Social Work Commons^™

Stigma Of Help-Seeking Behavior Following The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Chris R. Locke, Danilea Werner

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

In 2010 the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused multiple complications for the environment and people living in the rural regions of coastal Alabama. This study seeks to better understand the role of stigma related to help-seeking behavior of those living in the rural communities. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted one year after the oil spill with 21 mental health professionals and staff focused primarily in Gulf Shores and Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Participants described their interactions with clients needing a wide range of services after the disaster. Constant comparative analyses of the qualitative data yielded …

Cultural Practice Considerations: The Coming Out Process For Mexican-Americans Along The Rural Mexico-Us Border, Dalton Connally Lisw, Rose Wedemeyer Lpc, Scott J. Smith Oakland University

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

As the nation’s Latino and Mexican-American population continues to rise, social workers must consider the unique experiences of these groups. The decision to reveal a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) identity is often difficult and painful. This decision can be compounded for Mexican-American individuals as Latino heterosexual attitudes about sexuality continue to act as a barrier for Mexican-American LGB individuals and their families who live along the rural Mexico-United States (US) border. This article reviews the implications of lesbian, gay, or bisexual disclosure within Mexican-American families residing in rural communities along the Mexico-US border. The authors review the traditional Mexican-American …

Rural Social Workers’ Perceptions Of Training Needs For Working With Lgbtq-Identified Youth In The Foster Care System, Jean Toner Msw, Ph.D.

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The article reports on findings from an exploratory qualitative study with rural child welfare professionals concerning their perceptions of services and training needs for working effectively with LGBTQ-identified youth in rural out-of-home care. The study employed focus group methodology with workers from one region of a Midwestern state. Emergent themes corroborated extant research findings, and the three types were (a) an analysis of the current reality of knowledge, services, and training; (b) specific challenges to expanding and/or improving training for rural workers; and (c) recommendations for improving services and climate for LGBTQ-identified youth in rural areas. Implications for rural social …

Rural Food Pantry Users’ Stigma And Safety Net Food Programs, Lori L. Nooney, Elisabetta Giomo-James, Peter A. Kindle, Debra S. Norris, Ryan R. Myers, Alyssa Tucker, Robert Jon Stanley

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Increasing numbers of individuals in our community have been seeking local food pantry assistance. Previous studies of food pantries found that users show low rates of governmental aid receipt, especially in rural areas. We assessed evidence that suggests that post-recession need has mitigated rural reluctance to pursue government assistance. The inadequacy of government and local food assistance to address the problem of food insecurity in our community is discussed.

Improving The Mental Health Functioning Of Youth In Rural Communities, Matthew A. Moore Msw, Ph.D., Betty A. Walton Ph.D.

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Disparities in mental health outcomes for youth are often found between rural and urban areas. As part of an overarching question about under what circumstances and for whom, the wraparound process is beneficial (Suter & Bruns, 2009), this study specifically examined whether high fidelity to the wraparound model helped bridge the gap between outcomes in urban and rural areas for youth with complex behavioral health challenges. Youth participating in Indiana’s Community Alternatives to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities Medicaid demonstration grant between 2008 and 2011 (n = 811) resided in urban (n = 615) or rural (n = 196) communities. Logistic …

Book Review: Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement For Addiction, Stress, And Pain, Jay Memmott Msw, Ph.D., Lcsw-Pip

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Book Review: Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Addiction, Stress, and Pain Eric L. Garland 2013 Washington, DC: NASW Press 206 pages Softcover: $39.99 ISBN-13: 978-0871014450

Book Review: Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior And The Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, Diane Dacosta

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Book Review: Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him Montalván, Luis Carlos 2011 New York: Hyperion 288 pages Hardcover: $22.99 ISBN-13: 978-1401310752

Characterizing The Syphilis Epidemic Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Lima, Peru To Identify New Treatment And Control Strategies, Robert Deiss, Segundo R. Leon, Kelika A. Konda, Brandon Brown, Eddy R. Segura, Jerome T. Galea, Carlos F. Caceres, Jeffrey D. Klausner

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Syphilis is an important sexually transmitted infection (STI) with serious public health consequences. Among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Lima, the prevalence and incidence are extraordinarily high. Current syndromic approaches, however, fail to identify asymptomatic cases, and in settings where large proportions of individuals test positive again after treatment, it is frequently difficult to distinguish treatment failure from re-infection. Thus, new approaches are needed to improve treatment strategies and public health control efforts.

Methods/Design: Study participants will undergo baseline testing for syphilis infection along with a behavioral survey covering demographics, sexual behavior, drug and …

Review Of Barrios To Burbs: The Making Of The Mexican American Middle Class. Jody A. Vallejo. Reviewed By Celestino Fernandez., Celestino Fernandez

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Jody A.Vallejo, Barrios to Burbs: The Making of the Mexican American Middle Class. Stanford University Press (2012). $40 (hardcover).

Patients’ Perception Of Patient–Provider Communication In Fertility Preservation Decision Making Among Young Women With Cancer, Aakrati Mathur, E. Roberto Orellana, Amy Frohnmayer, Pauline Jivanjee, Lillian Nail, Brandon Hayes-Lattin, Rebecca G. Block

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fertility preservation (FP) for patients with cancer is an emerging field. With the advancement of technology, patients may face a complex decision-making process about whether to preserve fertility. The purpose of this article is to explore how young women with cancer perceive patient–provider communication in FP decision making. In this study, 25 women between the ages of 18 and 39 were interviewed retrospectively. They were interviewed one time to learn about their decision-making process related to FP. Results of this analysis indicate that patients seek support and involvement from providers throughout the process of decision making. They prefer providers to …

Review Of Informal Labor, Formal Politics, And Dignified Discontent In India. Rina Agarwala. Reviewed By Jennifer R. Zelnick., Jennifer R. Zelnick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Rina Agarwala, Informal Labor, Formal Politics, and Dignified Discontent in India. Cambridge University Press (2013). $29.95 (paperback).

