Social Work Commons^™

The Experiences Of Asylum Seekers Who Are Temporarily Housed By Faith Communities While Experiencing Homelessness, Nicholas Meintel

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The purpose of this study is to gain deeper understanding of the experiences of homeless asylum seeking individuals who were temporarily housed by families in the greater Portland area. In response to the need for housing for asylum seeking families, three local churches founded a housing initiative in 2016 to provide temporary housing and other assistance when the beds were full at the local family shelter. While literature pertaining to the role of faith-based organizations in helping displaced persons is abundant, few studies focus on the experiences of those hosted by faith-based organizations while seeking asylum. The current study seeks …

The Impact Of Incarceration For Women Who Have Children: A Phenomenological Study, Chelsea White

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

To address this gap in the literature, this phenomenological study will investigate the lived experience of incarcerated mothers to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be separated from their child due to incarceration.

Narrative Study Of The New England Innocence Project, Sami-Jo Stubbs, Steven Doyle

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

There is a large body of research related to uncovering the causes behind wrongful convictions (Cerrano, Gould, Hail-Jares, & Leo, 2014; Pinard, 2010). There is a scant amount of research focused on the people and agencies helping to overturn wrongful convictions.This narrative study explored the experiences of staff as a small New England non profit agency that assists wrongfully convicted individuals in proving their innocence.This study explores the stories through interviews with interns, lawyers and other staff at the agency to understand their work with policy and with individuals in the criminal justice system.The purpose of this qualitative narrative is …

Shared Experiences Of Women In Politics, Esther Pew

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

What are the lived experiences of female politicians in the state of Maine who have made the active decision to run for elected office?

• What is the experience like for a woman running for political office?

• What motivates and hinders women in their aspirations to run for political office?

Perceptions Of Successful Aging Among Maine Elders With Physical Limitations: Insights From Qualitative Interviews, Madeline Minor, Rebecca Knight

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Research Question: How do elders living with a disability perceive the aging process?

Racialization Of Heroin Use And The Emergence Of A Public Health Issue, Ellen Pogson

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

How is race used as a tool in newspaper publications to shape public opinion of the heroin epidemic in Portland, Maine, between the years 2014-­‐2016?

How does the portrayal of the heroin user inform public policy and health care interventions?

“Real Possibilities” In The Age Of Successful Aging: An Exploratory Content Analysis Of Aarp Magazine’S Feature Article, Noah Krell

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The specific goal of this exploratory research project is to determine:

• What successful aging themes arise in AARP Magazine’s feature articles?

• Is successful aging represented at the exclusion of other aging paradigms, or do a multiplicity of aging perspectives exist within the sample of articles?

Accounting For Variability In Mother-Child Play, David F. Lancy

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

This paper highlights contrasting perspectives in the study of mother-child play. One contrast emerges as we look at the phenomenon using the lens offered by anthropology as opposed to the more commonly used lens of psychology. A second contrast is apparent from on-the-ground descriptions of childhood in the ethnographic record compared to observations of children in the upper strata of modern society. Psychologists and those public agents who adopt their perspective see mother-child play—from infancy—as both necessary for normal development and an unlimited good. Its self-evident value should be impressed upon those who are as yet, unenlightened. Anthropologists not only …

Marbles And Machiavelli: The Role Of Game Play In Children's Social Development, David F. Lancy, M. Annette Grove

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The authors review several case studies of children engaged in rule-governed play and conclude that the process of learning rules—and of breaking them and making new ones—promotes what they call gamesmanship. They link the development of gamesmanship to the theory of Machiavellian intelligence, which considers social interaction primary in the evolution of human intelligence. They also question the benefits of adult-managed child play and assess the impact it may have on the ability of children to develop gamesmanship.

Social Workers’ Experiences Using Self-Advocacy On The Job, Jessica Labbe

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

While many social workers spend the bulk of their days helping their clients learn how to advocate, research shows that social workers often do not advocate for their own rights and well-being at work. The qualitative research that exists focuses primarily on social workers in urban areas who work in child protective services and residential treatment centers. In this study, licensed Master’s-level social workers (either LMSW-CCs or LCSWs) in Maine were asked about their experiences of using self-advocacy on the job.

