Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 2014
ABSTRACT Critical race theory (CRT) provides a framework for examining power structures that main... more ABSTRACT Critical race theory (CRT) provides a framework for examining power structures that maintain racial inequities and developing strategies for action and change. Though social work acknowledges racial disparities and the role of racism when identifying and attempting to ameliorate social problems, the profession has not fully incorporated CRT. This article introduces CRT, articulates its alignment with social work’s professional mission and values, describes its central tenets, and applies the tenets to racial disparities within three areas of practice particularly relevant for social work: child welfare system involvement, receipt of public assistance, and access to mental health treatment. CRT’s broader implications for social work practice are identified and discussed.
This systematic review of the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for adults with s... more This systematic review of the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for adults with severe mental illnesses (SMI) in rural mental health settings examined peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and public information. Included articles had to report implementation efforts of EBP(s) for SMI in rural settings or adaptations for rural service delivery. Only three peer-reviewed articles and two publicly available reports met inclusion criteria. Findings suggest little attention is focused on studying factors affecting implementation of EBPs for SMI in rural areas. Adaptations are occurring in rural settings, though rarely documented or tested; their impact on fidelity and consumer outcomes is unclear.
This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a ded... more This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a dedicated floor in a university residence hall. Students volunteered to live with one another while concurrently enrolled in social work service-learning courses. Student assessment of the combined affect service learning and residence hall living-learning experience on community engagement is presented for three cohorts of participants.
We designed and pilot-tested a group-based, work-related cognitive-behavioral therapy (WCBT) for ... more We designed and pilot-tested a group-based, work-related cognitive-behavioral therapy (WCBT) for unemployed individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). WCBT, delivered in a vocational service setting by vocational service professionals, aims to reduce social anxiety and enable individuals to seek, obtain, and retain employment. We compared WCBT to a vocational services as usual control condition (VSAU). Participants were unemployed, homeless, largely African American, vocational service-seeking adults with SAD (N = 58), randomized to receive either eight sessions of WCBT plus VSAU or VSAU alone and followed three months post-treatment. Multilevel modeling revealed significantly greater reductions in social anxiety, general anxiety, depression, and functional impairment for WCBT compared to VSAU. Coefficients for job search activity and self-efficacy indicated greater increases for WCBT. Hours worked per week in the follow-up period did not differ between the groups, but small sample size and challenges associated with measuring work hours may have contributed to this finding. Overall, the results of this study suggest that unemployed persons with SAD can be effectively treated with specialized work-related CBT administered by vocational service professionals. Future testing of WCBT with a larger sample, a longer follow-up period, and adequate power to assess employment outcomes is warranted.
“No show” rates at community mental health centers are high. Therapists at a large community ment... more “No show” rates at community mental health centers are high. Therapists at a large community mental health center developed a one-session, theoretically informed Engagement Group to address common barriers to treatment attendance. People who missed Initial Assessments were three times more likely to complete the assessment and start therapy while the Engagement Group was offered than when it was not,
This article reports the findings of one county&a... more This article reports the findings of one county's human service network's readiness to treat gambling related problems in anticipation of the opening of a new casino. Using a cross-sectional survey design, questionnaires were mailed to executive directors of all mental health, family counseling, drug and alcohol, and faith-based, addiction-related organizations in the county (N = 248); 137 (55.2%) agency directors responded to the questionnaire. The survey requested information about agency demographics, training, screening, treatment, and public awareness/education. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to summarize the findings. The analyses revealed a lack of human service response to the impending start of casino gambling. More than three-quarters of respondents had not sent staff for training in screening or treating gambling disorders, did not screen for problem gambling, did not treat problem gambling, and did not refer clients to other agencies for treatment of gambling-related problems. The most common reason offered for not engaging in prevention and treatment activities was that problem gambling is not considered an issue for the agency. There were differences between mental health and/or substance abuse focused agencies and other service providers. Based on the findings of this study, specific strategies to enhance the service delivery network's capacity to address problem gambling are suggested.