Review Of Fear Itself: The New Deal And The Origins Of Our Time. Ira Katznelson. Reviewed By Marguerite Rosenthal., Marguerite Rosenthal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Benjamin Kline Hunnicutt, Free Time: The Forgotten American Dream. Temple University Press (2013). $34.95 (paperback).

Housing Assistance And Disconnection From Welfare And Work: Assessing The Impacts Of Public Housing And Tenant-Based Rental Subsidies, Andrea Hetling, Hilary Botein

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The well-being of families disconnected from welfare and work are of growing concern to policymakers. This article examines the relationship between economic disconnection and housing assistance, a critical source of support that subsidizes what is the largest fixed expense for most households. Results from multilevel logistic models show that the odds ofbeing disconnected are higher for public housing residents and lower for single mothers receiving tenantbased rental assistance in comparison to those in private housing. Findings indicate that housing policies should be considered alongside welfare policy changes aimed at economically disconnected families, and that public housing is a critical site …

Suicide Within United States Jails: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis, Laura Frank, Regina T. P. Aguirre

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Suicide was the leading cause of unnatural deaths in local jails, accounting for 29% of all jail deaths between 2000 and 2007. Though much literature exists on suicide in jails, very little is qualitative. Additionally, little attention has been focused on how the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide applies to the jail environment. To gain a better understanding of suicide in jails, an interpretive meta-synthesis of three qualitative articles was conducted. The combined sample included thirty-four individuals from three jails. These three articles were analyzed to identify common themes that led inmates to suicide. Three broad categories were identified through constant …

Social Security: Strengthen Not Dismantle, Michael M. O. Seipel

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Social Security has benefited more than 55 million people. It has lifted about 14 million seniors and 6 million more people out of poverty without adding a penny to the federal budget. Social Security is increasingly becoming an important source of income for many people. Despite the projected shortfall, the program will continue to meet its obligations for the next two decades, and with minor adjustments, it can be on solid footing for the next 75 years. Cutting the benefits or privatizing may not be the best approach. This paper discusses the structure and function of Social Security and what …

Trading The Picket Fence: Perceptions Of Childbirth, Marriage, And Career, Wanda Parham-Payne, Bette J. Dickerson, Tekisha Dwan Everette

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

While there was a slightly lower rate of out-of-wedlock births in 2009, 41 percent of all births were to unmarried women. Although there has been an increase across the board among older age groups, Black women continue to have children out of wedlock at a disproportionately higher rate than White and Asian women. This is of particular interest, considering African-American women are increasingly attaining higher levels of education in comparison to previous generations of African-American women. As such, the perceptions of childbirth, child-rearing, and marriage among a sample of African-American women matriculating within a postsecondary setting are explored.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 40, No. 3 (September 2013)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND DISCONNECTION FROM WELFARE AND WORK: ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING AND TENANT-BASED RENTAL SUBSIDIES - Andrea Hetling and Hilary Botein
• SUICIDE WITHIN UNITED STATES JAILS: A QUALITATIVE INTERPRETIVE META SYNTHESIS - Laura Frank and Regina T P. Aguirre
• WELFARE REFORM IN THE STATES: DOES THE PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE LEGISLATORS IN STATE LEGISLATURES AFFECT WELFARE REFORM POLICIES? - Lee W. Payne
• SOCIAL SECURITY: STRENGTHEN NOT DISMANTLE - Michael M. 0. Seipel
• TRADING THE PICKET FENCE: PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDBIRTH, MARRIAGE, AND CAREER - Wanda Parham-Payne, Bette J. Dickerson, and Tekisha Dwan Everette
• BEYOND PROFESSIONAL EMERGENCIES: …

Beyond Professional Emergencies: Patterns Of Mistakes In Social Work And Their Implications For Remediation, Keith Roberts Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper analyzes the emerging field of government mandated child protection, the work's design, and the public crisis caused by public airing of its mistakes. The cycle of reacting to public revulsion at errors,followed by a return to "business as usual" persists despite official, government inquiries and the social work profession identified with the protection of children. The risk of working in a highly emotional area is discussed through the sociology of "mistakes at work," or professional emergencies. This work balances risks with advantages of evoking emotions. The risk comes from the negative emotions associated with official failures seen by …

Women's Work Attitudes, Aspirations, And Workforce Participation Before And After Relocation From Public Housing, Edith J. Barrett

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

For the past decade or so, public housing policies have focused on moving residents from concentrated housing developments into newly designed mixed-income developments or, through housing choice vouchers, into neighborhoods with lower concentrations of poor. These newer programs are driven by research that suggests public housing residents will have greater opportunity for financial self-sufficiency and, although not openly discussed, will better appreciate the importance of work when they live among higher income working residents. Using panel data collected from public housing residents relocated following the closure of a public housing development, this study explores the relationship between individual characteristics, neighborhood …

Between Stonewall And Aids: Initial Efforts To Establish Gay And Lesbian Social Services, Michael G. Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Little has been written about gay and lesbian communities' efforts to address health and human service concerns prior to the HIV/AIDS crisis. This article analyzes content from The Advocate along with organizational documents from the early 1970s to explore the health issues addressed by these fledgling providers. Major concerns identified include social adjustment to a gay or lesbian identity, chemical health, sexual health, and family supports. These findings depict a service context strained by funding instability, workplace turmoil, neighborhood hostility, and high levels of consumer needs that would later come to characterize the complex nature of AIDS service work.