Public Administration Commons^™

Ending Homelessness In Santa Clara County: A Program Evaluation Of Homefirst Services’ Rapid Re-Housing Program Using Client Feedback, Karen Gomez

Master's Projects

This research was designed to evaluate whether HomeFirst Services’ RRH Program has proven to be more effective than traditional approaches in eliminating homelessness for its participants in Santa Clara County, California. Research was based on the Program Satisfaction Survey conducted at the end of the participants’ program enrollment in comparison with data collected for clients in other HomeFirst Services programs. The research question that is being answered from this survey is whether or not the HomeFirst Services RRH Program is fulfilling the clients’ needs. This questionnaire has been able to help HomeFirst Services understand the factors that help satisfy program …

Increasing Calfresh Access And Participation For Seniors: Benchmarking Calfresh Strategies Within Selected Coastal Agricultural Counties Against Santa Cruz County, Mayra Rocha

Master's Projects

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, and called CalFresh in California, is the largest federally funded food assistance program in the United States. The program aims to reduce food insecurity and poverty by increasing access to nutritious food for low income eligible individuals (California Department of Social Services [CDSS], 2021a). The program is administered by county offices that are responsible for ensuring that the program is accessible, and that eligible individuals participate. Reports from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) indicate that eligible seniors in California had the lowest …

Workplace Characteristics That Affect The Career Development Of African American Women, Coretta Loraine Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American women are underrepresented in executive/senior-level positions in public and nonprofit organizations. The purpose of the study was to identify how workplace culture characteristics inform the career development of African American women. The conceptual framework incorporated Hegel’s standpoint theory and Collins’ Black feminist thought, emphasizing the importance of perspective differences stemming from social or professional experiences. The research questions addressed the workplace culture characteristics that assist or hinder African American women’s career development in northern California. I transcribed, coded, and analyzed data gathered from 15 audio-recorded, semistructured interviews. Results indicated that specific characteristics of workplace cultures were identified as …

Caregiver Perceptions Of The Helping Families In Mental Health Crisis Act, Odinakachi Chigewe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caregivers often experience increased stress when raising children who have a mental illness. Awareness of the various challenges caregivers face enables the offering of improved support. The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2016 (HR2646) improves and raises the profile of mental health within the government chart. This qualitative phenomenological study was guided by questions aimed at identifying caregiver perceptions of The Act and understanding caregiver input and opinions on the impact of this policy. Howlett’s five stream framework of the policy process and Kingdon’s multiple streams model provide the theoretical framework for this study. Individual telephonic interviews …

Improving Racial Diversity In The Americorps Saint Louis Emergency Response Team (Ert), Michael Mclemore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is currently a significant lack of racial diversity in the fields of environmental conservation and emergency management. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify sustainable recommendations to address the lack of racial diversity amongst members of the AmeriCorps Saint Louis Emergency Response Team (ERT). Trend analysis of the racial makeup of past ERT memberships identified a far less diverse ERT in its earlier cohorts, while illustrating improved racial diversity over the past 10 years. As a result of interviews with ERT administrators, alumni, team leaders, and current members recommendations were identified that aim to sustainably increase African …

The Impact Of Food Justice Advocates In Creating And Influencing Public Policy, Michael Joseph Chadukiewicz

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored the impact that food justice advocates had on creating and implementing public policy to provide access to adequate, healthy, and culturally appropriate food for the residents of New Haven, Connecticut. The problem the case study explored is in 2020 food insecurity affected 22% of the residents of New Haven, more than twice the national average. This qualitative case study used grounded theory to analyze the experiences of 31 food justice advocates that were members of a coalition of researchers, food service providers, non-profit agencies, grassroot organizations, and residents tasked with improving the city’s emergency food system. …

Making The Case For Addressing Second-Generation Gender Bias In Public Administration, Helisse Levine, Maria J. D’Agostino, Meghna Sabharwal

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Examining The Relationship Between Local Governmental Performance In Public Safety And The Growth In Population, Employment, And Per Capita Income For Valley Cities In Arizona, Xin Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the impact of city performance in public safety on a city’s growth in population, employment, and per capita income. The effectiveness of performance management affects the willingness of governmental agencies to continue using performance management as a tool for day-to-day operations and the improvement of governmental services. The research goal of the study is to discover the relationship between city performance in public safety and the growth of a locality in population, employment, and per capita income. The purpose of the study is to determine if there is a relationship between city performance in public safety …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Air Force’S Open Topic Sbir And Sttr Process To Engage Small Business To Work On Defense, Bevan Hart

Master's Projects

Has the Air Force’s (AF) use of the “Open Topic” solicitation in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs increased engagement with non-traditional defense contractors, and is it effective in getting companies on contract that would not otherwise have been likely to contract with the Air Force?

A Process Evaluation Of Intelligence Gathering Using Social Media For Emergency Management Organizations In California, Alan Barner

Master's Projects

When responding to an emergency, correct and timely information is often the difference between a successful response and a potential disaster. The information that emergency managers in California receive from the public often dictates how agencies respond to emergencies. The emergence of social media has presented several benefits to emergency managers regarding intelligence gathering during the emergency response process. Simultaneously, the emergence of social media has raised several concerns for the stakeholders involved. One major issue involves inaccurate information circulating on social media platforms during ongoing disasters. If emergency managers cannot discern incorrect information from correct information, disaster response may …

The Disproportionate Impact Of Covid-19 On The Housing Stability Of Hispanic/Latino Renters In California, Cyndi Valdez

Master's Projects

How and why did the COVID-19 pandemic impact the housing stability of Hispanic/Latino renters in California? How were communities, such as those in Santa Cruz County, affected by Shelter in Place Orders? What measures were taken to help alleviate the financial burdens caused by the pandemic?

