Social Work Commons^™

Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships During Covid-19: Providing Virtual Field Opportunities For Student Learners And Addressing Social Isolation In Older Adults, Omolola E. Adepoju, Sheara Jennings, Patti Schrader, Kathleen Reeve, Tracy Mcmanaman-Bridges, Lauren Gilbert, Ben King, Jessica Dobbins, Andy Rollins, Luis R. Torres-Hostos

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

While preventive and management measures are important to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, strategies like social distancing can have devastating effects on older adults who are already at risk for social isolation and loneliness. In response, two Colleges of Health Professions (Social Work and Nursing) at a large public University leveraged a partnership with a national health and wellbeing company to address social isolation and loneliness in Houston area older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. This intergenerational linkage initiative involved 707 older adults and 177 graduate social work and nursing students. This study describes the process of developing a virtual …

Trajectory Of Substance Use Disorders And Collegiate Recovery In Emerging Adults, Jordyn Hebert, Victoria Chaney, Rebecca Smith Msw, Thomas Bannard, Leah Weingast Ma, Danielle Dick Phd, Erica Holliday Phd

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs) provide services to support emerging adults achieve academic success, while maintaining substance use disorder recovery. College and university campuses can often be considered abstinence-hostile environments, giving rise to the need of support services for students in recovery. A nationwide survey to understand the efficacy of services provided by CRPs was conducted to assess the demographics and academic profiles of students involved with CRPs. Co-occurring disorders including mental health issues, criminal histories, utilizations of recovery services and 12-step groups, and work histories of students were also assessed. CRPs can provide services and an environment to students …

Creating Social Responses To A Changing Environment, Susan Kemp, Lawrence A. Palinkas, Lisa Reyes Mason, Shanondora Billiot, Felicia M. Mitchell, Amy Krings

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Enhancing social work’s socioenvironmental impact is central to creating social responses to a changing environment, the Grand Challenge for Social Work detailed in this chapter. Worldwide, communities face unprecedented environmental change and degradation. Although climate change, extreme weather events, disasters, and other environmental challenges threaten the health, well-being, and survival of all people, their impacts fall most heavily on marginalized populations. Social work has a critical role to play in crafting social responses to these escalating threats. This chapter summarizes the activities of the Grand Challenge to Create Social Responses to a Changing Environment in five main areas: disaster preparedness …

A Mixed-Methods Assessment Of Human Well-Being Related To The Presence Of Companion Animals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bindi Bennett, Suzie Cosh, Jack Thepsourinthone, Amy Lykins

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

COVID-19 and the measures used to curb the pandemic (e.g., lockdowns, isolation) have significantly impacted mental health and well-being. This study sought to investigate the role of companion animals in alleviating stress and improving mental health during the pandemic. In this study, 250 Australian adults completed measures of well-being and life satisfaction, animal dependency, perceived emotional support from animals, and animals’ effect on mood. Employment and living with others were the strongest predictors of positive life satisfaction and well-being, while greater dependency on companion animals for emotional support and companion animals’ negative effects on mood were associated with reduced life …

The Social Impacts Of Religion: Implications For Social Work Practice, Alasia Johnson

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

How Is Covid-19 Impacting Student Mental Health And Academic Outcomes A Year Later: A Follow Up Study, Janice Snow

Student Research Symposium

In April 2020, we examined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduates, mental health distress, and decreases in grades during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic via a national online survey. The current study is a follow-up to this survey a year later in April 2021. Undergraduate students were recruited for a survey both years (two independent random samples) via instructor announcements, email, listserv, or social media. In spring 2020, higher depressive symptoms, general anxiety, and academic distress were associated with a reported decline in grades. Perceived grade declines were also correlated with higher financial concerns and risk for …

Adapting To Survive, Building To Thrive: A Single Case Study Of A Housing Nonprofit In Rural Kentucky, Amber Post

