Federal nutrition programs and childhood obesity: inside the black box

In response to the dramatic rise in childhood obesity, particularly among low income individuals, federal nutrition assistance programs have come under scrutiny. However, the vast majority of this research focuses on the direct relationship between these programs and child health, while little is known about the mechanisms by which such relationships arise. Using the 2007 American Time Use Survey and the Eating and Health Module, we explore differences in time use—albeit in a non-causal framework—across families that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program to better understand behavioral differences across participants and non-participants. These differences have important implications for future research and policy.     

Food assistance and family routines in three American Cities

The major food assistance programs in the United States—the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children—all share the fundamental goal of helping needy and vulnerable people obtain access to nutritious foods that they might not otherwise be able to afford, but the programs may also affect households’ well-being in other ways. In this study, we examine how the receipt of public and private food assistance is associated with regular family routines, using longitudinal data on low-income families with children from the Three City Study. Estimates from fixed-effects regression models indicate that WIC participation is positively associated with homework routines and consistent bed times. However, receipt of other assistance is not strongly associated with family routines.     

Financial Strain and Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has increased over the past decade. Although poverty and sudden financial shock faced by households via unanticipated adverse events, such as sudden loss of income, are among major contributors, the findings of our study suggest that having an adequate stock of savings and financial assets might reduce the probability of household SNAP participation. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we tested whether a household’s emergency savings, asset poverty, and debt burden could predict SNAP participation separately from the effects of income and program participation. Results demonstrate that a household’s lack of emergency savings and asset inadequacy increased the probability of its SNAP participation. Implications for financial practitioners and policy makers are discussed.     

ViSC Social Competence Program

The ViSC Social Competence Program has been implemented in Austrian schools within the scope of a national strategy plan, Together Against Violence. The program is a primary preventive program designed for grades 5 to 8. The prevention of aggression and bullying is defined as a school development task, and the initial implementation of the program lasts one school year. The program consists of universal and specific actions that are implemented through in-school teacher training and a class project for students. The program was evaluated with a randomized intervention control group design. Data were collected from teachers and students. Results suggest that the program reduces aggression in schools.     

Connecting the young and the young at heart: an intergenerational music program

Due to its universal appeal, music can bridge intergenerational gaps and improve overall quality of life. Many intergenerational programs have thus increasingly incorporated music into their design; however, the Hamilton Intergenerational Music Program (HIMP) is unique in that it focuses on general music participation as opposed to singing-only programming. Three elementary schools and long-term care homes were contacted and matched based on proximity to one another. Program facilitators ran four successive weeks of intergenerational music sessions. Activities included training the children how to interact with elderly participants, facilitating conversation with icebreakers, and performing music together. Qualitative feedback was gathered after each visit and comprised of observations from program facilitators and participants. Several benefits were observed following program visits such as the reduction of age-related stereotypes, improved participant morale, enhanced cognitive function, and development of meaningful relationships. While leaving the sessions, children recall positive interactions with the seniors, lament that their time together ended too quickly, and express excitement for the next session. The older adults articulate similar sentiments and ask children to return soon. With the countless lessons learned from the current program, much can be drawn to inform future expansion and implementation to other communities.     

The potential of the SSI program to reduce poverty among the elderly

Is it more effective to reduce poverty among the elderly by increasing the benefits paid by the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program or by increasing eligibility for the program? This paper answers that question from a policymaker's perspective. At given program cost levels, we compare the potential reduction in poverty from increasing benefit levels to the potential reduction associated with a variety of policy proposals that would increase eligibility for the program. This paper employs a microsimulation model containing an eligibility and benefits calculator, a participation model, and an optimization algorithm. The data are from the Survey of Income and Program Participation supplemented by the administrative records of the SSI program. The results show that increasing eligibility by relaxing the restrictions of the means tests can be more effective in reducing poverty than raising benefit levels.     

Twenty-first century skills for students: hands-on learning after school builds school and life success

At the core of the movement for twenty-first century skills are students. The growing efforts to increase programs leveraging out-of-school time are focused on giving American youth everything they need to compete in this increasingly complex world. The author is one of many students who have been well served by initiatives imparting twenty-first century skills during after-school hours. Now a senior at Boston Latin School, the author has been helped along the way by Citizen Schools, an after-school education program focused on hands-on learning apprenticeships and homework help. While enrolled in the program as a middle school student, the author took part in projects that exemplified hands-on, inquiry-based learning that helped her develop twenty-first century skills. For example, along with dozens of other students, she advanced her data analysis skills by analyzing statistics about Boston Public high schools, which also helped her select and enroll in one of the city's premier exam schools. Also, she and her peers worked with corporate attorneys who served as writing coaches and whose expertise the author drew from in producing a published essay and greatly improving her writing skills. The author now finds that the public speaking, leadership, organizational, social, and management abilities she built through her participation in Citizen Schools are a great asset to her in high school. The confidence with which she tackles her responsibilities can also be traced back to her experiences in the program. As she looks toward college, the author reflects and realizes that being actively involved in a quality after-school program put her on track for a successful future.     