City Of Milpitas Trash Capture Device Program: An Evaluation Of System Performance And Compliance With The Municipal Regional Permit, Joseph Aguilera

Master's Projects

Water pollution negatively impacts the environment and human population. The problem persists despite various mitigation efforts, strategies, and the implementation of regulatory requirements. It is estimated that Californians dispose of approximately 40 million tons of consumer items and waste materials annually (California Department of Resource Recycling and Recovery, 2019). As the population increases, it is expected that negative impacts of trash on the environment will be exacerbated. To address this, municipalities in California apply various methods to reduce trash before it enters ocean waters.

The primary vehicle for urban trash pollutants to reach ocean waters is through storm water conveyance …

The Nutrition Labeling Act And The Weight Loss Experiences Of African American Women, Richardeanea Theodore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States with four out of five African American women, aged 20 and older, being overweight or obese, resulting in excessive morbidity and mortality. Policy interventions have been developed to address the issue, but without much success in this population. The purpose of this Husserl-inspired phenomenological study was to better understand how nutrition labeling influences eating behaviors of overweight and obese African American women in their weight loss efforts. The Socio-Ecological Model for Food and Physical Activity Decisions (SEMFPAD) was the theoretical framework for this study. Purposeful sampling and snowballing were used to …

Influence Of The Dream Act And The Daca Program On Undocumented And Documented Immigrants During The Census Process, Rhefinette Jones-Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA collective group of scholars have researched the flaws of the immigration system and possible benefits to be gained from reformation with the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act) and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The purpose of the quantitative study was to statistically determine if the temporary resolutions to the immigration system problems influenced the participation of the immigrant communities in the U.S. Census. The theoretical focus selected for this study was the assimilation and accommodation theories with the causal decision theory as a conceptional foundation. The research questions concentrated on the …

The Impact Of Canada–U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement On African Asylum Seekers In Canada, John Elijah Mccarthy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the world becomes more globalized, migration is emerging as a major policy issue to contemporary governments. Thus, states have adopted immigration policies that extend beyond their jurisdiction, making the review of state actions a challenge. One such policy is the Canada–U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA). This policy has generated a range of social issues. However, no study has been conducted to understand the impact of the STCA on African asylum seekers in Canada. This qualitative study was based on the social construction and policy design theory. The central research question sought to understand the impact of the STCA …

Education Policy Reform In Ghana And The Role Of Avatime Traditional Leaders, Hubert Kwami Akrong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWith declining academic standards in Ghana, public attention has been focused on education policies. In 1992, the amended constitution excluded traditional village leaders from being involved in formulating education policies in Ghana. The exclusion of grassroots leaders from education policy reform resulted in low expectations and poor student outcomes in the towns and villages of Ghana’s Avatime Traditional Area. This case study was an investigation into how traditional chiefs in the Avatime Traditional Area participate in democratic governance to improve education in the region. Joshee and Goldberg’s social justice theory in policy making was used to ground the study. Data …

Building Strong Leadership In A Fire Service Organization, Eddie Drew Gauntt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study site fire department is one of many metropolitan fire departments in the world and has lost many leading personnel to retirement. The position of focus in this study is chief officer, which encompasses the top three positions within the organization: the ranks of district fire chief, assistant fire chief, and the fire chief. The loss of this leading personnel has caused a decline in the strength of the leadership within the department, making it necessary to rebuild that leadership to secure the department’s future. The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide an understanding of the assumptions …

Stakeholder Perceptions Regarding The Impact Of Creative Placemaking On Homelessness In Neighborhoods Experiencing Gentrification, Vanessa Renee Frazier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urban planning and community development scholars continue to be interested in creative placemaking, a process meant to facilitate strategic partnerships between public and private sectors, art and culture communities, and community sectors, and the role it plays within the displacement of residents living in gentrified neighborhoods. However, researchers have found that the implementation of creative placemaking results in gentrification-related outcomes. Researchers have found a connection between the lack of affordable housing and gentrification-related displacement when creative placemaking is implemented. Researchers have suggested that stakeholder decisions direct the outcomes related to the implementation of creative placemaking; however, there is a lack …

The Effects Of Federal Funding Reductions On Emergency Shelters In Urban U.S. Sanctuary Cities., Venice Hylton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWhen the U.S. federal government reduces funding to urban sanctuary cities because of those cities’ refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement agents this affects the services offered by the municipalities to their residents. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the effects that withdrawal of federal funds from urban sanctuary cities have on people experiencing homelessness. The social exchange theory provided the theoretical foundation for the study, which featured a qualitative exploratory case study design and involved interviews with four shelter administrators in three mid-Atlantic states. The participants described (a) the effects of reduced …

An Exploration Of Fairness, Judicial Independence And Employee Protections, Christina M. Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual harassment is an issue that can plague any organization, especially ones that do not have a formal complaint process or is built on a system based on hierarchy. Most notably, some federal judges abused their power based on a system that did not have any checks and balances in place as preventative measure against harassment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore female federal judiciary employees’ understanding of employee protection principles extended to staff of the judicial branch, and to assess whether female federal judiciary employees were aware of reporting mechanisms for acts of misconduct. The research …