Social Work Commons^™

Domestic Violence As A Wicked Social Problem: Policy Cascades And Misdirected Solutions, Ericka Kimball, Passion Ilea, Steph Ng Ping Cheung

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this article, we introduce the concept of a policy cascade, which describes the process of creating policies to address the consequences of other policies. Using the concept of wicked problems introduced by Rittel and Webber in 1973, we trace state and federal policies to address domestic violence to show how they form a policy cascade and decenter survivors. By treating social issues as wicked problems, upstream approaches that bypass compounding effects of policy may help recenter survivor needs.

Prevalence Of Depressive Disorder In The Adult Population Of Latin America: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Antonia Errazuriz, Dalia Avello-Vega, Juan Ramirez-Mahaluf, Rafael Torres, Nicolas A. Crossley, Eduardo A. Undurraga, Peter B. Jones

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Depressive disorder is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide; however its prevalence and association with inequality and crime is poorly characterised in Latin America. This study aimed to: i. systematically review population-based studies of prevalence of ICD/DSM depressive disorder in Latin America, ii. report pooled regional, country, and sex-specific prevalence estimates, and iii. test its association with four country-level development indicators: human development (HDI), income (Gini) and gender inequality (GII), and intentional homicide rate (IHR).

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies reporting primary data on the prevalence of ICD/DSM depressive disorder in …

Centering Communities Of Color In The Modernization Of A Public Health Survey System: Lessons From Oregon, Daniel F. López-Cevallos, Kusuma Madamala, Mira Mohsini, Andres Lopez, Roberta Hunte, Ryan Petteway, Tim Holbert

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Context: Public health survey systems are tools for informing public health programming and policy at the national, state, and local levels. Among the challenges states face with these kinds of surveys include concerns about the representativeness of communities of color and lack of community engagement in survey design, analysis, and interpretation of results or dissemination, which raises questions about their integrity and relevance.

Approach: Using a data equity framework (rooted in antiracism and intersectionality), the purpose of this project was to describe a formative participatory assessment approach to address challenges in Oregon Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and Student …

An Examination Of Power In A Triadic Model Of Parent–Child–Pediatrician Relationships Related To Early Childhood Gender Development, Eline Lenne, Christina J. Sun, Susanne Klawetter

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this paper, the authors introduce the Triadic Model of Pediatric Care, an innovative conceptual framework for pediatric practice with transgender and gender diverse children. The Triadic Model of Pediatric Care consists of three experts—pediatricians, primary caregiver(s), and children—who each possess unique insights, knowledge, and decision-making power. This model guides pediatricians to provide gender-affirming care that acknowledges children as experts of their own experience and worthy of bodily autonomy, while also working to ensure primary caregiver(s) have the information and support necessary to provide a safe and nurturing developmental environment for their child. The authors provide a recommendation for how …

At The Heart Of Our Communities: Parent/Caregiver & Youth Leadership, Deschutes County System Of Care, Callie H. Lambarth

Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services Publications

In lieu of an abstract, here are the vision and goals of the Deschutes County System of Care:

Vision
The vision of System of Care is to create an array of services and supports for children, youth and young adults in Deschutes County that are youth- and family-driven, community-based, and culturally and linguistically responsive.

Goals

1. Collaboration between services, families, and youth to improve the system of supports that serve children, youth and young adults with complex and significant mental health needs.
2. Leadership that includes youth and parents/caregivers impacted by the System of Care to advise on service processes, identify system …

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 …

Re-Imagining Mandatory Reporting: Professionalization's Complicity, Sam Harrell, Stephanie Wahab

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mandatory reporting of child abuse is a part of the civil legal system that can activate a policy cascade disproportionately criminalizing racialized and marginalized communities. While social work scholarship has explored ways to increase provider compliance with mandatory reporting laws, there is a dearth of research focused on how social work education guides future providers towards the praxis of mandatory reporting discourses. This article presents findings from a content analysis of social work textbook excerpts focused on mandatory reporting of child abuse in the U.S. We found that textbooks affirm social work’s loyalty to the State by approaching mandatory reporting …

