Social Work Commons^™

Political Economy, Moral Economy And The Medicare Modernization Act Of 2003, Judie Svihula

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through the lens of political and moral economy, I examined the dominant values and actors in the legislative process of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. In my content analysis of federal hearings, I found that witnesses from government agencies, Congress and think tanks had almost equal presence at the hearings. Witnesses who were invited by Congress to testify at the hearings expressed twice as much support for private interests than for the general Medicare population or low-income beneficiaries. Few expressed concern for the uninsured population. Witnesses offered almost four times as many expressions of support for market rationalism than …

Tracing The History Of Medicare Home Health Care: The Impact Of Policy On Benefit Use, Joan K. Davitt, Sunha Choi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

We trace key policy changes that affected use of the Medicare home health benefit from the 1980s through the prospective payment system implemented in 2000, analyzing the impact on three measures of home care use: expenditures, users and visits. We demonstrate the impact of policies generated in the legislative, the judicial, and the executive branches of government and the gaming behavior of home health agencies in response to policy changes. Our analysis suggests that the policy itself and the implementation process are critical to understanding benefit use. The incentives in the policies and agency reactions had the potential to generate …

Leveling The Playing Field: Epitomizing Devolution Through Faith-Based Organizations, Robert J. Wineburg, Brian L. Coleman, Stephanie C. Boddie, Ram A. Cnaan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The original New-Federalism agenda that emerged with the Reagan administration weakened federal programs and transferred power to states and localities. While Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush's years were characterized by block grants and dismantling public assistance, the Clinton years will be remembered for the dismantling of AFDC. Recruiting faith-based organizations to provide social services epitomized the second Bush presidency. In this article, we demonstrate how the seeds for recruiting faith-based groups were planted before and during the Reagan years, and how two waves of devolution chipped away at our national commitment to welfare. These first two waves provided …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 35, No. 1 (March 2008)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPECIAL ISSUE ON HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL POLICY

• INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE - Richard K. Caputo, Special Editor
• LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD: EPITOMIZING DEVOLUTION THROUGH FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS - Robert J. Wineburg, Brian L. Coleman, Stephanie C. Boddie, and Ram A. Cnaan
• SOCIAL WORK IN THE WORKFARE REGIME: A COMPARISON OF THE U.S. AND AUSTRALIA - Catherine McDonald and Michael Reisch
• SOCIAL SECURITY PRIVATIZATION: AN IDEOLOGICALLY STRUCTURED MOVEMENT - Judie Svihula and Carroll L. Estes
• THE ILLUSION OF CHANGE, THE POLITICS OF ILLUSION: EVOLUTION OF THE FAMILY SUPPORT ACT OF 1988 - Luisa S. Deprez
• WHEN DOES …

A Decent Home For Every Family? Housing Policy Initiatives Since The 1980s, Sondra J. Fogel, Marc T. Smith, Anne R. Williamson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A fundamental economic and social principle embedded in the American psyche remains the value of shelter. However, housing policy is the result of a complex exchange among economic, political, and social agendas competing for attention within the multiple levels of local, state, and federal governments. This article intends to capture what we consider afea of the significant initiatives since 1980 that reflect these tensions and comprise our current housing policies and directions. Furthermore, we suggest additional housing issues that may need to be addressed by the next presidential administration.

Does Belief Matter? Social Psychological Characteristics And The Likelihood Of Welfare Use And Exit, Michele Lee Kozimor-King

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Numerous studies have reemerged examining social psychological variables as predictors of individual differences in the human experience. Still, current research focusing on the effects of self-beliefs on welfare use and exit is limited. This study examines the effects of social psychological variables on the likelihood of welfare use and five-year outcomes of wonen using data from the 1979 through 2000 waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). Binary logistic regression estimates suggest that social psychological characteristics are initially related to welfare use, but do not remain oce control variables are introduced. While social psychological predictors do not appear …

Social Welfare Policy And Public Assistance For Low-Income Substance Abusers: The Impact Of 1996 Welfare Reform Legislation On The Economic Security Of Former Supplemental Security Income Drug Addiction And Alcoholism Beneficiaries, Sean R. Hogan, George J. Unick, Richard Speiglman, Jean C. Norris

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Prior to January 1, 1997, individuals with drug- or alcohol-related disabilities could qualify for federal public assistance through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. During the welfare reforms of the Clinton administration, this policy was changed, resulting in lost income and health care benefits for many lowincome substance abusers. This paper examines the historical underpinnings to the elimination of drug addiction and alcoholism (DA&A) as qualifjing impairments for SSI disability payments. Following this, empirical evidence is presented on the effect this policy change had on the subsequent economic security of former SSI DA&A beneficiaries. Findings indicate that study participants who …

Inter Agency Community Council, 1977-1978 (Sc 1582), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 1582. Minutes of the Inter Agency Community Council, a Bowling Green, Kentucky group composed of members from various community organizations.

