A program of research with Hispanic and African American families: three decades of intervention development and testing influenced by the changing cultural context of Miami

In this article we summarize work with poor, inner-city Hispanic and African American families conducted at the University of Miami Center for Family Studies. We elucidate ways in which this research program has paralleled the treatment development paradigm and has been responsive to changes in local demographics. Specific cultural issues pertaining to Hispanics and African Americans are discussed in light of treatment development and implementation. Future directions and challenges for working with poor, inner-city minority families are addressed.     

Screening young people in the juvenile justice system for behavioral & substance abuse disorders

There is a wide variation in viewpoints regarding screening youth in the juvenile justice system for behavioral and substance abuse disorders. No consensus exists within and among local, state, and federal juvenile justice officials regarding the necessity of screening youth for behavioral and substance abuse disorders. Local, state, and federal juvenile justice officials voiced concern regarding screening young people for behavioral and substance abuse disorders without having available funding or facilities for diagnosis and treatment.     

Picking Up the Pieces After the Sudden Death of a Therapist: Issues for the Client and the “Inheriting Therapist”

The death of one's therapist can be considered a traumatic event for the patient. The closeness of the relationship between therapist and patient, especially if the relationship is long-term, makes the loss analogous to losing an intimate attachment. This article will explore the complexity of issues involved for the patient who loses a therapist due to sudden death and examines the issues for the inheriting therapist as well. Case examples will be used to highlight some of the more stressful areas of practice in this difficult transition.     

Satisfaction with home-based employment

Using data from nine state regional research project on at-home income generation, the relationships of three satisfaction variables to demographic and work situation variables of 899 household managers in households with home-based employment are investigated. The satisfaction variables include quality of life, family income, and control over everyday life. The majority of households are satisfied with their quality of life and control over life although only moderately satisfied with income. One variable is related to the three satisfaction variables, the wage earner's control over the amount of work done in a day.This paper reports results from the Cooperative Regional Research Project, NE-167, entitled, At-Home Income Generation: Impact on Management, Productivity and Stability in Rural and Urban Families, partially supported by Cooperative States Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Experiment Stations at the University of Hawaii, Iowa State University, Lincoln University (Missouri), Michigan State University, Cornell University (New York), The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, Utah State University, and the University of Vermont. This article was accepted in 1992 under the editorship of Charles B. Hennon.Her research interests include evaluation of teaching/learning, program evaluation, and entrepreneurship. She received her Ph.D. from Cornell University.     

NASW’s Supervisory Leaders in Aging: An Acceptable and Feasible Model for Training and Supporting Social Work Supervisors

Social services are instrumental in addressing challenges associated with aging. Yet, practitioners report needing expanded gerontological knowledge and better supervision. The Supervisory Leaders in Aging (SLA) program of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) was designed to improve gerontological services by strengthening supervision of the social service workforce. With support from the John A. Hartford Foundation, the program was adopted between 2015 and 2017 in four regions, where NASW trained 134 MSW supervisors who support 1200 social service staff, potentially enhancing the well-being of 264,000 clients annually. The SLA curriculum and in-person educational approach constitute a model for supervisor professional development. Quality improvement evaluations suggested feasibility of program adoption and acceptability. Participants rated each of 10 workshops and 97% agreed that instructors were effective, that knowledge was expanded, and that content was relevant, appropriate, and likely to be used. Implications of this model for enhancing supervisory practice are discussed.     

Detection of elder abuse: Exploring the potential use of the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index© by law enforcement in the field

There are no known instruments to aid law enforcement officers in the assessment of elder abuse (EA), despite officers’ contact with older adults. This study aimed to identify: 1) officers’ perceptions and knowledge of EA, 2) barriers in detecting EA in the field, 3) characteristics officers value in a detection tool, and to explore 4) the potential for officers to use the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index (EASI)©. Data was collected from 69 Connecticut officers who confirmed that barriers to effectively detecting EA included a lack of EA detection instruments, as well as a lack of training on warning signs and risk factors. Officers indicated that the important elements of a desirable tool for helping to detect EA included ease of use, clear instructions, and information on follow-up resources. Approximately 80% of respondents could see themselves using the EASI© in the field, and a modified version has been developed for this purpose.