Migration Integration Policies As Social Determinants Of Health For Highly Educated Immigrants In The United States, Mitra Naseh, Yingying Zeng, Ian Sutherland, Abha Rai, Hyunwoo Yoon

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Highly educated immigrants are part of the growing population of immigrants who are impacted by the increasingly hostile migration policies in the U.S. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and inductive reasoning to explore the possible impacts of migration integration policies as social determinants of health among this group. Data was collected through 31 semi-structured interviewees with highly educated immigrants who had an intention and interest to stay in the U.S. at the time of the interview. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and four main themes emerged: (1) a life overshadowed by silent worries, (2) living through …

Exploring The Intersections Of Lgbtq Experience And Social Work Education: A Scoping Review, Gita Mehrotra, Kimberly D. Hudson, Eli Hess

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) issues, experiences, and theorizing have had limited representation within social work education. In recent years there has been an increase in the scholarly discourse regarding queer and trans issues and social work education, but little is known about the landscape of this body of published work. In this scoping review, we explored peerreviewed literature regarding the intersections of social work education and queer and trans experience, issues, and theorizing. Utilizing major academic databases, we identified 54 articles published in social work literature from 2010 to 2020 that met inclusion criteria. Topical areas of …

Disrupting Epistemic Injustice: Implications For Lived-Experience Accounts Of Mental Illness In Social Work Education, Jessica D. Hawkins

University Honors Theses

Mental illness stigma interventions have not been shown to be effective on a large scale. It has been suggested by stigma researchers that being in close proximity to people with mental illness, or listening to their lived-experience narratives, could reduce mental illness stigma. This study proposes an inclusion of a Mad studies framework in social work education -- a framework that highlights the importance of lived-experience accounts of mental illness in knowledge production about this population. Inclusion of lived-experience narratives could reduce stigma and discrimination of people with mental illness among social workers and other service providers.

Latinx Students Higher Educational Trajectory Post Covid, Jonathan Felix-Martinez

University Honors Theses

COVID-19 caused many universities to go fully remote during the pandemic. Many Latinx students did not know how to navigate online learning. This paper examines the experiences of Latinx students in their university experiences while online to determine if their higher educational trajectory changed as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative project gathered data from 9 Latinx students using in-depth, in-person interviews. Recommendations are presented to help the university create resources that will help improve Latinx students' experiences within the context of online learning and the effects of the recent pandemic.

Impact Of Industrial Disasters On The Mental Health Of Vietnamese Americans On The Gulf Coast, Vivian L. Duong

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig caused 200 million gallons of crude oil to spill on the Gulf Coast over a five-month span. About 16,000 miles of coastline, ecosystem and marine life along Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas were contaminated. This disaster and the recovery process caused social, financial, and ecological shocks, resulting in adverse psychosocial and physical health outcomes, health disparities, and socioeconomic inequality. Among the oil spill's most affected and vulnerable populations are the Vietnamese American communities that settled on the Gulf Coast after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. The plight of …

Race/Ism In Field Education: Narratives Of Bipoc Field Instructors, Gita Mehrotra, Anita Gooding, Olivia K. Bormann

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Field instructors are critical to enacting social work’s signature pedagogy as they are tasked with providing agency-based learning opportunities and supervision for students. It has been well-documented that field supervisors are instrumental in students’ learning and that the supervisory relationship is central to success in field education. However, there is a dearth of research regarding issues of identity, difference, race, and/or racism in these relationships, particularly from the perspective of field instructors of color. To date, we found no published literature that focuses specifically on the experiences and perspectives of Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) social work field …

Does Structural Racism Influence How Black/African Americans Define Memory Loss And Cognitive Impairment? An Africana Phenomenological Study, Andre Pruitt

Dissertations and Theses

With the variety of research about dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), few studies have explored the effect of social structures, such as racism, on how Black/African Americans conceptualize memory loss, dementia, or AD. Furthermore, limited within the scholarship are the environmental factors and structural racism that are thought to influence cognitive impairments and meaning making about cognitive decline impacting Black/African Americans.