Challenges For Assessing Disability Prevalence: The Case Of Afghanistan = Les Défis De La Mesure De La Prévalence Du Handicap : Le Cas De L’Afghanistan, Jean-Francois Trani, Parul Bakhshi

Brown School Faculty Publications

This article attempts to examine the methodological intricacies of measuring prevalence rate of disability through a population based survey using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health of the WHO and the Capability framework, developed by Amartya Sen and others. After a rapid overview of the Afghan context and the process leading to the research programme, it presents the example of the methodology used in the NDSA and the survey protocol. The authors argue that prevalence rates can be measured using different instruments in terms of impairments, activity limitations or in terms of well-being. Thus, the disability experience is …

Graduate Bulletin, 2008-2010, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

Alternatives For Youth’S Advocacy Program:Reducing Minority Youth Incarceration Placements In Cleveland, Ohio, Christopher A. Mallett, Linda Julian

Social Work Faculty Publications

Detaining and incarcerating juvenile delinquents is ineffective and costly juvenile justice policy. These placements, indicative of the “tough on crime” approach, become problematic for many of these youths who do not have the advantage of legal counsel because they waive this right. In addition, a majority of these youths have a mental health or special education disability that does not get addressed in correctional facilities. Alternatives for Youth's Advocacy Program (AFY) in Cleveland, Ohio (Cuyahoga County) is addressing these issues using a holistic approach that includes the provision of civil legal representation to assist youths in accessing disability services and …

Bullying: An Adult Perspective From Educators Who Work Predominately With African American Students, Rebecca A. Robles-Piña, Anthony Harris, Rachel Porias

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

A survey of 31 teachers and counselors who work predominantly with African American students about bullying revealed these findings: Analyses by individual questions indicated that participants (a) disagreed that bullies and victims were of any particular ethnic group, (b) were unsure about whether gender impacted bullying and whether bullying had decreased (c) agreed that pairing loners with other students was a good intervention and that victims tended to be students with special needs, and (d) strongly agreed that bullies have feelings of power and control. Analyses by categories and demographic characteristics indicated no statistically significant differences for gender and job …

Transition To Adulthood For Homeless Adolescents, William G. Tierney, Jarrett T. Gupton, Ronald E. Hallett

Benerd College Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Education plays a critical role in how adolescents mature into adults. A vulnerable, and often forgotten, sub-population of the poor is homeless youth, for whom lack of a stable or adequate residence creates a unique set of educational barriers. The Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA) spent 18 months documenting the experiences of homeless adolescents in Los Angeles, deriving data from 123 interviews with homeless adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19, and an additional 45 interviews with shelter staff, social workers, parents, teachers, and school district administrators. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 30 of the youth to …

Exploring The Spiritual Base Of Gay Men In Substance Abuse Treatment, Charles Arthur Selner

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was a qualitative exploration of how gay men experienced the spiritual base of a substance abuse treatment program. The specific clientele are gay men who completed at least sixty days participation in an intensive LGBT outpatient treatment program and were living in a sober residence known as The Studios of Palm Springs, CA. The research question asked whether this program worked to develop spirituality for gay men.

Late Diagnosis Of Autism Among African American Children, Lysette Nana Etti, Kathleen Patrice Holsey

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to raise awareness and to analyze the process of diagnosing African American children with autism and identify variables that correlate with late diagnosis.

The Effect Of Explanatory Style On The Coping Strategies Of Women In Recovery, Alice Joy Kirk

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of explanatory style on the coping strategies of women in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other substances.

The Relationship Between Caseworker Education And Client Outcomes, Theresa Rebecca Brannon

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to measure whether or not a child welfare worker's education has an effect on their client's outcomes. It compares master's degree in social work caseworkers' rates of family reunification and the length of time children on their caseload spend in foster care to those of child welfare workers who do not have an MSW. This study sought to address this gap in the current literature by analyzing available case data from a public child welfare agency in a Southern California county.

Do San Bernardino County, Department Of Children's Services, Licensed Foster Parents Receive Adequate Trainings And Services To Care For Foster Children?, Ryan Deray Berryman

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine the training and support services that were available to foster parents licensed with San Bernardino County, Department of Children's Services. San Bernardino county is responsible for approximately 510 licensed foster homes.

Acculturation And Mental Health Among Mexican Immigrant Women, Monique Diana Castaneda

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between the independent variable of acculturation and the dependent variable of mental health. The sample was drawn from a group of Mexican immigrant women residing in San Bernardino, California.

Perceptions Of Pregnancy Prevention Programs Among Teen Mothers, Cynthia Pineda-Gonzalez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which pregnancy prevention programs have an effect on teenage pregnancy according to the teen mothers. The study took the perspectives of adolescent mothers and asked what they thought about the preventative programs that are currently implemented in schools.

