Characteristics of Couples Who Attend Family Services Counselor Visits in Relationship Education

Case management services for low-income couples receiving relationship education have been required by federal funding agencies. Studies examining relationship education outcomes for low-income couples have yet to address participant characteristics of those who attend case management services (e.g., distressed vs. nondistressed). Thus, this study examined the influence of baseline relationship satisfaction and demographics on attendance at case management visits for 2,628 low-income, partnered participants who attended relationship education. Findings indicated that participants who reported higher baseline relationship distress attended more family services counselor (FSC) visits. However, when we added demographics to the model, relationship distress no longer predicted FSC visits, whereas income served as a predictor for men and women, with those reporting greater monthly income attending more FSC visits.     

Elements of cultural competence in an Australian Aboriginal maternity program

Background

Pregnancy, labour and neonatal health outcomes for Australian Aboriginal women and their infants are frequently worse than those of the general population. Provision of culturally competent services may reduce these differences by improving access to timely and regular antenatal care. In an effort to address these issues, the Aboriginal Maternity Group Practice Program commenced in south metropolitan Perth, Western Australia, in 2011. The program employed Aboriginal Grandmothers, Aboriginal Health Officers and midwives working in a partnership model with pre-existing maternity services in the area.

Understanding Client Communities Spatially for Developing Effective Interventions: Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technology for Program Planning in Health and Human Services Agencies

Social workers are better equipped to understand the need to incorporate geographical aspects pertaining to their clients’ lives as part of their practice, given the significant influence these factors have on client well-being. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is a useful tool for administrators and planners to make informed decisions regarding human service programs including examining program outcomes and impact as well as streamlining program implementation. This article synthesizes the literature to date on GIS in health and human services with examples of real world applications.     

Short Break and Respite Services for Disabled Children in England: Comparing Children's and Parents' Perspectives of Their Impact on Children

Researchers, health and social care workers often seek to understand the perspectives of children; but gathering views directly from children can present difficulties. Parents are often asked to provide accounts of children's feelings or opinions on the assumption that their proxy reports are accurate and unproblematic. This qualitative thematic analysis of open‐question responses from 352 parents and 73 disabled children examines their accounts of the impact of short break services on disabled children. Participants' perspectives differed; children tended to describe immediate outcomes such as enjoying activities and participation; parents acknowledged these, but focused on longer term developmental outcomes for children.     

农村公共文化服务有效供给的现实困境与策略创新——基于社会资本理论的视角

作为政治社会学的一个重要概念,社会资本的理论构成了农村公共文化服务有效供给的重要资源,对提升当下我国农村公共文化服务的供给实效具有借鉴意义,信任社会资本能够提升农村民众对公共文化服务供给的价值认同,规范社会资本可以促进农村公共文化服务供给的制度化,而公民参与网络有助于扩大农村公共文化服务的融资渠道。然而,在当前社会转型期内,我国农村现代社会资本的分布还很不均衡,总体发育不够成熟,这其中,农村民众普遍社会信任的产生还面临许多困境,各级政府对农村公共文化服务供给的制度规范存在不足,同时,农村公民社会不发达,农村文化类民间组织发育不良,农村民众参与意识较为薄弱,这些都构成了当下制约农村公共文化服务有效供给的社会根源,因此,在推进农村公共文化服务有效供给的过程中,地方政府必须大力提升其现代社会资本存量,强化宣传教育,着力提升地方官员的公共服务能力与农村民众的认识水平,积极转变地方政府的供给模式,实现地方政府文化管理过程的善治转变,并积极完善供给机制,大力培育农村民间组织,实现农村公共文化服务资金来源的多元化。     

论近代上海民信局的兴衰

上海民信局产生后,逐步实现了上海境内由点到面的覆盖.五口通商后,上海商业渐趋繁荣,各地民信局争相在此设立总局或总办事处,上海遂成为全国民信局的总枢纽.上海民信局在基本业务和经营方式上与其他地区民信局并无二致,但具有鲜明的个性,如民信局数量居全国之冠,办理发行任务,业务范围拓展到了国外等;后国民信局自身的缺陷,以及邮政当局的排挤和压制,民信局逐渐走向衰亡.虽然以上海为首的全国民信局采取了请愿、行政诉讼等方式进行抵抗,但都以失败告终,上海民信局终究难逃罢废厄运.然而,民信局的热情服务理念以及民信局抱团、联合解决问题的方式在现在依然具有重要的现实借鉴意义.     

论苏区邮政检查的操作方法与纪律

为了获得情报,肃清内奸,加强宣传,反制敌方邮检,苏区实行了邮检制度。邮检对象包括：密写、密函信件,记录有军政情报内容的胶卷、录音带、录像带、报刊杂志,夹藏有显微点以及炸弹、毒品、恐吓信、内容反动的信件或者出版物。邮检方式主要有四种。对受检邮件的处理方式有三种。总之,苏区对邮检极为重视,除严格选拔邮检员外,还制定了纪律,操作也较规范。     

How organizational characteristics affect the adaptive tactics used by human service nonprofit managers confronting financial uncertainty

The way that nonprofits respond to funding uncertainty is crucial to their ability to meet goals and position themselves for future success. This article investigates how structural, managerial, and financial characteristics affect the adaptive tactics used by human service nonprofits during times of financial stress. These tactics include adding new programs, reducing programs or staff, expanding or starting joint programs, pursuing earned income, and expanding advocacy involvement. Using longitudinal data on human service nonprofits collected on either side of the 2002–2003 economic downtown, we find that larger size provides organizations with a unique ability to choose among different adaptive tactics, as larger size was significantly predictive of adding new programs, reducing programs, expanding advocacy, and pursuing earned income. Strategic planning was positively associated with innovative tactics such as starting joint programs or pursuing earned income. Financial stress or declines in an organization's major funding source led to cutbacks, as expected, but managers who foresaw these challenges were able to respond proactively by adding programs or starting joint programs. However, managers with more training did not respond much differently than did other managers, and organizational age and use of performance management tools had no effect in guiding organizational responses to financial uncertainty.