Feedback from participants and leaders in an intervention program: the 1997-1998 opening doors process evaluation

Parents, students, and program leaders involved in an in-school drug prevention program called Opening Doors were assessed for their perceptions of the efficacy of the program. In general, the feedback indicated a very high program satisfaction level from respondents with parents indicating the highest level satisfaction (92%). Areas for improvement ranged from: parent attendance, invitation process, increased support from schools, and increasing awareness of scheduling and time involvement by leaders and school administration based on program leader feedback as well as invitation process and program duration from the parents (e.g., 37% thought the program was too short). Student satisfaction may be predicted from the perceived impact of the program on significant relationships (e.g., with peers and family) as well as affective reactions to the program (e.g., enjoyment of the program). Finally, a school-level analysis indicated that the application of the Opening Doors Program in different schools was provided uniformly.     

Healthy Living in Two Worlds: Testing a Wellness Curriculum for Urban Native Youth

The Healthy Living in Two Worlds project developed a wellness curriculum for urban, Northeastern Native American youth. The curriculum sought to increase physical activity, decrease or prevent recreational tobacco use, and increase healthy eating practices. The program was delivered in a summer day camp format to 16 Native American youth ages 9–13. These youth have considerable exposure to recreational tobacco use in their households and among their peers but they express an intention to resist pressure to use recreational tobacco products. Some of these youth do not eat regular meals, particularly breakfast and lunch. Program participants appear to be physically active and their activity seems to have increased after the program.     

Early childhood intervention and juvenile delinquency. An exploratory analysis of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers

We investigated the relation between participation in the Child-Parent Center and Expansion Program during preschool to third grade and measures of adolescent delinquency for low-income, mostly Black youths in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Based on analyses of 1,262 program and comparison-group children, duration of program participation (0 to 6 years) and extensive participation in the program were significantly associated with lower rates of school-reported delinquency infractions at ages 13 and 14. Extended program participation was only marginally associated with a lower rate of delinquency infractions over ages 12 to 16. Preschool participation alone had no systematic relation with delinquency but was marginally associated with delinquency reports at ages 15 and 16. Reductions in school-reported delinquency were due to less frequent mobility and to postprogram parent involvement in school. Given the high cost of crime to society, even the relatively modest effects of early childhood intervention on delinquency suggest that such programs can provide another weapon in the war on crime.     

Principals' perceptions of benefits and barriers to school-based suicide prevention programs

Suicidal behavior among children and adolescents is a national problem and schools can be an effective context for suicide prevention and intervention efforts. School-wide screening programs are viewed as most effective from a public health standpoint, although they garner the least support from school administrators. The purpose of this article is to examine administrators' perceptions of three school-based suicide prevention models while also capturing opinions on barriers and benefits to implementation. Data were gathered through interviews with seven principals from one Midwestern state. Findings reveal agreement among principals that schools play a key role in suicide prevention, but they differ on which type of prevention approach is most appropriate. School principals believed the school-wide screening program included more barriers to implementation than either the in-service or the curriculum-based program, largely due to the likelihood of parental disapproval. Limitations of the study and implications for improving suicide prevention efforts are discussed.     

Identity and Boundary Tensions When Educators and Mental Health Professionals Collaborate: Between Wish and Reality

Schools are centers of collaboration in promoting the development and learning of children and adolescents. They seek to develop cultures of collaboration not only within their walls but also among constituencies with similar interests. These efforts, unfortunately, all too often prove frustrating and disappointing to all concerned. Yet, the need for interdisciplinary inquiry is greater today than ever before. This is particularly true considering the complex, diverse, and multifaceted nature of today's schools. No one professional can address all of the problems confronting education, particularly those of urban schools. For decades mental health and education professionals have joined together around their similar interest in promoting children and adolescent development. One such initiative is a program that fosters educators' development. This program, named the Teacher Education Program, began under the auspices of the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis and evolved into the Human Development and Learning Program when a partnership was formed with DePaul University's School of Education. From the program's 34-year history, the authors highlight specific tensions they experienced as directors of this collaborative initiative, and how these challenges either were or were not anticipated and/or addressed. The aims are to put a human face on the challenges and struggles encountered in the relationship between education and mental health professionals, and to identify common ground between educational and psychoanalytic theories and practices.     

The treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in an extended care psychiatric rehabilitation program

This research study intended to determine which patient diagnostic group benefited most from an extended care psychiatric rehabilitation program (Program). Archival data were used to assess the completion rates among those subjected to one or more of the Program's treatment modalities. A correlational design was used to determine whether demographic or diagnostic variables were related to program completion. The results indicate that patients with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder are the most likely diagnostic groups to benefit from participation in an extended care psychiatric rehabilitation program. Those patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or substance abuse may not be appropriate for this type of treatment program, and in this study, were the least likely to benefit.     

