Social Work Commons^™

The Impacts Of Ida Programs On Family Savings And Asset-Holdings, Michael Stegman, Robert Faris, Oswaldo Urdapilleta Gonzales

Center for Social Development Research

This paper was commissioned for Inclusion in Asset Building: Research and Policy Symposium, an event hosted in September 2000 by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis. A version was subsequently developed for publication in Inclusion in the American Dream: Assets, Poverty, and Public Policy (Oxford University Press, 2005). This paper supplements research on the national Individual Development Account (IDA) pilot known as the Downpayment on the American Dream Demonstration (ADD). Its subject is the financial impact of ADD on the net savings and assets of program participants, and it examines what ADD participants would have …

Assets, Race, And Educational Choices, Tom Shapiro, Heather Beth Johnson

Center for Social Development Research

Assets, Race, and Educational Choices

Going To Scale: Principles And Policy Options For An Inclusive Asset-Building Policy, Robert Friedman, Ray Boshara

Center for Social Development Research

Going to Scale: Principles and Policy Options for an Inclusive Asset-Building Policy

Productive Engagement Of Older Adults: Effects On Well-Being, Nancy Morrow-Howell

Center for Social Development Research

Productive Engagement of Older Adults: Effects on Well-Being

Toward Progressive Pensions: A Summary Of The U.S. Pension System And Proposals For Reform, Peter Orszag, Robert Greenstein

Center for Social Development Research

Toward Progressive Pensions: A Summary of the U.S. Pension System and Proposals for Reform

Historical Analysis Of African Immigrants With Specific Reference To Ethiopia: Their Cultural Adaptation, Resiliency And Implication For Social Work Practice, Haregewoin Tsegaye

Theses and Graduate Projects

Because of political unrest, civil wars, and economic problems in Africa, the number of African immigrants entering the United States since 1960 has greatly escalated. Beginning in 1914, for example, when junior military officers overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie's Government up to 1991, a year in which a new group took over power and introduced the administration of the country based on ethnic lines to the present time, thousands of Ethiopians fled their country to escape execution, torture, and arbitrary arrest. Although those Ethiopians who did so managed to avoid political and economic sufferings at home, the new way of life …

Assets As A Measure Of Household Welfare In Developing Countries, David E. Sahn, David Stifel

Center for Social Development Research

This paper was commissioned for Inclusion in Asset Building: Research and Policy Symposium, an event hosted in September 2000 by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis. The paper identifies and explores the use of an asset-based metric of welfare. The metric relies on assets data that are easy to collect and analyze. The authors demonstrate that the asset index functions well in identifying and profiling the poor, in targeting transfers, and even in estimating demand or production functions for outcomes that are useful for designing programs and policy.

Listening To African-American Students: An Exploratory Analysis Of Factors That Foster Academic Success, Julie Miller-Cribbs, Larry Davis, Stephanie Cronen, Sharon Johnson

Center for Social Development Research

This exploratory study assessed African-American freshman and sophomore students’ decisions to remain in school and their opinions regarding specific dropout prevention programs. Results indicated that students believed that school completion would prepare them for the future. the opinion of family members was consistently ranked as most important in supporting students' decisions to remain in school, and the primary barriers to completing school were related to family issues, academic problems and personal issues. Overall, students were most interested in intervention programs having to do with preparation for their futures—jobs and goals. The importance of tailoring education to meet the needs of …

Homeownership And Youth Well-Being: An Empirical Test Of Asset-Based Welfare, Edward Scanlon, Deborah Page-Adams

Center for Social Development Research

Homeownership and Youth Well-Being: An Empirical Test of Asset-Based Welfare

High School Students' Perception Of Developmental Assets, A Gender Comparison, Delia Vandyke

Theses and Graduate Projects

This quantitative study explores the findings from a local study using an instrument developed by the Search Institute: "Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors. This 156-item anonymous survey was administered to 203 suburban high school students who are receiving alternative or non-traditional educational services. The research measures developmental assets, risk, and protective factors and includes a gender comparison. The findings from the survey are compared against a national sample of 24,740 students in 11th and 12th grade. The research is relevant to social workers who want to know how this adolescent population spends their time, what are their perceptions …

Probation Officers Reporting Of Mental Disorders And Treatment Among Juveniles In Ramsey County, Theresa A. Pease

Theses and Graduate Projects

A descriptive research study focusing on the mental health services available to juveniles in the juvenile justice system who have mental health diagnoses. Ramsey county juvenile probation officers were surveyed to provide information regarding this population.

Juveniles in the juvenile justice system have been identified as having a high incident of mental health disorders and are a population in great need. The goal of the study was to answer several questions related to the number of youth with mental disorders in a metropolitan juvenile justice system. The information was collected using a short survey distributed to the county's 44 juvenile …

The Mandate To Report Child Abuse And The Clergy Privilege Of Confidentially: How Are These Understood?, Brant Moore Thomsen

Theses and Graduate Projects

While clergy in Minnesota are mandated to report child abuse, they are also mandated to keep information confidential. While many studies have been completed looking at the behavior of mandated reporters, and many others have been completed looking at the ethical issues faced by the clergy who experience this dual mandate, little research has brought the two together. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of child protection workers in Dakota County in Minnesota, and pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who serve congregation in Dakota County.