This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a ded... more This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a dedicated floor in a university residence hall. Students volunteered to live with one another while concurrently enrolled in social work service-learning courses. Student assessment of the combined affect service learning and residence hall living-learning experience on community engagement is presented for three cohorts of participants.
The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 2013
This study examined the effect of using the Toyota Production System (TPS) to change intake proce... more This study examined the effect of using the Toyota Production System (TPS) to change intake procedures on treatment timeliness within a semi-rural community mental health clinic. One hundred randomly selected cases opened the year before the change and 100 randomly selected cases opened the year after the change were reviewed. An analysis of covariance demonstrated that changing intake procedures significantly decreased the number of days consumers waited for appointments (F(1,160) = 4.9; p = .03) from an average of 11 to 8 days. The pattern of difference on treatment timeliness was significantly different between adult and child programs (F(1,160) = 4.2; p = .04), with children waiting an average of 4 days longer than adults for appointments. Findings suggest that small system level changes may elicit important changes and that TPS offers a valuable model to improve processes within community mental health settings. Results also indicate that different factors drive adult and children's treatment timeliness.
There is a paucity of research among African Americans and rural residents. Little is known about... more There is a paucity of research among African Americans and rural residents. Little is known about the association between urbanicity and depression or about the interaction of urbanicity, race/ethnicity, and sex on depression and mood disorder prevalence. To examine the interaction of urbanicity and race/ethnicity on lifetime and 12-month major depressive disorder (MDD) and mood disorder prevalence for African American women and non-Hispanic white women. The US National Survey of American Life data were used to examine the interaction of urbanicity and race/ethnicity on lifetime and 12-month diagnoses of DSM-IV MDD and mood disorder among female respondents, who included noninstitutionalized African American, Caribbean black, and non-Hispanic white women in the United States between February 2001 and June 2003. Participants included 1462 African American women and 341 non-Hispanic white women recruited from the South because all suburban and rural National Survey of American Life re...
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 2014
ABSTRACT Critical race theory (CRT) provides a framework for examining power structures that main... more ABSTRACT Critical race theory (CRT) provides a framework for examining power structures that maintain racial inequities and developing strategies for action and change. Though social work acknowledges racial disparities and the role of racism when identifying and attempting to ameliorate social problems, the profession has not fully incorporated CRT. This article introduces CRT, articulates its alignment with social work’s professional mission and values, describes its central tenets, and applies the tenets to racial disparities within three areas of practice particularly relevant for social work: child welfare system involvement, receipt of public assistance, and access to mental health treatment. CRT’s broader implications for social work practice are identified and discussed.
This systematic review of the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for adults with s... more This systematic review of the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for adults with severe mental illnesses (SMI) in rural mental health settings examined peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and public information. Included articles had to report implementation efforts of EBP(s) for SMI in rural settings or adaptations for rural service delivery. Only three peer-reviewed articles and two publicly available reports met inclusion criteria. Findings suggest little attention is focused on studying factors affecting implementation of EBPs for SMI in rural areas. Adaptations are occurring in rural settings, though rarely documented or tested; their impact on fidelity and consumer outcomes is unclear.
This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a ded... more This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a dedicated floor in a university residence hall. Students volunteered to live with one another while concurrently enrolled in social work service-learning courses. Student assessment of the combined affect service learning and residence hall living-learning experience on community engagement is presented for three cohorts of participants.
