Providing Mental Health Services to Older People Living in Rural Communities

Summary

Rural dwelling elders who experience mental health problems often have difficulty finding help since rural communities often lack adequate mental health service providers. This paper reports on the initial phase of a 5-year, interdisciplinary clinical research study that is testing the effectiveness of providing a home delivered, therapeutic psychosocial intervention, aimed at improving the emotional well-being and the quality of life of medically frail elders who live in rural communities. In the early phases of this study, the clinical research team encountered a number of interesting and often unanticipated challenges as it attempted to recruit study participants and provide services to them. In this article, we examine these challenges and share what we have learned so far about providing mental health services to elderly persons living in rural environments.     

The Making of COBRS 2.0

Abstract

Recently introduced advances in microcomputer technology offer opportunities for improving child welfare agencies' access to powerful case assessment and program evaluation tools. This paper discusses the process of fitting a child behavior outcome measurement system to a menu driven microcomputer program. Traditional strategies for measuring outcome effectiveness, managerial priorities and operational constraints are examined in terms of their bearing on the introduction of new microcomputer technology. The developmental process is traced to show how these factors influenced the addition of a number of user options to the basic program to enhance its adaptability to specific agency needs. Initial user feedback indicated general satisfaction with the basic program and the applicability of its output, little or no experimentation, as yet, in adapting the system, and, a minor need to adjust the sequencing of operator activities to better fit the realities of agency work rhythms.     

协调：一种应对公共政策执行阻滞现象的理念——基于公共政策执行中中央与地方的博弈分析

现有研究所提出的消解公共政策执行阻滞现象的对策多为事后性对策，且偏于刚性方式。以博弈论为理论依据，通过建构传统策略下中央与地方的策略互动、“协调”作为中央策略下的策略互动、协调引入博弈最始端下的策略互动三个博弈模型，比较得出将协调引入公共政策的制定和执行中，将有助于公共政策执行阻滞现象的减少和消除，并在此基础上提出以协调为理念构建的对策。     

'The more things change…': Barriers to community services utilisation in Queensland

Community services are central to the lives of many elderly Australians or Australians with disabilities if they are to remain in the community. Over the past two decades, significant advances have been made in policy and associated programs, significantly improving the standards of service delivery. This research reports on the perceptions of service providers in community services for people with disabilities in six communities in Queensland. It illustrates that significant barriers to service utilisation remain, despite reform. It suggests that continuous efforts to promote service access need to be built in at the program level.     

法院公共政策形成功能的学理探析

对法院的公共政策功能进行概述,从学理层面就法院公共政策形成功能的原因展开论述,重点探讨了理性主义与经验主义、司法克制与司法能动与法院公共政策功能的关系,并分析了法院公共政策功能在现代社会图景下的必要性,进而得出法院公共政策形成功能对于法治社会的意义。     

试论新公共服务理论视野下的新疆乌昌一体化

新公共服务理论认为,政府应提供服务,而不是掌舵,政府越来越重要的职能是帮助公民明确表达和满足他们的共同利益需求。目前新疆乌昌一体化的发展,强调了区域经济发展在区域一体化中的中心角色,从新公共服务理念的角度来看,有效治理区域发展中诸多公共性问题有一定难度。为进一步提升乌昌一体化的质量,该区域应适时改进已有的区域发展策略。     

4万亿经济激励计划背后的经济学问题

凯恩斯的宏观经济理论既不涉及现实的政治维度，也不关注微观经济层面的资源配置效率问题，这样的理论应用于现实的结果很可能是弊大于利。作为应用凯恩斯理论的总需求管理思想的产物，中国4万亿的经济刺激计划在政治层面难以避免寻租和腐败、政治权力固化等问题，在经济层面有可能导致资源配置的扭曲。虽然政府出台了各种监管措施以预防这种可能出现的弊病，但经验和理论都告诉我们这些措施的有效性是有限的。     

论主管机关的海难救助报酬请求权

主管机关成为《海商法》上的救助方,不存在法律上的障碍.在我国司法实践中已经出现承认主管机关救助报酬的背景下,结合我国救助费用面临巨大缺口的现实,应承认主管机关的海难救助报酬请求权.同时,鉴于主管机关主要由国家配备公务人员及设备,并由国家财政拨款建立和维持,在确定主管机关救助报酬的具体数额时,应将《海商法》第180条中的奖励性因素排除,主要考虑主管机关的成本费用支出.     

Usability Study of a Distance Continuing Education Website for Human Service Professionals

ABSTRACT

A usability test of a distance continuing education website for human service professionals is discussed. The website's purpose was to help meet the continuing education needs of human service professionals in a largely rural Midwestern state. The purpose of the usability evaluation was to assess the website's ease of use, efficiency, and user satisfaction in a representative sample of human service professionals. Users completed eleven basic search tasks with the site and report their impressions of the information presented. In addition, performance data including success, time on task, and efficiency were gathered. Implications of user satisfaction and performance data highlight the importance of stakeholder's involvement in the early stages of website design.     

媒体关注下的CSR信息披露与企业财务绩效关系研究及启示——基于我国A股上市公司CSR报告的实证研究

企业社会责任(CSR)及信息披露已成为当前社会各界共同关注的热点问题。本文利用独立机构发布的我国A股上市公司CSR报告的评级数据,验证了当前时代背景下我国企业社会责任信息披露与企业财务绩效的关系,以及作为信息传递媒介和"公众日程设置者"的媒体的关注对于二者关系的影响作用。研究发现,高水平披露社会责任信息的企业的绩效明显高于低水平企业,但是这种作用关系是在媒体关注度这一变量的完全中介作用之下实现的。这一新发现不仅丰富和拓展了企业社会责任及信息披露的理论研究框架,对于基于战略性CSR思维制定相关战略的企业管理者也深具启发意义。