The findings show that within each group there are a variety of …

The Twin Cities Hospice Movement, David A. Larson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This historical study analyzed information about the development of hospice from ancient times to the modern hospice movement. In this study special attention is given to the modern hospice movement, which began in Britain in 1967, and began in the United States in 1974. The purpose of this historical study was to explore and discuss the development of hospice programs Twin Cities, MN, as compared to the hospice movement on a national level.

The study will describe the local hospice movement as seen through the experiences of three local death and dying activists. Throughout the study, the social ideals behind …

Surveying Parents Perceptions Of Wraparound Services In A Special Education Setting, Brenda Chapman

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study was developed and implemented to gain a better understanding of parent and caregiver perceptions on the influence of the wraparound programming in special education process. This project was completed at a Level V, special education program, located in a suburb of a large metropolitan area, which provides services using the wraparound philosophy and funding. Traditional services have not focused on addressing parents views in the change process (VanDenBerg, 1996). Seeking parent and caregiver perceptions provides the opportunity for them to voice concerns and provide input into the change process. A questionnaire was developed and used to examine parent …

A Family Resource Center's Impact On Community Connection And Social Support, Cathy A. Mumm

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived needs of participants at the Rosemount Family Resource Center as well as to explore if the family resource center was making an impact in the participant's level of social support and connection to the community. The hope was to have a clearer idea of what the participants need and to meet those needs through services and programs offered at the family resource center. One of the goals of the family resource center is to create a community where its residents feel supported and take that feeling of support back to …

The Importance Of Family-Centered Professional Behaviors To Parents Of Children Receiving Day Treatment Services, Cindy A. Torborg

Theses and Graduate Projects

Although many agencies and professionals identify their services as family-centered very few have evaluated their practice to determine the legitimacy of this claim. This exploratory quantitative study elicited survey responses from a random sample of 75 parents and/or guardians of children with severe emotional disturbances who have received family services through Catholic Charities Day Programs. Parents and/or guardians used the Family-Centered Behavior Scale to evaluate the professional behaviors of the family service providers, and rate the importance of these behaviors in the service process. The results indicate that the level of satisfaction with the family practitioner directly correlates with the …

Borderline Personality Disorder: Effectiveness Of The Dbt Model, Lynn Braun Larson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has become increasingly prevalent in the mental health field (Linehan, 1993). Approximately 1-3% of the population is diagnosed with BPD (Linehan, Oldham, & Silk, 1995). Throughout the past decade, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been utilized in the treatment of BPD. Six mental health practitioners were interviewed to determine the effectiveness of DBT with BPD. The research question addressed the ability of individuals with BPD to learn effective problem-solving skills in the areas relating to suicidal/self-mutilating behaviors, number of hospitalizations, interpersonal relationships, impulsiveness, and emotional instability. Some common themes discovered from the practitioners thoughts/perceptions about the …

Community Assessment: Strengths And Challenges Of American Indian Youth, Yvonne L. Barrett

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study used focus groups to conduct an assessment of capacities and needs of a large upper Midwest American Indian community's views of adolescents who have mental health issues and are violent. The study elicited feedback from 1) providers serving American Indian youth and their families and, 2) the community in general. A total of eleven individuals participated in two focus groups. The interview questions covered the areas of personal experiences with adolescents, strengths and challenges of American Indian youth, available resources and whether they meet the needs of American Indian youth. Findings reveal that the strengths of family, …

The Treatment Experience Of Women Survivors Of Sexual Abuse With Co-Occurring Issues Of Substance Abuse, Barbara E. Harschutz

Theses and Graduate Projects

The high incidence of co-occurrence of women survivors of sexual abuse with substance abuse and the historical differences between mental health and substance abuse treatment were cause for exploration of current treatment available to this population. The purpose of this study was to explore what treatment encounters have been effective for this population of women to recover. Through interviews this exploratory, qualitative study gave six women survivors of sexual abuse with substance abuse who have been involved in treatment a voice that provided needed information for treatment design and implementation. It attempted to answer what treatment services currently offered are …

Section 504 Of The Rehabilitation Act Of 1973: Are Public School Social Workers Viable Candidates As Section 504 Coordinator, Melissa J. Murphy

Theses and Graduate Projects

There has been a resurgence of the use of Section 504 in the public school system in part because of the increase in diagnosed ADHD among children. Schools need to legally provide accommodations and/or modifications to a child diagnosed with a disability which significantly inhibits one or more major life activity. Traditionally, school administrators have had the responsibility of writing and coordinating Section 504 plans. Studies have shown that many of the Minnesota Public School Districts have been out of compliance with Section 504 guidelines. School social workers' primary responsibility is to work with children in the schools that are …

An Historical & Policy Analysis Of The Patient Self-Determination Act As Part Of The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Of 1990 (P.L. 101-508), Kristine H. Kaehn