Student Research Symposium

Rural nonprofits work to combat social and economic challenges their communities face by providing vital support and resources. Rural nonprofits provide jobs, support local businesses, help meet the basic needs of individuals, and advocate for vulnerable populations. Organizations face challenges when operating in rural areas including difficulty finding funding, retaining qualified employees, lack of resources, and limited opportunities for forming partnerships. In this single qualitative case study, the HOMES, a housing nonprofit, impact on social and economic development of Letcher County, Kentucky was examined. HOMES has utilized creative methods to bolster the economy of Letcher County including providing energy-efficient rental …

Attribution Of Discrimination To The Self In Racial Minorities And Adolescent Females, Natalie Rust

Student Research Symposium

Discrimination among marginalized groups has been shown to affect individuals’ view of themselves (Yang & Gao, 2019; Strehlow et al., 2021; Rivera, 2021). This study seeks to observe self-attribution rates in minoritized groups, specifically in people of color and adolescent females. From a Qualtrics survey, researchers observed adolescents’ experiences with and attributions of discrimination. Respondents had the opportunity to attribute discrimination as resulting from race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, weight, immigration status, or “other”. For adolescents who chose “other”, they were allowed to describe an additional attribution in their own words. Specifically for this study, only participants who chose “other” as …

Rural Nonprofit Fundraising Capacity: What Can We Learn From Current Practices?, Janice Snow

Student Research Symposium

Rural nonprofits in the U.S. strive to maintain and improve the quality of life in rural communities, but in many cases are lacking the resources to be effective. Rural nonprofits often have larger services areas while operating with less funding. Little is known about rural nonprofit fundraising and grant writing capacity because previous research has focused on nonprofits in general or urban nonprofits. With differences in organization size, community demographics, and geographical contextual issues, rural nonprofits may need to use different strategies to achieve financial health and stability. Further, rural communities in the U.S. were differentially affected by the COVID-19 …

Purity Culture And Its Effects On Women, Faith Beasterfield

Student Research Symposium

The purity movement, which stems from evangelical circles in the 1980s, is dedicated to keeping teens and unmarried adults from becoming sexually active before marriage. Although this message is encouraged for both men and women, this research project seeks to investigate the specific impact that purity culture has had on the lives of women. The research was done using online materials, which include primary and secondary sources, with an emphasis on first-hand accounts of women within the movement. The results indicate that purity culture has had a major impact on how society views the worth of women who do not …

Rural Funding Bias: What Do Foundation Decision-Makers Think About Rural Nonprofits?, Janice Snow

Student Research Symposium

Background: Typically, rural NPOs receive less funding per capita than urban NPOs in the U.S. (2,1). Private foundation funding is one of the largest sources of revenue for NPOs, but only 6.8% of funding from private foundations is allocated to rural NPOs (2). Many rural NPOs are smaller and lack grant writing or fundraising training, technology, and leadership experience (3). Recent literature focuses on building nonprofit capacity to become competitive for funding. This perspective does not consider bias as playing a role in this funding gap (4,5,6). For example, foundations may seek out urban nonprofits because they have greater potential …

Social Work Experiences Of Moral Distress Amid Covid-19, Megan Tritt

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Social work professionals often experience stressful and emotional situations while also facing organizational barriers. The social work profession is empowered by an ethical commitment to diffuse tensions that emerge between competing values in conflict. Many of these situations are complicated by ethical concerns and constraints related to the very institutions that are designed to help. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has transformed the framework through which we view ethical dilemmas and presented morally challenging dilemmas out of the control of any professional in service to people during this time. The term moral distress was popularized in the field of …

Examining The Impact Of Community Racism And Classism On Human Service Organizations, Nadene Kimball, Erin Nielsen

Student Research Symposium

Racism and classism have been substantial social problems across history and are still prevalent today. Human service nonprofit organizations (HSOs) play an important role in helping people who are affected by racism and classism and are often the most marginalized, oppressed, and vulnerable in communities. A recent study encountered rural nonprofits in the South region of the U.S. that indicated racism and downward classism negatively affected their ability to provide services in their communities (Walters, 2020). To our knowledge, no studies have examined the impact of racism and downward classism on human service organizations and their operations. Thus, the current …

Sources And Types Of Social Supports And Their Association With Mental Health Symptoms And Life Satisfaction Among Young Adults With A History Of Out-Of-Home Care, Rhiannon Evans, Colleen C. Katz, Anthony Fulginiti, Heather N. Taussig

