Social Work Commons^™

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: A Primer, Thomas M. Meuser

Social Work Faculty Publications

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment is an integrative approach to diagnosis, treatment and management of older adults that takes the whole person into account. While deficits may be a primary focus, strengths are also considered.

Book Review Of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Expanding Your View, Deborah Langosch

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

N/A for book review

Guide Lines Vol. I, Issue 17 - September 2018, College Of Health And Human Services

GUIDE Lines

Periodic Newsletter of the Governors State University - University of Illinois, Chicago - Disparities Education Cancer research training and education project (The GUIDE Project).

Supporting Newcomer Students: A Chicago-Specific Exploration Of Social And Emotional Learning Initiatives, Lincoln Hill

Center for the Human Rights of Children

Due to the large number of immigrant children and families within its borders as well as its sanctuary jurisdiction, the city of Chicago serves as an ideal case study towards investigating specialized services for one of its most vulnerable subpopulations of children, primarily the development needs of its immigrant children. The desired outcome for this non-exhaustive research brief is to provide empirical evidence and best practices for Chicago community and school specialists seeking to support the social and emotional needs of their newcomer student population.

The Political Participation Of First Year Social Work Students: Does Practice Specialization Matter?, Jason Ostrander, Janelle K. Bryan, Addie Sandler, Paula Nieman, Maureen Clark, Emily Loveland, Tanya Rhodes Smith

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

This study identifies the types of political participation engaged in by MSW students (n=214). A self-report survey administered to MSW students at a Northeastern university indicates limited political involvement. MSW students participate in political activities not requiring significant time, energy, or resources. Furthermore, on the scale and its two subscales, micro-oriented students had less political participation than macro-oriented students. This study suggests firstyear social work students may lack the tools to engage in the political process effectively. Schools of social work should include political participation education in both micro and macro foundation courses and field placements

Psychosocial Capacity Building In Response To Cascading Disasters: A Culturally Informed Approach, Joshua Miller, Gianluca Pescaroli

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

The dominant paradigm guiding mental health professionals responding to major disasters is the field of 'disaster mental health', which historically focused more on psychological factors than social factors, privileging individual over collective interventions. However, resilience to complex events is a result of multiple drivers, such as social networks and local culture, that must be considered together in the assessment and planning process. This paper adopts a multi-disciplinary perspective for disaster response, applying a social-ecological approach to disaster risk reduction which has been developed through practice and a review of the literature. In particular, we investigated how psychosocial healing, collective efficacy …

Successful Parenting Begins With Love, Alina M. Baltazar

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

On The Front Lines: Managerialism In Substance Abuse Agencies, Jocelyn E. Lewiskin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Neoliberal economic policies have led to changes within the field of human services in the United States since the mid-1970s. These policies, which seek to reduce the role of thefederal government through tactics such as privatization, continue to be evident across human services organizations today. This policy approach is operationalized through New Public Management (NPM), which is also referred to as ‘Managerialism’, and is characterized by output-orientated, quantitative focused, performance based measures and evidence-based practice. These characteristics have impacted the workforce in human service organizations. Using qualitative semi-structured interviews of front line workers, this dissertation will examine the effects of …

Building An Evidence-Based, Holistic Approach To Advancing Integrated Employment, Allison C. Hall, John Butterworth, Jean Winsor, John Kramer, Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Since the introduction of supported employment in the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1984 and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986, there has been continued development and refinement of best practices in employment services and supports. Progress includes creative outcomes for individuals with significant support needs including customized jobs and self-employment, community rehabilitation providers that have shifted emphasis to integrated employment, and states that have made a substantial investment in Employment First policy and strategy. Despite these achievements, the promise of integrated employment remains elusive for the majority of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The number of individuals supported in …

Increasing Access To Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) Among Transgender Women And Trans Feminine Non-Binary Individuals In New York City, Augustus Klein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the United States transgender women (i.e., individuals born male whose gender identity is on the feminine spectrum) are a highly vulnerable and marginalized population at high risk for HIV. Substance use, survival sex work, depression, unstable housing, and high levels of victimization and violence are commonly reported by transgender women and trans feminine individuals, indicating the potential for multiple concurrent HIV risks and underlying vulnerabilities. Structural forms of discrimination may contribute to these risk factors, possibly leading to poor outcomes such as unemployment or underemployment, homelessness, and lack of access to gender-affirming health care. Given this context, a biomedical …

Assessing Refugee Poverty Using Capabilities Versus Commodities: The Case Of Afghans In Iran, Mitra Naseh, Miriam Potocky, Shanna L. Burke, Paul H. Stuart

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study is among the first to calculate poverty among one of the world’s largest refugee populations, Afghans in Iran. More importantly, it is one of the first to use capability and monetary approaches to provide a comprehensive perspective on Afghan refugees’ poverty. We estimated poverty using data collected from a sample of 2,034 refugee households in 2011 in Iran. We utilized basic needs poverty lines and the World Bank’s absolute international poverty line for our monetary poverty analyses and the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for our capability analyses of poverty. Findings show that nearly half of the Afghan …