Most U.S. research centers on methodologies and epistemologies grounded in Eurocentric ways of knowing (objectivity, individuality, either/or logic). However, Eurocentric methodologies fail to acknowledge the cultural experiences with memory loss, cognitive impairment, dementia, and AD, as well as the …

Do Program Practices Matter For Mentors?: How Implementation Of Empirically Supported Program Practices Is Associated With Youth Mentoring Relationship Quality, Thomas E. Keller, Alison L. Drew, Carla Herrera, Hyuny Clark-Shim, Renée Spencer

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigates how the implementation of program-level practices by formal youth mentoring programs is associated with the quality of youth mentoring relationships as contexts for youth development and also examines whether this connection is mediated by the mentor-staff working alliance. Using data from mentors (n = 542) participating in multiple programs (n = 55), multilevel path models examined hypothesized direct and mediated effects. Parallel analyses were conducted with assessments of program practices from staff (n = 219). Greater exposure to program practices was associated with higher ratings of mentoring relationship satisfaction, commitment, and security and lower …

Wage And Cost Study Of Oregon Assisted Living And Residential Care Providers, 2022, Ozcan Tunalilar, Sarah Dys, Paula Carder, Diana Jacoby

Institute on Aging Publications

Senate Bill 703 directed Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) to conduct a study of licensed residential care (RCF) and assisted living (ALF) facilities, including those with a memory care (MC) endorsement, to evaluate: a) Total cost to provide care to residents, b) the sufficiency of the Medicaid reimbursement paid to facilities to meet the total cost of care, and c) the average compensation paid to direct care workers by the facilities by geographic region. ODHS contracted with the Institute on Aging (IOA) at Portland State University (PSU) to conduct a study to achieve these three objectives. In the fall …

Older Adults In Action: Using Action Research To Address Neighborhood Change, Amie Thurber

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Older adults face distinct challenges amidst changing neighborhood conditions, yet also bring distinct resources to aid their communities. After considering the literature related to well-being in older adulthood, the effects of neighborhood change on older adults, and older adults and social action, this paper explores the experiences of older adults in the Neighborhood Story Project. This action research project engages a group of neighbors to identify a set of research questions about their community, conduct place-based inquiry, and take action based on their learning. This study considers the degree to which the Neighborhood Story Project constitutes a macro therapeutic intervention. …

Oregon Zero Suicide Implementation Assessment Instrument, V.2.1, Karen Cellarius, Shelby Kuhn, Aliza Tuttle, Meghan Crane, Galli Murray, Canada Taylor Parker, Kathleen Lisborg

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

This 2023 update to the 2019 Zero Suicide implementation assessment tool and the accompanying web survey is a collaboration of Portland State University’s Human Services Implementation Lab, the Oregon Health Authority, the Zero Suicide Institute and other contributors. The assessment was adapted from the Education Development Center’s Zero Suicide resources available at http://zerosuicide.org/.

Related Resource:
Oregon Zero Suicide Implementation Assessment Instrument, v.1.0

Direct Care Staff Experiences In Oregon Assisted Living, Residential Care And Memory Care Communities, 2022, Paula Carder, Sarah Dys, Lindsay Schwartz, Diana Jacoby, Jacklyn N. Kohon, Dani Himes, Madeleine Fox, Sheryl Elliott, Lauren Bouchard, Portland State University Institute On Aging

Institute on Aging Publications

Resident care assistants (e.g., direct care workers, caregivers, personal care aides) provide the majority of services to assisted living, residential care and memory care-endorsed (ALF/RCF) residents. They faced significant burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic, which amplified existing challenges in some ALF/RCF communities, yet little is known about their work experiences. This qualitative study collected data through focus group and individual interviews with 21 resident care assistants and 12 external colleagues who have experience hiring, training or managing resident care assistants and other ALF/RCF staff, including registered nurse consultants, staffing agency operators, state policy staff, ALF/RCF community operations managers, and advocates. …

