Human Services & Social Work

Newsletter 2012

by Robert Silva

Northern California Social Services for Homelessness

Newsletter about experience according to law Newsletter about experience according to law

Newsletter 2012 first Quarter

by Robert Silva

Living with homelessness, Northern California living in shelters.

It is 2012 Newsletter first quarter. It is brief overview of my experience and how to understand the processes to not... more It is 2012 Newsletter first quarter. It is brief overview of my experience and how to understand the processes to not sleep in the part where the police harass you but BLM land is open for sleeping in America.

Understanding Attrition and Predicting Employment Durations of Former Staff in a Public Social Service Organization

by Scotney Evans

Published 2010 in Journal of Social Work, 10(4), 407 -435. Co-authored with Thaden, E., & Jacobs-Priebe, L.

Summary: This study examines factors related to employee attrition in a US state social service organization (SSSO)... more Summary: This study examines factors related to employee attrition in a US state social service organization (SSSO) that administers welfare, food stamps, and Medicaid.
• Findings: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 132 former SSSO employees. Qualitative analyses found that informants reported insufficient resources to do their jobs, inconsistent or inadequate training experiences, negative perceptions of the organizational culture and management (e.g. minimal recognition and inadequate support for professional growth or innovation), and typically positive perceptions of co-worker relationships during their tenures at the SSSO. To examine the relative impact of these factors and background variables (age, race, office location, and position) on duration of employment, a multiple linear regression was conducted. Age, office location, position, and perceptions of organizational culture significantly predicted duration of employment (F(7,123) = 24.19, p <.001, R2 = .56).
• Application: Findings suggest that organizational culture may be an important change target for retaining workers in SSSOs.

Punishing progress and expecting failure: Alberta families’ experiences accessing health and social services systems

by Elaine Hyshka

Mayan, M. M., Grey, E., Lo, S. S., & Hyshka, E. (2011). Punishing progress and expecting failure: Alberta families’ experiences accessing health and social services systems. Canadian Social Work Review, 28(1), 107-126.

La Valutazione: Attori, Punti Critici, Prospettive

by charlie barnao

Freud, efficiency and pragmatism

by Patricia Shields

Published in Society. 1989. Jan/Feb. Vol.26.pp.67-72.

This article enters the worlds of the social worker (Freud), economist (efficiency) and public administrator... more This article enters the worlds of the social worker (Freud), economist (efficiency) and public administrator (Pragmatism) and explores them through the mechanism of public pricing or user fees. The point is to capture the language and values of each and to show how they differ. Social work looks to Freud for guidance. Clients get better if they pay an appropriate amount. Economists see user fees as a price a key mechanism of efficiency. Public administrators need to pay the bills and view fees as a revenue source.

Child Protection in Texas: Caseworkers Attitudes and Perceptions Towards CPS Services

by Texas State PA Applied Research Projects

Zarate, Emilia Maria, "Child Protection in Texas: Caseworkers Attitudes and Perceptions Towards CPS Services" (2007). Applied Research Projects, Texas State University-San Marcos. Paper 210.
http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/210

Purpose: The purpose of this applied research project is to explore caseworkers’ attitudes and perceptions towards... more Purpose: The purpose of this applied research project is to explore caseworkers’ attitudes and perceptions towards services provided to children and families in the state of Texas. The research uses working hypotheses as the conceptual framework.

Method: Six working hypotheses were created that examine services provided by Child Protective Services (CPS). All working hypotheses and sub hypotheses were tested using group interviews. The sample size included 30 CPS caseworkers (Investigators, Family Based Safety Service workers, or Conservatorship workers). Five group interviews were conducted with 6 caseworkers in each group. The interviewees’ responses were recorded and categorized using a Likert scale, from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree and a Not Always response. The interviewees also gave their opinion and experiences about working for CPS.

Findings: The interviewees generally agreed that family based safety services have a positive impact on family preservation. The majority of interviewees disagreed that CPS places less emphasis on kinship care. Most interviewees agreed that foster care is fraught with safety concerns. A large number of interviewees agreed that children who are placed in institutions and group homes are there due to extreme behavioral or emotional problems and the children are often medicated, regardless of their ages. The majority of interviewees agreed that permanency planning teams act in the best interest of the families and children. Lastly, most of the interviewees disagreed that parental rights are often terminated unnecessarily.