Do Teachers' Perceptions Of Students Success Differ Between Students In Foster Care And Students Who Are Not In Foster Care, Nira Ortega Mejias

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to assess teacher's perceptions of academic and life success among high school students in foster care in comparison to high school students who are not in foster care. The intent of the study is to examine whether teachers view students who are in foster care placement differently than students who are not in foster care. 36 teachers from two local high schools in Riverside and San Bernardino County were selected to participate in the study.

Emancipated Youths' Perspective On Transitioning Into Adulthood, Deann Petersen Russon

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of transitional aged youths' received services, such as, daily living skills, money management, self care, and social development, and look at whether these services have helped them transition into productive adults. Of the research that exists, emancipated foster youth are shown to be at a higher risk for negative outcomes than youth the same age that were not in foster care. The study collected data from youth involved in two Independent Living Programs in Riverside County.

Perceptions Of Mental Health Services For Operation Iraqi Freedom And Operation Enduring Freedom Military Personnel: A Needs Assessment, Chrystal Anne Long, Jeffrey Lee. Soriano

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of mental health services for OIF/OEF military personnel among military spouses and mental health practitioners. The professional and personal knowledge of the mental health practitioners and the military spouses provided valuable information about the effectiveness, availability, strengths, and weaknesses of the military's mental health services.

Being Accountable: Overrepresentation Of Children Of Color In The Child Welfare System, Victoria Lee Scheele, Juliana Francesca Simixhi

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine the ethnic composition of families enrolled in Voluntary Family Services (VFS) as well as service delivery and service completion rates among the various ethnic groups utilizing these services.

Leadership In Faith-Based Social Service Organizations, Veronica Esqueda

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to examine leadership in faith based social service organizations. The issue that this researcher addressed is leadership styles in faith-based social service organizations and character traits of spirit led servant leaders. This study addressed the issue of spiritual leadership because recent research implies that spirituality and leadership are important factors that contribute to the healthy human development of indviduals. Many social workers find the assumptions, beliefs, and values of the Christian faith helpful in providing a frame of reference for understanding and responding to both individual and societal problems. There were 35 self-assessment servant …

Rethinking Empowerment: Collective Action As Intervention With Women, Melissa Liberty Darnell

Theses Digitization Project

This study explores women's feelings of empowerment that result from participating in collective action events. The study contributes to the growing body of social work scholarship on empowerment practice by identifying and describing the specific variables that may contribute to or enhance empowerment feelings in women as a result of collective action participation.

Understanding And Addressing Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality, Kathy Lemon Osterling, Amy C. D’Andrade, Michael J. Austin

Faculty Publications

Racial/ethnic disproportionality in the child welfare system is a complicated social problem that is receiving increasing amounts of attention from researchers and practitioners. This review of the literature examines disproportionality in the front-end of the child welfare system and interventions that may address it. While none of the interventions had evidence suggesting that they reduced disproportionality in child welfare front-end processes, some of the interventions may improve child welfare case processes related to disproportionality and outcomes for families of color.

Risk And Safety Assessment In Child Welfare: Instrument Comparisons, Amy C. D’Andrade, Michael J. Austin, A Benton

Faculty Publications

The assessment of risk is a critical part of child welfare agency practice. This review of the research literature on different instruments for assessing risk and safety in child welfare focuses on instrument reliability, validity, outcomes, and use with children and families of color. The findings suggest that the current actuarial instruments have stronger predictive validity than consensus-based instruments. This review was limited by the variability in definitions and measures across studies, the relatively small number of studies examining risk assessment instruments, and the lack of studies on case decision points other than the initial investigation.

Understanding And Measuring Child Welfare Outcomes, Amy C. D’Andrade, Kathy Lemon Osterling, Michael J. Austin

Faculty Publications

The new "Children's and Family Services Reviews" (CFSR) process focuses on the effectiveness of services to children and families by measuring client outcomes. This article reviews the research literature related to child welfare outcomes in order to provide a context for federal accountability efforts. It also summarizes the 2001 federal mandate to hold states accountable for child welfare outcomes and describes California's response to this mandate. Implications of the outcomes literature review and measurement problems in the CFSR process suggest CSFR measures do not always capture meaningful outcomes. Recommendations for change are made.

Reasonable Efforts? Implementation Of The Reunification Exception Provisions Of Asfa, J D. Berrick, C Young, Amy C. D’Andrade, L Frame

Faculty Publications

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997 includes provisions to deny reunification services under specified conditions and gives states latitude to develop any number of additional “aggravated circumstances” in which parents need not be offered services. California legislators have developed a relatively large number of conditions enabling agencies to bypass reunification services. Based upon a case record review involving 1,055 parents, this study attempts to identify the proportion of parents eligible for a reunification bypass, the proportion recommended to the courts, and the proportion of parents who were denied reunification services, and examines the characteristics of parents associated …