School Of Social Work, April 2017, College Of Health And Human Services

Social Work Newsletter

• WMU Fostering Success program saluted as a 'beacon' for college access
• Dr. Ineke Way will be retiring at the end of the spring semester, after teaching in the School of Social Work since 1991
• Considering a study abroad opportunity? There are openings in the Social Justice and Sustainability in India program, scheduled for fall 2017
• Congratulations
• Upcoming Events

Do #Blacklivesmatter? Implicit Bias, Institutional Racism And Fear Of The Black Body, Reshawna L. Chapple, George A. Jacinto, Tameca N. Harris-Jackson, Michelle Vance

Ralph Bunche Journal of Public Affairs

The paper implores a brief cultural analysis to examine racial tensions and injustices in the U.S. that have led to the Black Lives Matter movement. Specifically, implicit bias is of primary focus as the authors examine how bias of the Black male frames the “Black-as-criminal” mentality, as well as connotes fear of the Black male body. The authors further discuss how fear of the Black face and Black male body has led to discriminatory actions such as institutional racism and, in the most vehement yet consistent cases, the killing of unarmed Black men and women. Cases such as Freddie Gray, …

Oregon Community-Based Care Survey: Assisted Living, Residential Care, And Memory Care, Paula C. Carder, Ozcan Tunalilar, Sheryl Dejoy Elliott, Sarah Dys, Margaret B. Neal

Institute on Aging Publications

In Oregon, community-based care (CBC) communities include assisted living (AL), residential care (RC), and memory care (MC) communities. These settings provide residential, personal care, and health-related services, primarily to older adults. As the population of Oregonians aged 65 and older is estimated to increase from 16 percent in 2015 to nearly 23 percent in 20501, the availability of CBC settings will continue to be an important source of long-term services and supports.

This report provides an in-depth look at Oregon’s CBC settings. Because no central dataset of CBC services, staff, and residents is available, as opposed to nursing facilities, information …

The Surgeon General's Facing Addiction Report: An Historic Document For Healthcare, S. Levy, J. P. Seale, Victoria A. Osborne, K. L. Kraemer, D. P. Alford, J. Baxter, D. S. Finnell, H. Kunins, A. Y. Walley, D. C. Lewis, D. Maclane-Baeder, A. J. Gordon

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The publication of Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health presents an historic moment not only for the field of addiction medicine, but also for the United States as a nation. The Board of Directors of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA), on behalf of our organization, would like to express our appreciation of the efforts of Dr. Vivek Murthy and the Surgeon General's Office to publish the first surgeon general's report covering substance misuse and substance use disorders.

Working With Refugees In The U.S.: Trauma-Informed And Structurally Competent Social Work Approaches, Jason Ostrander, Alysse Melville, S. Megan Berthold

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Social workers, government, and non-governmental organizations in the United States have been inadequately prepared to address the impact of trauma faced by refugees fleeing persecution. Compounding their initial trauma experiences, refugees often undergo further traumatic migration experiences and challenges after resettlement that can have long-lasting effects on their health and mental health. Micro and macro social work practitioners must understand the impact of these experiences in order to promote policies, social work training, and clinical practice that further the health and well-being of refugees and society. Social workers are in a unique position to provide multi-dimensional, structurally competent care and …

Freedom And Unity: Examining The Individualized, Community-Based Process Of Restorative Justice In Vermont And What It Can Teach Other States, Through A Trainer's Lens, Megan Grove

Capstone Collection

How can communities and law enforcement embrace a cultural shift to address conflict in a way that restores relationships and makes amends instead of one that punishes and criminalizes certain behaviors and individuals? How can we create spaces where those who commit harm, those who are impacted by harm, and other affected parties can come together with equal voice, have their needs met, and communicate in healthy ways? This Course-Linked Capstone in Training, situated in Brattleboro, Vermont, looks at the power of restorative justice and restorative processes to heal relationships and empower communities to care for one another and address …

Sow 4510 Integrative Seminar, Penne Williams

Service-Learning Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Sow 3203 Intro To Social Work, Manisha Joshi

Service-Learning Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Enhancing The Career Planning Self-Determination Of Young Adults With Mental Health Challenges, Jo-Ann Sowers, Paul R. Swank

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

The impact of an intervention on the self-determination and career planning engagement of young adults with mental health challenges was studied. Sixty-seven young adults, 20 to 30 years of age, with mental health diagnoses (e.g., depression, bipolar disorder) were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Statistically significant greater increases were made by the intervention group versus the control group for self-determination and career planning engagement, and self-determination at least partially mediated increases in career planning engagement. With career planning self-determination interventions, young adults with mental health challenges might be able to achieve better career and life outcomes than is …

Twenty Reasons To Publish In Dignity, Donna M. Hughes

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Gentrification And Displacement: An Environmental Justice Challenge For Social Work In Urban Environments, Eileen M. Brennan, Kevin Jones, Ryan Elizabeth Bender

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This chapter presents a lesson which includes a case study highlighting the social, economic, and environmental injustices associated with the gentrification of Northeast Portland, Oregon, US. The reader will then engage in an exercise, which includes reviewing the suggested video clip and news article segment highlighting experiences of families caught up in gentrification in Northeast Portland. Finally, the reader will work through the associated questions and activities to achieve the learning outcomes.