Graduate School of Social Work: Faculty Scholarship

Young adults with a history of out-of-home care report poorer mental health and life satisfaction compared to non-care-experienced peers. Social support is a known protective factor for mental health. There is limited evidence, however, on the relationship between sources (e.g., family members) and types (e.g., information) of social support and mental health symptoms and life satisfaction in this population. Reporting cross-sectional survey data from 215 young adults aged 18–22 years with a history of out-of-home care, the current study conducted descriptive, bivariate, and linear regression analysis to examine the different sources and types of support young adults receive and their …

Sources And Types Of Social Supports And Their Association With Mental Health Symptoms And Life Satisfaction Among Young Adults With A History Of Out-Of-Home Care, Rhiannon Evans, Colleen C. Katz, Anthony Fulginiti, Heather Taussig

Publications and Research

Young adults with a history of out-of-home care report poorer mental health and life satisfaction compared to non-care-experienced peers. Social support is a known protective factor for mental health. There is limited evidence, however, on the relationship between sources (e.g., family members) and types (e.g., information) of social support and mental health symptoms and life satisfaction in this population. Reporting cross-sectional survey data from 215 young adults aged 18–22 years with a history of out-of-home care, the current study conducted descriptive, bivariate, and linear regression analysis to examine the different sources and types of support young adults receive and their …

Youth Mental Health In The Mountain West, Kristian Thymianos, Olivia K. Cheche, Kelliann Beavers, Katie M. Gilbertson, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet explores youth mental health metrics of Mountain West states from the Hopeful Futures Campaign’s 2022 report, America’s School Mental Health Report Card. This study provides state snapshots on school mental health policies and workforce availability for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah are considered here.

Artistic Expression As A Source Of Resilience For Transgender And Gender Diverse Young People, Ashley Austin, Michael P. Dentato Phd, Msw, Joshua Holzworth, Roxanna Ast, Anthony Verdino, Edward Alessi, Andrew Eaton, Shelley L. Craig

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

There is a paucity of research exploring sources of resilience among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) young people with multiple marginalized identities. Information and communication technologies (ICT) offer unique opportunities for authentic self-expression, which is not always possible offline. The primary aims of this study were to understand unique sources of resilience among TGD youth in their online and offline lives. Using photo elicitation and grounded theory methods, we conducted online in-depth interviews with TGD young people (N = 29) between the ages of 14-25 across the United States identifying with at least one of the following social statuses: (a) …

A Mixed Method Study Of Teachers’ Appraisals Of Student Wellness Services And Supports During Covid-19, Tasha M. Childs, Elizabeth Levine Brown, Naomi Brown, Aidyn Iachini Ph.D., Kate Phillippo, Linda Galib, Audra Parker, Ken Fujimoto

Faculty and Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Understanding teachers' appraisals of student wellness services and supports during COVID-19 is essential to strengthening services and improving student health outcomes. This mixed-method study aimed to examine US PK-12 teachers' appraisals of student wellness services and supports during COVID-19.

METHODS: This study focuses on qualitative data from 291 teachers' open-ended responses to the question: “What do you wish your school leaders knew about this (wellness support) aspect of your work?” and whose responses described wellness services and supports. A qualitative content analysis was conducted by an interdisciplinary research team using open- and axial coding.

RESULTS: Three …

From Neglected To Nurtured: The Crisis Of The Foster Care System And The Crucial Impact Of Stability, Emma Miller

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

This paper addresses some of the problems with the foster care system in the United States, and seeks to propose a solution to the extensive wait families experience when adopting a child out of foster care. Specifically, it studies the positive impact of government-nonprofit collaborations on participants in the system, and emphasizes the importance of placing children in stable environments.

Recovery As A Gift Of Blackness: Epistemic Justice In Community Engagement And Learning, James B. Lin, Isoke N. Femi, Barbara Lin, Lillian Mark

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

The submission illuminates the use of Recovery Circles, a community-based practice developed in and by a San Francisco African American community, as a participatory methodology for on-site multicultural student reflection and growth.