Service Providers Perspective On The Unique Needs Of Sexually Exploited Women And Children In The Inland Empire, Ruth Harrison

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore and expose the needs of sexually exploited women and children. The participants were recruited from a few non-profit agencies in the Inland Empire area. This study found one of the most underlying challenge facing the participants when working with sexually exploited victims was the unavailability of resources, particularly, shortage of transitional housing for them. Another finding that featured prominently in the study was related to a need for continuous training and education for the service providers in order to stay current with trends. The study also identified the rapport building …

The Effectiveness Of Disciplinary Interventions In School-Based Counseling, Dakota Blue Bates

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This project discusses the effectiveness of disciplinary interventions in school-based counseling. Participants were selected from elementary and middle school sites in a school district in Southern California. Qualitative interviews were conducted to give this researcher additional knowledge in the field of school-based counseling. The audio of the interviews that were conducted were recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed by this researcher. The knowledge of the participants and their unique experiences operating with a wide range of students in many years of experience allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of what intervention strategies are most beneficial to students and where schools and …

China's Maritime Search And Rescue Management System From The Perspective Of Crisis Management, Peng Zhong

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.

A Study On The Preparation For The Introduction Of Fatigue Awareness Course, Thammawan Phanphichit

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Current Situation And Countermeasures Of Maritime Search And Rescue In The Waters Of Pearl River Estuary, Xiaoqiang Fan

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.

Gerontological Social Work Roles In Disaster Preparedness And Response, Nancy Kusmaul, Allison Gibson, Skye N. Leedahl

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Longitudinal Examination Of Factors Associated With Network Bridging Among Ymsm: Implications For Hiv Prevention, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Social-environmental factors may be associated with social network stability, which has implications for HIV acquisition. However, the link between social-environmental factors, network composition and HIV risk has not been examined previously among a city-population based sample of young Black men who have sex with Men (YBMSM). Respondent driven sampling was used to recruit a cohort of 618 YMBSM. Respondents were evaluated at baseline, 9 and 18 months beginning June 2013. A logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between bridging (i.e. having non-redundant contacts in one’s network, indicating network instability) and social-environmental factors and HIV risk factors between …

Discourse After A Batterer Intervention Program: A Qualitative Analysis Of “Letters From The Future”, Christopher D. Kilgore, Peter Lehmann, Rachel Voth Schrag

Social Work Faculty Publications & Presentations-Archive

This exploratory study employs discourse and narrative analysis to assess men’s (n= 45) responses to a writing assignment completed at the end of a solution-focused voluntary batterer intervention program. The study finds that the men primarily use the assignment to reassure themselves of their future success, defined through traditionally male paradigms. The narrative analysis then divides the letters according to type: Participants (22.7%) use a “transformative” discourse of behavior change and intimate partner violence (IPV)-sustaining discourse (18.2%), but the plurality (38.6%) use both simultaneously. The ideological conflict demonstrated in these responses highlights how IPV-sustaining discourse is embedded within broader sociocultural …

How To Help Kids Succeed - School-Based Programs And Social Mobility, Theresa Bell

Honors Theses

Education is the key to Social Mobility and unless children from poor families get a college degree, their economic mobility is severely restricted (Tough, 2016 pg 2). In November of 2005, the City unveiled a college tuition incentive to Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) graduates, The Kalamazoo Promise. According to the Kalamazoo Promise website (2017), the purpose of the Promise is to, “provide a real meaningful and tangible opportunity for all students,” as “education is an important key to financial wellbeing.” Though access to an affordable college education is possible for Kalamazoo students eligible for The Promise, the numbers show that …

Family Experiences In Engaging In Employment: How Do We Improve Outcomes?, John Kramer, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Session 018: Abolishing Exploitive Labour Practices Room: Freedom H

Sponsors: Disability Youth, Aging, and the Life Course

Organizer, Presider &

Discussant: Katherine Caldwell, University of Illinois at Chicago

Papers:

“Differences in Earnings among Persons with and without Disabilities,” Alexandra Krause, Florida State University

“Family Experiences in Engaging in Employment: How Do We Improve Outcomes?” John Kramer, University of Massachusetts Boston

“Shifting the Paradigm through Entrepreneurship,” Katherine Caldwell, University of Illinois at Chicago

Promoting Savings At Tax Time: Insights From Online And In-Person Tax Preparation Services, Genevieve Davison, Ellen Frank-Miller, Stephen P. Roll, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Center for Social Development Research

This report presents findings and insights from Refund to Savings: Applications for myRA, a collaborative project involving the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington University in St. Louis, and Intuit, Inc. The project explored methods of promoting the myRA (My Retirement Account) savings program at tax time—that is, when households file their taxes. It focused specifically on opportunities in an online tax-filing setting and in person at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. The first component of the project examined the retirement needs of low- and moderate-income (LMI) tax filers through a large, national, online survey. It also …

Indigenous Impacts On North American Great Plains Fire Regimes Of The Past Millennium, Christopher I. Roos, Maria Nieves Zedeño, Kacy L. Hollenback, Mary M. H. Erlick