Trauma‐Informed Care Implementation Assessment Instrument, Karen Cellarius, Aliza Tuttle, Christine A. Da Rosa

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

Trauma Informed Oregon’s Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Implementation Tool provides a framework for incorporating trauma-informed policies, practices and care into any organization’s structure. It was originally created in 2022 by Trauma Informed Oregon (TIO) and the Human Services Implementation Lab (iLab) at Portland State University’s Regional Research Institute. Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care is an ongoing process and is not expected to happen all at once. Systematically assessing TIC implementation accomplishes two things. First, it documents the extent that the organization is trauma-informed and clearly identifies systemic strengths, weaknesses and gaps. Second, it helps the organization decide on overall goals, and identify …

2023 Community Based Care: Resident And Community Characteristics Report On Assisted Living, Residential Care, And Memory Care Communities, Ozcan Tunalilar, Paula Carder, Sarah Dys, Diana Jacoby, Sheryl Elliott, Minju Kim, Nathan Finch Parsons, Wafi Albalawi, Christine Wolf

Institute on Aging Publications

The Institute on Aging at Portland State University (IOA/PSU) presents findings from the ninth annual study of Oregon community-based care: assisted living and residential care facilities (AL/RC) with and without memory care endorsement (MC). In this year’s study, we included information about various resident, community, and staff characteristics, including: 1) Residents: sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, race, ethnicity), length of stay, personal assistance, health conditions, status, service use, medications, and advanced care planning/legal documentation; 2) Communities: capacity, occupancy rates, resident move-in and move-out locations, private pay charges, Medicaid reimbursement to facilities, staffing, resident transportation use, COVID-19 impacts; and 3) Staff: …

2023 Adult Foster Home: Resident And Community Characteristics Report On Adult Foster Homes, Ozcan Tunalilar, Sarah Dys, Paula Carder, Diana Jacoby, Sheryl Elliott, Minju Kim, Nathan Finch Parsons, Wafi Albalawi

Institute on Aging Publications

This report is the ninth installment of the Oregon Community-Based Care Study: Resident and Community Characteristics Report on Adult Foster Homes. Each year, the Institute on Aging at Portland State University (IOA/PSU) collects and reports information that can inform and advise policymakers, state and county agency staff, advocates for older adults and people with physical disabilities, and AFH owners and providers about the AFH landscape in Oregon. The results covered in this report include home and owner characteristics, staff positions, wages, and hiring challenges, consumer payer sources, additional fees and services, resident demographics, health conditions, personal care, health services use, …

Centering Racial Equity In A Bsw Program: What We’Ve Learned In Five Years, Stephanie A. Bryson, Gita Mehrotra, Jessica Rodriguez-Jenkins, Passion Ilea

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In response to the 2016 election of Donald J. Trump and calls for antiracist action from activists and communities of color, our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program embarked on a process of curriculum revision. In this article, we describe our efforts to center critical and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) scholarship and to better align our curriculum with the experiences of students of color. While we have drawn from feminist and critical race theories, we have also borrowed concepts from literatures not typically associated with antiracism work, such as policy implementation and leadership/management. We present our ongoing …

International Mental Health Education, Service, And Research: Working Across Cultural Boundaries With Humility, Creativity, And Perseverance [Keynote], Yun Shi, Zachary Pietrantoni, Maha Y. See

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This keynote presentation addresses doing International mental health education, services, and research with humility, creativity, and perseverance.

