Food Assistance Programs and Outcomes in the Context of Welfare Reform*

Objective. Food assistance programs play an important role in meeting the basic needs of low‐income households. We consider how the Food Stamp Program (FSP), labor force participation, and food insecurity status affect outcomes of low‐income households under different program designs and economic conditions. Methods. Data from the Survey of Program Dynamics allow estimation of the effects of participation in FSP, labor market participation, and food insecurity on each other. To obtain estimates of behavioral relationships, we apply a simultaneous equation model and make a set of plausible assumptions about identification to implement the instrumental variable estimation. Results. Food insecurity has a positive effect on FSP participation, while labor force participation reduces FSP participation. Furthermore, FSP participation is more responsive to changes in the amount of program benefits than to changes in nonlabor income. Labor force participation has no direct effect on food insecurity; although not statistically significant, the effect of FSP participation on food insecurity is positive. A higher wage rate decreases FSP participation and increases participation in the labor force. Conclusion. The structural approach, which relies on particular identifying assumptions, allows us to explicity examine linkages among food program participation, labor force participation, and well‐being, measured in terms of food insecurity. The results provide evidence that among low‐income households, program parameters affect FSP participation, but no evidence that the food assistance reduces food insecurity.     

Taking a stand or playing it safe?: resisting the moral conservatism of risk in social work practice

An emergent critical social work risk literature positions risk as a morally conservative construct that has repressive effects in direct social work practice. In this literature it is argued that how risk is defined and operationalised in social work reflects the political dominance of neo-liberalism as an ethos of government within the context of the social and cultural conditions of the risk society. This narrative is fast becoming a dominant perspective in the social work literature. However, this perspective in effect creates a ‘catastrophe story’ where there is little room to envisage an alternative social work practice that is able to resist the conservative effects of risk. In addition there is little empirical evidence to support the relevance of this pessimistic view to the embodied aspects of social work interventions. This paper presents initial findings of a study undertaken in Australia that has explored whether risk is necessarily as totalising of our professional identities, and in turn our practices, as is suggested by this literature. The findings indicate that whilst practitioners were interpellated within conservative contexts in their front-line practice, ethical, moral and value standpoints assisted practitioners to resolve the moral dilemmas posed by risk.     

Parent Management Training, Relationships with Agency Staff, and Child Mental Health: Urban Foster Parents' Perspectives

Many foster parents are ill prepared to meet the behavioral needs of children placed in their homes. Research suggests they lack training in evidence-based behavioral interventions and feel unsupported by child welfare professionals. Given the complex needs of foster children and increased rates of placement disruption for foster children with behavior problems, implementation of effective interventions is essential. However, little is known about foster parents' receptivity to these types of interventions. In this qualitative study, we examine urban foster parents' perceptions of the specific elements of parent management training (PMT), an evidence-based treatment for disruptive behaviors that teaches parents to improve desired behaviors and decrease oppositional behaviors by rewarding positive behaviors (positive reinforcement) and responding to negative behaviors with mild, consistent punishments such as timeout or a privilege removal. We present data from four focus groups (N = 38). While the questions focused on parent's perceptions of PMT, responses often related to parent interactions with agency staff. Four strong themes emerged from the data. First, foster parents discussed a need for more support and training in how to address children's behaviors, but also had concerns that some PMT discipline techniques would be ineffective based on their past experiences with foster children. Second, they described how staff communication skills and allegations of child abuse could affect parents' motivation to continue fostering. Third, they expressed a need for more detailed information about children's histories and visits with biological families as the lack of information contributed to difficulty in meeting foster children's needs. They suggested that joint training of foster parents and staff in the intervention could improve their ability to work together to support the child's positive behaviors. Finally, parents reported little involvement in child mental health services and doubted the effectiveness of the mental health services their foster children received.     

我的这一年

有文学专业的人劝诫我要重视主体性写作,有理有据.初出茅庐的我是轻飘飘的,因而可能是自视过高的.还没有体悟生命的丰富,却要故作老成,把"上帝视角"、"同理心"挂在嘴边,叙述和表达的忠实难以规范,而更容易出现的问题是,刻意拔高表现在具体的采访实践中,那些字斟句酌的辞藻都不是自然生长出来的感受,充斥着空洞的自嗨和刻意,只有重...     

Correlates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Sexually Transmitted Infection (HIV/STI) Testing and Disclosure Among HIV-Negative Collegiate Men Who Have Sex With Men

Abstract

Objective: To determine the extent to which personal, behavioral, and environmental factors are associated with human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) testing and disclosure. Participants: Nine hundred thirty HIV-negative collegiate men who have sex with men (MSM) who completed an online survey about alcohol use and sexual behavior. Methods: Correlates of testing and disclosure significant in bivariate analyses (p < .05) were grouped into personal, behavioral, or environmental factors and entered into multivariable logistic regression models. Results: About half of participants tested for HIV (51.9%) and for STIs (45.8%) at least annually. Over half (57.8%) of participants always/almost always discussed HIV status with new sex partners; 61.1% with new unprotected sex partners. Personal and behavioral factors (age and outness) explained differences in testing, and the behavioral factor (routine testing) explained differences in disclosure. Conclusions: Collegiate MSM should be supported in coming out, encouraged to engage in routine testing, and counseled on discussing HIV/STI status with potential sex partners.     

厌工的编辑与淡定的朋友

现代舞《自言自语》演出时间及地点:2021.09.03-09.04,中国上海你在自言自语什么?是困惑的疑问,是温暖的陈述,还是坚定的感叹?经历过隐秘的挣扎与不安的探索,来自D.LAB DANCE的三组编导将通过三种不同风格的作品,着眼当下,剖析自我.在乌鸦少年的指引下,《乌有旅人》成为不断穿梭于时间中的旅人.生命不...     

聊天记录里的爱情

《恋人絮语》[法] 罗兰 · 巴特聊天记录大概是最难于被分析的形式了.法国学者罗兰·巴特1975年在巴黎高师开过一门讨论课,以《少年维特之烦恼》作为文本,与学生讨论恋爱百态.他后来据此写成《恋人絮语》.很难总结此书的文体,它以恋人喃喃自语的方式讲述爱情中所有的感受,困惑、失望、不舍、快乐、嫉妒等等.这些关于爱情的絮...     

大银幕与香奈儿

《裙子剪刀布》[中] 吴瑕对于身体变化和美的困惑几乎开启了女性对于性别认同的种种追问和思索.美到底是什么?展现美是被允许的吗?《裙子剪刀布》将这个追问置于一个闭塞陈旧的时空背景,以小女孩毛毛对裙子的渴望,层层捶打着既有的回答和阻遏.纵使身边有长辈、同龄人异样的眼光和无情的嘲弄,这次堂吉诃德式的勇往直前也获得了朋...