Public Pricing: One Answer to the Human Service Fiscal Dilemma

by Patricia Shields

Published in the New England Journal of Human Services 1981 1(3): 18-24

Public Pricing is a generic term referring to "fee for services" or "user charges." Advocates of... more Public Pricing is a generic term referring to "fee for services" or "user charges." Advocates of public pricing as a substitute for and supplement to taxation or grants claim it increased both efficiency and equity in the allocation of goods and services for public purposes. Furthermore, a pricing mechanism is particularly suited to human services that are provided at the local level. Critics, however, claim fees are regressive, placing a disproportionate burden on the poor. This paper acquaints the reader with the advantages and limitations of public pricing. The equity problems is discussed and alternative pricing schemes that take income differences into account are evaluated..

The Challenges of Accountability in the Human Services: Performance Management in the Adult Protective Services Program of Texas

by Texas State PA Applied Research Projects

Este, Stephen, "The Challenges of Accountability in the Human Services: Performance Management in the Adult Protective Services Program of Texas" (2007). Applied Research Projects, Texas State University-San Marcos. Paper 250.
http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/250

WINNER MCGREW AWARD (2007) Central Texas Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (Student Category).

Measuring and managing performance is a critical part of public sector management, but the human services have lagged... more Measuring and managing performance is a critical part of public sector management, but the human services have lagged behind other government functions in implementing organizational accountability. Texas Adult Protective Services (APS) is the state program responsible for addressing abuse, neglect and exploitation of the elderly and disabled. APS is used as a case study to explore the challenges of organization accountability in the human services. The APS efforts began in 2004, when the organization was under extraordinary scrutiny for poorly handled cases, inconsistent policy expectations, and poor client outcomes.

Looking at both the literature of performance management and the case of the APS program, the research found that some of the challenges in managing performance in “people programs” lie in organizational culture, an emphasis on direct interaction with clients over the effective documentation, and a pervasive opinion that the most personal, qualitative interactions with clients are simply not measurable. Public human services agency functions are often hampered by an inadequate emphasis on the collection and use of performance information and a frequent lack of clarity or agreement as to their core missions. Further, they often do not have proven technologies for achieving desired outcomes and promote best practice models based on anecdote and conventional wisdom, as much as well supported evaluation of program outcomes.

The research explored strategies that the APS program developed for building sustainable and accepted systems. The stated primary objectives of the APS leadership were to increase accountability at all levels of the organization, mitigating the weakness of existing external performance measures, and having performance standards that directly supported organizational goals of better client services. In developing a performance management system, the research found evidence that the APS program put a strong emphasis on field employee participation; ease of use, relevance and consistency, and in developing tools to measure what had previously been ruled immeasurable.

Finally, the research looked at the impacts of these strategies, and delved into quantifiable improvements generated, in part, by the efforts of the APS programs to bring accountability throughout the organization. Improvements in the timeliness and quality of case actions and related documentation were observed, even though the APS performance management system in its early stages of deployment.

Evidence was found that the challenges to implementing accountability in the human services could be overcome with the appropriate planning, organizational commitment, and resources. The APS case study may serve as a guide for human services agencies and other public organizations with complex missions and dynamic social conditions.

The Mentally Ill and the Criminal Justice System: Ideal Categories for Creating Successful Identification and Diversion Programs for Mentally Ill Offenders

by Texas State PA Applied Research Projects

Urrabazo, J. P., "The Mentally Ill and the Criminal Justice System: Ideal Categories for Creating Successful Identification and Diversion Programs for Mentally Ill Offenders" (2000). Applied Research Projects, Texas State University-San Marcos. Paper 247.
http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/247

The past decade has seen an explosion of the inmate population in Texas. The number of individuals incarcerated in... more The past decade has seen an explosion of the inmate population in Texas. The number of individuals incarcerated in correctional facilities has increased from approximately 49,000 to 160,000. With the increasing number of inmates, the criminal justice system has begun to focus on particular inmate populations. This focus has uncovered a finding that professionals in the mental health field and those at the local level have suspected for quite some time; the number of mentally ill offenders in the criminal justice system accounts for a growing percentage of inmates.

The purpose of this paper is to explore policies that deal with mentally ill offenders in the criminal justice system at the county level in Texas. The following categories were used to assess county approaches to dealing with mentally ill offenders.

Mental health law enforcement training
Jail intake screening
Coordination between law enforcement and mental health professionals
Access to mental health and community treatment programs

A survey of Texas Sheriffs in counties with jail capacities between 250-1000+ beds was used as the methodology for assessing policies for dealing with mentally ill offenders in Texas. The responses indicated that there is a need to more aggressively encourage the implementation of existing statutes and multidisciplinary cooperation.