Linking Homelessness In Secondary School To Postsecondary And Early Labor Market Outcomes In Maryland Using A Continuum Of Risk Framework, Dawnsha R. Mushongaa, Mathew C. Uretsky, Bess A. Rose, Angela K. Henneberger

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Homeless and low-income students share multiple overlapping risk experiences; however, some studies report little to no observed differences in outcomes between these students. From the cumulative risk perspective, homelessness is perched at the extreme edge of economic insecurity, suggesting that homeless students encounter additional hardships beyond poverty experiences alone. Using a continuum of risk framework, this study leveraged statewide administrative data from a 6th grade cohort of Maryland public school students (N = 52,610) to investigate the association between homelessness and educational and early labor market outcomes, above and beyond the associations linked to poverty. Findings provide support for the …

Teaching And Learning Social Change, Amie Thurber, Helen Buckingham, Jordenn Martens, Rebecca Lusk, Darrylann Becker, Stacey Spenser

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

How can social work courses prepare students to be scholars of social movements, and also to act in solidarity with movements for social justice? How can graduate programs reimagine the professional socialization of social work students from aspiring for expertise toward a stance of life-long learning? How can instructors more deeply leverage our teaching practice to advance justice in our communities? This paper traces one attempt to answer these questions through a three-quarter graduate social work course designed to deepen students’ skills and knowledge in practices for social transformation, while amplifying existing social justice movements. Drawing on reflections from the …

Expanding Workplace Inclusion Of Employees Who Are Parents Of Children With Disabilities Through Diversity Training, Lisa M. Stewart, Julie M. Rosenzweig, Anna M. Malsch Tamarkin, Eileen Brennan, Jessica Lukefahr

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Employed parents raising children with disabilities manage exceptional care responsibilities along with their work careers. This study examines the effects of targeted diversity training on human resource (HR) professionals’ knowledge of the work–family experiences of these parents, and on their self-efficacy in providing workplace supports. Using computer-based training in field settings, 64 U.S. human resource professionals in an international company participated in two diversity training sessions. Data related to knowledge and efficacy of dependent and disability care were collected before the first training and immediately after the second. HR participants demonstrated significant increases from pretest to posttest on the trained …

Black Youths’ Perspectives: Importance Of Family And Caregiver Involvement In The Mentor–Mentee Relationship, Lakindra Mitchell Dove

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research shows that mentorship can significantly influence the lives of youth. As a society we are becoming more diverse and aware that cultural needs for youth of color are more complex. We have seen an increase in formal mentoring programs that offer services to Black youth. As this shift continues, it is imperative that culturally responsive services are considered. Little research exists that explores the importance of family engagement within the mentor–mentee relationship. When working with Black youth, it is important to understand cultural practices found within the Black family that could have an influence on the mentor–mentee relationship. This …

"It Made Me Feel Like Things Are Starting To Change In Society:" A Qualitative Study To Foster Positive Patient Experiences During Phone-Based Social Needs Interventions, Anna Steeves-Reece, Christina Nicolaidis, Dawn M. Richardson, Melissa Frangie, Katherin Gomez-Arboleda, Chrystal Barnes, Minnie Kang, Bruce Goldberg, Stephan Lindner, Melinda M. Davis

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Many healthcare organizations are screening patients for health-related social needs (HRSN) to improve healthcare quality and outcomes. Due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and limited time during clinical visits, much of this screening is now happening by phone. To promote healing and avoid harm, it is vital to understand patient experiences and recommendations regarding these activities. We conducted a pragmatic qualitative study with patients who had participated in a HRSN intervention. We applied maximum variation sampling, completed recruitment and interviews by phone, and carried out an inductive reflexive thematic analysis. From August to November 2021 we interviewed 34 patients, developed …

Co-Design Of An Nhs Primary Care Health Check For Autistic Adults, Helen Taylor, Barry Ingham, David Mason, Tracy Finch, Colin Wilson, Clare Scarlett, Sebastian Moss, Christina M. Nicolaidis, Multiple Additional Authors

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Autistic people experience more health conditions and earlier mortality. This study investigated views about a primary care health check for autistic adults to inform its design. Fifty-one people participated in consultation groups and interviews, comprising autistic adults (some with co-occurring intellectual disabilities), adults with intellectual disabilities, supporters and health professionals. Participants wanted the health check to cover physical and mental health and social functioning. They emphasised the importance of sharing information about individual needs and associated adjustments before the health check. They highlighted the need to change the way healthcare services communicate with autistic people, such as reducing phone contact …