Emergency Room Role In Domestic Violence, Kaitlyn Madden, Kristen Simmons

Paper and Posters Presentations

Domestic violence is a serious and frequent problem in today_s society that is not normally discussed. Because of the lack of discussion of domestic violence, the number of individuals who are victims of domestic violence may not be identified as victims. Severe physical abuse in a domestic violence situation can cause individuals to seek medical attention from an emergency room. However, if they are not identified as victims or asked the proper questions about their situations, they return to their abusive situations. The purpose of this research study was to discover how effectively emergency room employees identified and served victims …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of Antiretroviral Adherence Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose: Young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) experience poorer antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication adherence relative to their white counterparts. However, few studies have longitudinally examined factors that may correlate with various classifications of ART adherence among this population, which was the primary aim of this study. Methods: Project nGage was a randomized controlled trial conducted across five Chicago clinics from 2012 to 2015. Survey and medical records data were collected at baseline and 3- and 12-month periods to assess whether psychological distress, HIV stigma, substance use, family acceptance, social support, and self-efficacy predicted ART medication adherence among …

Book Review: When Technology Hurts. How Pornography Harms: What Today's Teens, Young Adults, Parents, And Pastors Need To Know By John Foubert, Walter S. Dekeseredy

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

A New Era In Living Arrangements: Determinants Of Quality Of Life Among Chinese Older Adults, Minzhi Ye, Yiwei Chen, Yisheng Peng

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Empty-nest older adults are the fastest-growing population in China. There are three objectives of the present chapter: (1) to provide a national portrait of the changing pattern of co-residence of older adults in the past decade; (2) to identify the sociodemographic determinants of empty-nest families among community-dwelling older adults; and (3) to examine the relationship between older adults’ living arrangements and quality of life. We used the 2006 and 2010 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) samples to document the trends in the rates of co-residing families. In addition, we tested sociodemographic factors that may impact older adults’ living arrangements using …

Why Isn’T There A Garden At School? Assessing Five River Metro Parks’ Green Schoolyards Program, Kaleigh Jurcisek

Honors Theses

School gardens have been shown to have positive effects on children’s academic performance and personal lives. Five Rivers’ Metro Parks has a program in place to encourage and assist schools, within the Dayton region, to implement school gardens and/or habitats. This research examines the efficacy of the Green Schoolyards program through surveys and interviews with teachers and staff of 15 schools where the program has made at least one contact. This research will help inform the Five Rivers staff by identifying perceived benefits and constraints related to implementing school gardens, and may facilitate the expansion of the Green Schoolyards program. …

Oregon Community-Based Care Survey: Adult Foster Homes, Paula C. Carder, Sheryl Dejoy Elliott, Ozcan Tunalilar, Sarah Dys, Margaret B. Neal

Institute on Aging Publications

Adult foster homes (AFH) offer long-term services and supports to older adults and people with disabilities who wish to remain in the community but need assistance with personal care and health-related tasks. This report focuses on Oregon AFHs that are licensed to care for individuals aged 65 and older and younger adults with disabilities. Homes may be licensed for one to five residents and must be staffed 24-hours daily to respond to residents’ scheduled and unscheduled needs or requests.

This report provides an in-depth look at a sample of Oregon AFHs. Since no central dataset of AFH services, staff, and …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Social Work Services In Rural School Districts, Breanna Heinrich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students in rural communities are often subject to unique barriers and challenges that impact their holistic emotional, cognitive, physical, and social success in school. Because these factors have a strong impact on school attendance, behavior, and overall success, educators have begun to implement social work programs within both rural and urban school districts across the nation. While existing research affirms the effectiveness of school social work, very little research has been conducted to determine the effect in rural school districts. This paper evaluates the impact of a newly developed social work pilot program in two West Texas school districts implemented …

Expand Paid Family And Medical Leave, Ernest Gonzales, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Huy Ho

Center for Social Development Research

This policy action statement was developed by members of the network engaged in the Grand Challenge to Advance Long and Productive Lives. The Grand Challenges initiative’s policy action statements present proposals emerging from Social Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in collaboration with theAmerican Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress through a national agenda powered by science.

Reverse Civic And Legal Exclusions For Persons With Criminal Charges And Convictions, Carrie Pettus-Davis, Matthew W. Epperson, Annie Grier

Center for Social Development Research

This policy action statement was developed by members of the network engaged in the Grand Challenge to Promote Smart Decarceration. The Grand Challenges initiative’s policy action statements present proposals emerging from Social Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in collaboration with theAmerican Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress through a national agenda powered by science.