An Impact Evaluation of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program on Participant Use of State Hospitals

by Texas State PA Applied Research Projects

Kuhns, Melody Crain, "An Impact Evaluation of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program on Participant Use of State Hospitals" (1998). Applied Research Projects, Texas State University-San Marcos. Paper 84.
http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/84

An Impact Evaluation of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Performance Contract-Incentive Recoupment Program

by Texas State PA Applied Research Projects

Wilson, Sam C., "An Impact Evaluation of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Performance Contract-Incentive Recoupment Program" (1999). Applied Research Projects, Texas State University-San Marcos. Paper 95.
http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/95

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a government performance contract which utilizes incentives and penalties to... more This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a government performance contract which utilizes incentives and penalties to improve performance. In addition, it traces the evolution of privatization and contracting out of government services. It also discusses government contracting with other governmental entities and non profit organizations. The evaluation of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Performance Contract is divided up into three hypotheses, all of which argue that a system of incentives and penalties improves contractor performance. The results generally support all three hypotheses.

Explaining the Factors that Affect Child Protective Service Caseworker’s Propensity to Leave Their Job

by Texas State PA Applied Research Projects

Guzman, Gabriel, "Explaining the Factors that Affect Child Protective Service Caseworker’s Propensity to Leave Their Job" (2007). Applied Research Projects, Texas State University-San Marcos. Paper 204.
http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/204

Increasing Opportunity or Deepening Disappointment

by Helen Meekosha

Intervention for homeless, substance abusing mothers: Findings from a non-randomized pilot.

by Gizem Erdem

Slesnick, N. & Erdem, G. (in press). Intervention for homeless, substance abusing mothers: Findings from a non-randomized pilot. Behavioral Medicine.

Predictors of Drop-in Center Attendance among Substance-Abusing Homeless Adolescents

by Gizem Erdem

Bantchevska, D., Erdem, G., Garren, R., Veneskey, J., Letcher, A., Bonomi, A. E., & Slesnick, N. (2011). Predictors of drop-in center attendance among homeless adolescents. Social Work Research, 35(1), 58-63.

A Review of Services and Interventions for Runaway and Homeless Youth: Moving Forward

by Gizem Erdem

Slesnick, N., Dashora, P., Letcher, A., Erdem, G., & Serovich, J. (2009). A review of services and interventions for runaway and homeless youth: Moving forward. Children and Youth Services Review, 31, 732–742.

Cambio organizacional para el bienestar comunitario (Spanish publication: Organizational change for the promotion of community well-being).

by Scotney Evans

2010 Chapter published in In E. Saforcada (Ed.), Enfoques Comunitarios sobre la Salud (Community based approaches to health). Buenos Aires: Paidos. Co-authored with Prilleltensky, O., McKenzie, A., Prilleltensky, I., Nogueras, D., Huggins, C., & Mescia, N., School of Education, University of Miami, Florida, USA Chapter in Enrique Saforcada (Editor)(in …

Future Orientation of Adolescents in Foster Care: Relationship to Trauma, Mental Health, and HIV Risk Behaviors

by Elián Cabrera-Nguyen

Cabrera, P., Auslander, W., and Polgar, M. (2009). Future Orientation of Adolescents in Foster Care: Relationship to Trauma, Mental Health, and HIV Risk Behaviors. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 2(4):271-286.

Future orientation has been found to protect against risky behaviors in adolescents from diverse backgrounds. However,... more Future orientation has been found to protect against risky behaviors in adolescents from diverse backgrounds. However, no studies have specifically examined future orientation as a potential protective factor against HIV risk behaviors in foster care adolescents. In this study, 343 foster care adolescents were interviewed about their future orientation, mental health, trauma histories, and cognitions related to HIV risk behaviors. Results indicated variability in future orientation, but there were no significant differences by race, gender, and age. Future orientation was significantly associated with mental health, trauma, HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and number of sexual intercourse partners. Furthermore, externalizing behaviors and attitudes toward risky behaviors each partially mediated the relationship between future orientation and number of sexual intercourse partners.

Keywords: HIV risk, foster care, adolescents, future orientation, mental health problems

Animación sociocultural y política: El papel de la Administración en los procesos de animación sociocultural (2009)

by Xavier Úcar

• ÚCAR, X. (2008) “Animación sociocultural y política: El papel de la Administración en los procesos de animación sociocultural” Pp. 55-84, en VENTOSA, V.J. (Coord.) Los agentes de la animación sociocultural. El papel de las instituciones, de la comunidad y de los profesionales. Madrid: Editorial CCS. (ISBN: 978-84-9842254-2)