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Fire use has played an important role in human evolution and subsequent dispersals across the globe, yet the relative importance of human activity and climate on fire regimes is controversial. This is particularly true for historical fire regimes of the Americas, where indigenous groups used fire for myriad reasons but paleofire records indicate strong climate–fire relationships. In North American grasslands, decadal-scale wet periods facilitated widespread fire activity because of the abundance of fuel promoted by pluvial episodes. In these settings, human impacts on fire regimes are assumed to be independent of climate, thereby diminishing the strength of climate–fire relationships. We …

Discovering Meaning-Making In A Child Custody Context: The Combined Benefits Of Using Van Manen's Phenomenology And A Critical Lens, Beth Archer-Kuhn

The Qualitative Report

Phenomenology as a methodology reveals lived experience (van Manen, 2017); as such, it is an excellent methodology to help us understand the parent perceptions and experiences of child custody decision-making. Qualitative researchers have explored the ways in which lived experience is influenced by issues of culture and gender (Kall & Zeiler, 2014). In this paper, I explain how the key tenets of phenomenology, epoché and reduction, revealed the importance of custody status for participants, and also discuss how differences in gender was rendered invisible in the initial analysis. The flexible nature of phenomenology allowed me to use a critical lens …

The Buffering Effect Of Mindfulness Between The Stressors And Perceived Stress In Faith-Based University Students, Amber Glantz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of study was to research the buffering effect of mindfulness between the stressors and perceived stress in faith-based university students. Literature suggests that as mindfulness increases, stress decreases. This study attempts to provide information on college students’ perceived stress levels, stressors they face, and mindfulness awareness. A multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the association between perceived stress, stressors, and mindfulness levels. A sample of 91 students in the Spring of 2018 at a faith-based university in Texas were asked to participate in an online survey. Some findings were not congruent with the literature. The results of …

Wood County Project Connect: Final Report For Event Held October 18, 2017, Melissa W. Burek, Mamta Ojha, Marisa Hutchinson, Brandon Peebles

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Wood County, Ohio Service providers and volunteers came together to serve those at risk for homelessness and under-served populations at the 5th Annual Project Connect. Data were collected from guests, volunteers, and providers to capture the characteristics and satisfaction levels of those in attendance and those involved in carrying out this expansive, one-day event. The results are presented in the report.

Religion And Resiliency Among Female Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Holders, Sahil K. Gilani

Social Work Theses - Archive

This thesis analyzed the relationship between the religiosity of four newly-arrived female Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders in the Dallas area and its impact on their resiliency, coping, and outlook on their new lives in the United States. The research was conducted through a phenomenological qualitative approach, which allowed the researcher to capture the lived experiences, feelings, and meanings that female SIVs attach to certain phenomena in their social environment (Husserl, 2012). The study hoped to add to the existing evidence-based research and knowledge on the efficacy, or lack thereof, of using religion as a coping mechanism.

Exploring The Predictors Of Well-Being And Advance Directives Among Elder Orphans: A Mixed Methods Study, Rupal M. Parekh

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Elder orphan is a term popularized by the media to describe the more than 22% of community-dwelling US adults aging alone with limited social support, social isolation, multiple chronic health issues, and childlessness. Elder orphans who have not initiated advance directives are at risk of becoming unbefriended, having no able or willing family or friends to make medical decisions during acute injury or medical crisis. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to understand the determinants of well-being and advance care planning. A cross-sectional analysis of members (n = 368) of an online Facebook group of elder orphans …

An Exploration Of National Family Caregiver Support Programs Serving Informal Grandparent Caregivers: A Descriptive Phenomenology Approach, Dorothea Lagail Ivey

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Grandparent caregiving is a widespread form of kinship care in the U.S. More than 2.7 million of grandparents in the U.S. are the primary caregivers for grandchildren without parental involvement (US Census Bureau, 2012). A particular group among grandparent caregivers often excluded in social services are those that are raising grandchildren informally without child welfare involvement. Informal grandparent caregivers (IGCs) are increasing and will continue to play significant roles in raising grandchildren for many generations (Ehrle et. al., 2001; Gibson & Singh, 2004; Goodman & Silverman, 2001). The National Family Caregiving Support Program (NFCSP) was enacted in 2000 and provides …

Building Successful P-3 Initiatives: Foundations And Catalysts For Systems Change, Lindsey Brianna Patterson, Beth L. Green, Callie H. Lambarth, Mackenzie Burton, Diane Reid

Early Childhood

Across the United States, there is a growing recognition that early education and K-12 systems require transformative changes to address racial, ethnic, linguistic and economic disparities in school readiness and success.

Prenatal-through-Grade-3 (P-3) initiatives address these disparities by coordinating, strengthening and aligning fragmented support systems for families and children from birth through third grade.

These increasingly popular initiatives:

• Are based on accumulating evidence that standalone early childhood and school-based programs are not sufficient to sustain long-term success for children facing early childhood inequities
• Take a collective impact approach that brings families, early childhood providers, K-12 staff and other partners together …