The Bernese Program against Victimization in Kindergarten and Elementary School

The Bernese Program against Victimization in Kindergarten and Elementary School was designed to be adaptable to the very different situations and needs encountered by teachers in kindergarten and elementary school. The basic principle of the program is to enhance teachers' ability to address bullying. The program consists of six modules, each corresponding to a specific topic. Teachers are urged to implement the tasks discussed during the meetings in their own classes during the time between the meetings. The program has been evaluated using a prevention-control pre- and posttest design. The informants were teachers as well as children. There was a significant interaction between time (pre- and posttest) and group (prevention and control) as to victimization. Changes in teachers' attitudes toward bullying and their ability to cope with such problems were also significant and in the expected direction.     

Rural High School Youth's Access to and Use of School‐to‐Work Programs

Rural youth face numerous barriers that may limit career exposure. School‐to‐work (STW) programs are one tool used to increase exposure and facilitate connections between school and work. Using a nationally representative data set, the authors investigated whether rurality relates to the availability of STW programs and rural youth's program use. Results indicate that most schools provide school‐based services (e.g., career plans/career majors), but few schools offer work‐based services (e.g., internships). Rural schools were more likely to offer vocational–technical prep programs and job shadowing but were less likely to offer school‐based enterprise. After controlling for program availability, the authors found that rural students were less likely to take part in job shadowing and community service. Conclusions are offered for career development research, policy, and practice.     

The outlook is G.R.E.A.T.: What educators say about school-based prevention and the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program

This article reports on a survey of administrators, counselors, and teachers from middle schools involved in the National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program. This survey was part of a multisite evaluation that also elicited the responses of students, parents, and officers teaching the G.R.E.A.T. program. School personnel provide their views about important current issues, including their perceptions of school safety, the role of law enforcement officers in schools, and the role and effectiveness of school-based prevention programs in general and the G.R.E.A.T. program in particular. Results from this survey have important implications for the plethora of prevention programs currently located in American schools.     

Tightening income documentation in a means-tested program: who stays away?

Programs using means tests to identify low-income households face a trade-off between promoting access and ensuring program integrity. The authors use a comparison-district design to estimate the effects of a pilot program to improve the accuracy of the process of certifying students for free or reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program. This pilot program required households to provide income documentation with their applications for these benefits. Requiring income documentation did not reduce the proportion of ineligible households getting free or reduced-price meals. Furthermore, this requirement did reduce access to the program among eligible households.     

Conversations for Connection: An Outcome Assessment of the Hold‐Me‐Tight Relationship‐Education Program,and Recommendations for Improving Future Research Methodology in Relationship Education

The Hold Me Tight (HMT) program is a new approach to relationship education based on Emotionally‐Focused Therapy (Johnson, 2004), an evidence‐based approach to couple therapy. In this exploratory longitudinal research, we examined individual growth in relationship satisfaction and trust for partners in 95 couples in 16 HMT groups across four occasions of measurement: Baseline, Pre‐Program, Post‐Program and at either 3‐ or 6‐month Follow‐Up. We found that relationship satisfaction and trust increased during program participation, and declined during follow‐up. We believe our findings provide support for the short‐term effectiveness of the HMT program, and suggest a longer period of program delivery may result in improved retention of gains. Finally, we present recommendations for improving the design of future longitudinal research in relationship education.     

Building School,Family, and Community Partnerships: Developing a Theoretical Framework

School, family, and community partnerships are among the suite of strategies advocated for improved school outcomes in which social workers can play a valuable role. Such partnerships are complex to implement in practice and there is little systematic research to guide the practitioner. This study evaluated an early intervention partnership program involving school, family, community, and philanthropic partners implemented in two primary schools in rural Victoria, Australia. The findings highlighted challenges in the process of evaluation and program implementation and in the opportunities this provided to identify key enabling factors. These involved having: a shared vision and aims; democratic governance; a supportive policy and organisational environment including external funding; workers with skills and clear roles; activities for project momentum; and ongoing review and evaluation. These factors can be used by social workers and others working with schools as a valuable conceptual framework to facilitate school, family, and community partnership processes.     

Implementing a case management initiative in high-need schools

States continue to experiment with ways of improving health and human service use by people with complex needs. Such efforts have often sought to increase individual and family control over services as well as to enhance coordination among providers. Paths to achieving these goals are not well understood. This study draws on two previously distinct conceptual frameworks to examine how 71 public schools implemented a team approach to increasing family and agency engagement for children at risk. Results from the longitudinal data fit the core components expected to affect implementation and also indicated sustainability, but in ways distinctive to the initiative's public school settings. Accountability to the state appeared to be a major catalyst, yet in some respects also constrained local agencies from participating as intended. School inertia may have both undermined the program through some evaluation practices and gaps in administrative support, and supported integration into organizational routines and successful experimentation over time in increasing caregiver involvement. Family hesitation about sharing information with multiple agencies may also help explain why the goal of seamless coordination remains elusive.