Theses and Graduate Projects

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-158) was the federal legislation that included the Patient Self-Determination Act, now referred to as advanced directives. This historical and policy analysis as a qualitative method of research will examine the legislative policy that was passed by congress and signed into law by the president of the United States as well as the public regulations developed by the executive branch. This law requires that patients in health care facilities receiving federal funds (Medicare and Medicaid) receive information regarding advanced directives. This research and its findings will attempt to provide the social work …

Tanf Policy Implementation: The Invisible Barrier, Roberta Rehner Iversen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Barriers to participation in welfare-to-work programs are generally described in terms of human and social capital. Findings from case examination of four Philadelphia-areaw elfare-to-work programs under TANF suggest that theory about policy implementation is more applicable. Faulty policy logic, organizational and personnel incompetence, and inadequate coordination between and within funding, referral, program, and employer organizations regularly resulted in delayed program start-ups and strained program operations. Generally invisible and absent from research attention, these implementation delays and strains impeded program staff efforts and harmed TANF recipients. States' 24-month time limit policies are a critical target for advocacy efforts.

The Spatial Shift In The Growth Of Poverty Among Families Headed By Employed Females, 1979-89, W. Richard Goe, Anisa Rhea

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The number of working poor families in the United States increased substantially during the 1979-89 period. This increase was found to disproportionately consist of families headed by employed females. The growth in poverty among families headed by employed females during this period was found to be nonstructural in nature and inequitably distributed across labor markets in the U.S. It was found that at the onset of the 1980s, high rates of poverty among families headed by employed females were predominantly concentrated in labor market areas in the South. Over the 1980s, the highest increases in poverty rates among such families …

Why Americans Hate Welfare. Martin Gilens.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Martin Gilens, Why Americans Hate Welfare. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1999. $ 25 hardcover, $19.95 papercover.

Exploitation-The Invisible Hand Guided By A Blind Eye: Confronting A Flaw In Economic Theory, Phillip Dybicz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Economics is alone among the social science disciplines in failing to have a sound theory to explain behaviors when people do not act according to their self-interest, that is, with compassion. This has resulted in a fundamental flaw in economic thought. As economies have grown in scale and complexity, there has been a corresponding distancing between consumers and producers. This flaw has revealed itself through a lack of economic structures which bridge this distance, restore a level of intimacy within the economic interaction, and hence facilitate the expression of compassion.

Work And Economic Outcomes After Welfare, Thomas P. Vartanian, Justine M. Mcnamara

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data from the 1969 to 1993 Panel Study of Income Dynamics, this article examines a number of models to determine the characteristics of AFDC recipients who fare well economically after they initially leave the welfare system. The study includes analyses of income levels, time spent employed and not employed, and time spent below the poverty line. Hypotheses regarding state welfare payments, area economic conditions, human capital and time spent receiving welfare are examined. The findings indicate that area employment conditions and the ability to quickly find work greatly affect the likelihood of faring well economically after welfare. We found …

Conflicting Bureaucracies, Conflicted Work: Dilemmas In Case Management For Homeless People With Mental Illness, Linda E. Francis

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This ethnographic study finds a case management agency torn between the rules of two conflicting bureaucracies. Funded by a federal grant, the agency is administered by the county, and the regulations of the two systems turn out to be incompatible. This conflict creates dilemmas in providing services to clients: meeting eligibility criteria for services from the federal grant meant the clients did not meet the eligibility criteria for many County services. Agency staff reacted to this dilemma by bending rules, finding loopholes, and investing extra time and emotional labor in each client. The role-conflict engendered by bureaucratic disjunction creates frustration, …

Racial And Gender Variations In The Process Shaping Earnings' Potential: The Consequences Of Poverty In Early Adulthood, C. Andri Mizell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This research investigates the effects of poverty in early adulthood on future earnings. While social scientists are beginning to amass a considerable literature on the effects of poverty on outcomes for children, few have investigated the damage that impoverishment may do in early adulthood when individuals are in the midst of completing education and planning careers. The findings in this study indicate that poverty does dampen earnings' potential. However, individual characteristics (e.g., aspirations, esteem and ability) and structural location (e.g., educational attainment, occupational status and job tenure) may assuage the otherwise negative effects of poverty. Other findings reveal that the …

The Impact Of Education And Family Attributes On Attitudes And Responses To Unemployment Among Men And Women, Liat Kulik

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The study deals with differences between jobless Israeli women (n = 361) and men (n = 253) in relation to the following aspects of unemployment: Reasons for rejecting potential jobs, job search intensity, and responses to unemployment. The women mentioned more reasons for rejecting potential jobs, and their health-related responses to unemployment were more extreme than those of the men. However, the men tended to seekemployment more intensively than did the women.

Married respondents of both sexes showed the greatest tendency to reject potential employment due to conflict with family responsibilities. Married women were also more likely than their male …

Review Of Kids Raised By The Government. Ira M. Schwartz And Gideon Fishman. Reviewed By Sherrill Clark, University Of California, Berkeley., Sherrill Clark

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Ira M. Schwartz and Gideon Fishman, Kids Raised by the Government. Westport, CT:Praeger Publishers, 1999. $49.95 hardcover.