinic and was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease Dementia following many years of symptoms. The diagnosis came as a big relief to EL and her daughter (SL) who were eager to get treatment started as soon as possible. EL lives alone with SL and solely relies on her for care and support. SL does not have children and devotes her daily routine to looking after her …

Meaningful Work, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul, Danielle Crawford

Umbrella Summaries

What is meaningful work?

Meaningful work is defined as “work experienced as particularly significant and holding more positive meaning for individuals” (Rosso et al., 2010, p. 95). In general, meaningful work is considered to be work and work accomplishments that are viewed as valuable, worthwhile, and aligning with one’s values (Allan et al., 2018). Current theory suggests that meaningful work tends to result from self-actualization or from working towards a higher purpose (Lepisto & Pratt, 2016). More specifically, meaningful work may come from feeling a sense of unity with other people, serving others, from developing oneself, or from working towards …

Differences Among Family And Professional Guardians: A Statewide Survey Of Characteristics, Training, And Practices Related To Decision-Making, Kristin Hamre, Derek Nord

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This cross-sectional study sought to examine the differences between family and professional guardians across personal and role characteristics, training received, and their inclusion of people they serve in decision making. A total of 237 subjects serving as guardian to adults in the state of Indiana completed an online survey. Results showed group differences across race, education, as well as diagnosis and age of those served. Overall, training was limited across both groups, and family guardians received significantly less training across several topics. Finally, family and professional guardians were found to significantly differ in their willingness to allow people they serve …

Parents’ Perceptions Of The Philly Goat Project’S All Abilities Ramble: A Qualitative Study Of Animal-Assisted Intervention For Intellectual And Developmental Disorders, Patricia Flaherty-Fischette, Jenée Lee, Yvonne D'Uva-Howard, Elizabeth P. Cramer, Karen Krivit, Sarah Meehan

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are a growing population. Considering the wide diversity in IDD and the financial burden of traditional treatment modalities, Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) has emerged as an innovative and non-traditional treatment for individuals with a range of disabilities, including individuals with IDD. To the authors’ knowledge, the present study was one of the first to explore a goat-assisted therapy experience for children with IDD. This study explored the experiences of 23 children with the All Abilities RAMble – a goat-assisted therapeutic activity offered by the Philly Goat Project (PGP). Key themes in our study included …

Caregiver Health: Having A Child With Asd And The Impact Of Child Health Insurance Status, Kristin Hamre, Derek Nord, John Andresen

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This study aims to understand the health outcomes of parents with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the interactive effect of child health insurance status. The study utilized 2014-2018 pooled National Health Interview Survey data to construct weighted national estimates and construct main and interaction effect logistic regression models. Findings show parents of children with ASD experienced significantly poorer health compared to parents of children without autism. Insurance status was found to significantly interact with child ASD status. Compared to parents of children without ASD that used private insurance, parents with a child with ASD who used private insurance, …

Psu Student Housing Insecurity Interim Report, Jacen Greene, Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative, Portland State University

Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative Publications and Presentations

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Project Background

This study on student housing insecurity and homelessness was funded as part of a HUD FY2023 Community Project Funding Opportunity awarded to Portland State University. Phase 1 of the study, which led to this report by PSU’s Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative (HRAC), includes a literature review; a summary of PSU student survey results; a description of PSU programs based on interviews with staff and administrators; an analysis of programs at other institutions; and a set of recommendations for better addressing student housing needs. Phase 2 of the study will include the results of a comprehensive …

My Path To Advanced Practice, Hannah Oiselle Knisley

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.