We designed and pilot-tested a group-based, work-related cognitive-behavioral therapy (WCBT) for ... more We designed and pilot-tested a group-based, work-related cognitive-behavioral therapy (WCBT) for unemployed individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). WCBT, delivered in a vocational service setting by vocational service professionals, aims to reduce social anxiety and enable individuals to seek, obtain, and retain employment. We compared WCBT to a vocational services as usual control condition (VSAU). Participants were unemployed, homeless, largely African American, vocational service-seeking adults with SAD (N = 58), randomized to receive either eight sessions of WCBT plus VSAU or VSAU alone and followed three months post-treatment. Multilevel modeling revealed significantly greater reductions in social anxiety, general anxiety, depression, and functional impairment for WCBT compared to VSAU. Coefficients for job search activity and self-efficacy indicated greater increases for WCBT. Hours worked per week in the follow-up period did not differ between the groups, but small sample size and challenges associated with measuring work hours may have contributed to this finding. Overall, the results of this study suggest that unemployed persons with SAD can be effectively treated with specialized work-related CBT administered by vocational service professionals. Future testing of WCBT with a larger sample, a longer follow-up period, and adequate power to assess employment outcomes is warranted.
“No show” rates at community mental health centers are high. Therapists at a large community ment... more “No show” rates at community mental health centers are high. Therapists at a large community mental health center developed a one-session, theoretically informed Engagement Group to address common barriers to treatment attendance. People who missed Initial Assessments were three times more likely to complete the assessment and start therapy while the Engagement Group was offered than when it was not,
This article reports the findings of one county&a... more This article reports the findings of one county's human service network's readiness to treat gambling related problems in anticipation of the opening of a new casino. Using a cross-sectional survey design, questionnaires were mailed to executive directors of all mental health, family counseling, drug and alcohol, and faith-based, addiction-related organizations in the county (N = 248); 137 (55.2%) agency directors responded to the questionnaire. The survey requested information about agency demographics, training, screening, treatment, and public awareness/education. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to summarize the findings. The analyses revealed a lack of human service response to the impending start of casino gambling. More than three-quarters of respondents had not sent staff for training in screening or treating gambling disorders, did not screen for problem gambling, did not treat problem gambling, and did not refer clients to other agencies for treatment of gambling-related problems. The most common reason offered for not engaging in prevention and treatment activities was that problem gambling is not considered an issue for the agency. There were differences between mental health and/or substance abuse focused agencies and other service providers. Based on the findings of this study, specific strategies to enhance the service delivery network's capacity to address problem gambling are suggested.
This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a ded... more This article describes a civic engagement and service learning living-learning community on a dedicated floor in a university residence hall. Students volunteered to live with one another while concurrently enrolled in social work service-learning courses. Student assessment of the combined affect service learning and residence hall living-learning experience on community engagement is presented for three cohorts of participants.
The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 2013
This study examined the effect of using the Toyota Production System (TPS) to change intake proce... more This study examined the effect of using the Toyota Production System (TPS) to change intake procedures on treatment timeliness within a semi-rural community mental health clinic. One hundred randomly selected cases opened the year before the change and 100 randomly selected cases opened the year after the change were reviewed. An analysis of covariance demonstrated that changing intake procedures significantly decreased the number of days consumers waited for appointments (F(1,160) = 4.9; p = .03) from an average of 11 to 8 days. The pattern of difference on treatment timeliness was significantly different between adult and child programs (F(1,160) = 4.2; p = .04), with children waiting an average of 4 days longer than adults for appointments. Findings suggest that small system level changes may elicit important changes and that TPS offers a valuable model to improve processes within community mental health settings. Results also indicate that different factors drive adult and children's treatment timeliness.
There is a paucity of research among African Americans and rural residents. Little is known about... more There is a paucity of research among African Americans and rural residents. Little is known about the association between urbanicity and depression or about the interaction of urbanicity, race/ethnicity, and sex on depression and mood disorder prevalence. To examine the interaction of urbanicity and race/ethnicity on lifetime and 12-month major depressive disorder (MDD) and mood disorder prevalence for African American women and non-Hispanic white women. The US National Survey of American Life data were used to examine the interaction of urbanicity and race/ethnicity on lifetime and 12-month diagnoses of DSM-IV MDD and mood disorder among female respondents, who included noninstitutionalized African American, Caribbean black, and non-Hispanic white women in the United States between February 2001 and June 2003. Participants included 1462 African American women and 341 non-Hispanic white women recruited from the South because all suburban and rural National Survey of American Life re...
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