Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Telework Washington - Evaluation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The QIC-WD evaluation was conducted with the support of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to determine if a telework program was effective in improving workforce and child welfare outcomes. The evaluation, as outlined in the Logic Model, was approved by the Washington State Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Research Questions

The evaluation included two components, a process evaluation and an outcome evaluation. The following research questions were used to guide the evaluations.

Process Evaluation Questions

• Were telework-eligible staff aware of the telework program and its timelines, and do they understand how to obtain information about …

Telework Washington - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with the Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to establish an implementation team to lead the development and implementation of their intervention. The Implementation Team was composed of representatives from Human Resources (HR), Information Technology (IT), Training, Continuous Quality Improvement, Union representatives, regionally based DCYF frontline staff and administrators, DCYF leadership, the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), the Data Coordinator (DC), and three members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and evaluation). The SIM and Data Coordinator positions were partially funded by the QIC-WD. All team members were recruited by DCYF …

Telework Washington - Theory Of Change, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

During the needs assessment process, theories of change were developed for the three primary areas of need identified in partnership with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. Through a series of steps and causal links, a theory of change provides a roadmap to address the root causes of an identified workforce problem and describes how and why changes are expected to lead to the desired outcomes. In Washington, the theories were informed by various aspects of the needs assessment process (e.g., survey data, root cause analyses, implementation team input) and relevant research on the targeted workforce problems. …

Telework Washington - Dcyf Telework Handbook, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

No abstract provided.

Telework Washington - Dcyf Telework Employee Self-Assessment, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

No abstract provided.

Sw 601 Handout, Ashley Rosener

Handouts

Library Resources for Social Work 601 graduate class.

Telework Washington - Intervention Background, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

What is telework and why was it selected?

Telework is a type of alternative work arrangement in which employees perform some or all of their job duties at an approved location other than their official worksite. Other labels for telework include telecommuting, remote work, mobile work, virtual work, distance work, distributed work, work from/at home, and flexplace, though definitions can vary (e.g., Allen, Golden, & Shockley, 2015).

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) selected telework in response to several factors identified during the exploration phase of the project:

• surveys showing staff dissatisfaction with the limited mobility …

Telework Washington - Key Findings, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Background

Washington’s Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) began working with the QIC-WD in 2017 to better understand its workforce challenges and address its external turnover rate of about 26%. The team examined many contributing factors through a needs assessment and designed a telework intervention. In addition to meeting project criteria, two other factors made telework a good fit as the QIC-WD intervention: 1) Child Welfare Field Operations (CWFO) had recent experience with implementing telework as a pilot project, and there was interest in expansion; and 2) there was a new executive order from the governor that required …

Telework Washington - Needs Assessment Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Exploration of Needs

The Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) worked with the Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to conduct a needs assessment. A variety of information was explored to learn about the workforce and the agency’s child welfare workforce practices, including 1) recruitment, hiring, and retention metrics and processes, 2) organizational culture and climate, and 3) other workforce processes and initiatives, such as onboarding, mentoring, supervision, performance management, and employee recognition. More specifically, four major types of information were considered:

1. objective data from various agency databases and reports;
2. subjective perceptions of staff and supervisors, …

Telework Washington - Intervention Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) Child Welfare Field Operations (CWYO) telework program was developed by reviewing policies, practices, experiences and research distilled from materials produced by numerous federal and state agencies (for example, www.telework.gov). (At the time of intervention development, the QIC-WD was unable to identify child welfare agencies with formal telework policies and protocols.) In addition, the experiences of approximately 30 Field Operations Intake workers who participated in a DCYF 2018 telework pilot also contributed to developing the telework program. Lastly, the project’s Implementation Team informed the feasibility of a telework program for DCYF …

Telework Washington - Final Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Intervention Summaries

Designing a Telework Strategy to Improve Retention

Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) is a state-operated child welfare system. Child Welfare Field Operations is divided into six regions and employs approximately 2,200 people who are responsible for the direct service to children and families with active child welfare cases. In 2017, DCYF had an annual external turnover rate of about 26%. They applied to be a QIC-WD site with the goal of strengthening their child welfare workforce.

When DCYF started working with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD), an Implementation Team¬¬ was established to participate in …

Telework Washington - Site Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) is a cabinet-level agency focused on the well-being of children, with a vision that "Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy— thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community." As a newly established state agency, DCYF oversees several services previously offered through the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Department of Early Learning (DEL). These include all programs from the Children’s Administration formerly in DSHS, such as Child Protective Services’ investigations and Family Assessment Response, licensed foster care, and adoption support. Also …

Sw 317 Class Handout, Ashley Rosener

Handouts

This handout highlights resources to find statistical information for class assignments.

Barriers And Bridges To Well-Being For Latinx Immigrant Youth In A New Latinx Destination: A Digital Narrative Inquiry, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

An increasing number of Latinx young people in the United States are facing unique challenges to attaining and maintaining well-being as residents of new Latinx destinations. This study analyzes the testimonios of 12 Latinx immigrant youth (aged 18–21) who participated in a digital narrative research project in New Orleans – a new Latinx destination in the US South. Findings are interpreted and discussed through the lens of the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), revealing Latinx young people’s perspectives on the barriers to experiencing well-being, the “bridges” that helped them to experience well-being despite those barriers, and the ways …

“I Learned To Bottle Up My Feelings From A Young Age”: A Narrative Analysis Of Latina Young People’S Family Mental Health Socialization, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

Latina young people report high levels of mental health problems and low levels of help-seeking compared with their white peers, but little research has examined factors influencing their mental health views. Inductive analysis of 25 participants’ narratives revealed that Latina young people described three stages in the development of their mental health-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors: undergoing a process of family mental health socialization, suffering in silence, and attaining a new perspective. Within each of these phases, participants shared stories that attest to their agency and resilience. This research uncovers a novel theoretical construct, “family mental health socialization,” which elucidates …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. …

Latinx Respects: Using Theatre To Prevent Dating Violence, Heidi Adams Rueda, Patricia Newman, Kathleen Mcgee

Social Work Faculty Publications

Teen dating violence is a serious health issue facing youth in the United States. A nationally representative survey found that 8.0% percent of youth who had dated within the past year had been physically hurt on purpose by a dating partner and another 6.9% had experienced sexual violence (Kann et al., 2018). Latinx females experience physical and sexual violence at higher rates compared to national averages (i.e., 9.2% and 11.1%, respectively; Kann et al., 2018). Further, nearly 30% of romantically involved youth have been victims of digital dating abuse within the past year (Hinduja & Patchin, 2021).

Sexual Health And Dating With Disabilities: Understanding The Perspectives Of Parent Resource Coordinators (Prcs), Heidi Adams Rueda, Anne Woodruff Jameson, Maggie Neujahr, Amber Godsey, Lynda Hayes, Jessica Johnson, Sam Montemarano, Carly De Bruin

Social Work Faculty Publications

Young people with disabilities have unique needs concerning dating and sexuality compared to their peers without disabilities. Research supports that young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) desire more education and support. However, young people with I/DD often lack formal and informal sex education and dating information. Despite these barriers, youth with disabilities report feeling empowered when they receive information on sexual and dating health, and when they are included in discussion with community members, family, and close friends about their dating and sexual wants and needs. This study responds to the need to better understand how to support …

Factors Motivating Social Entrepreneurs To Learn About Change-Making, Social Innovation, And Entrepreneurship, Cheyenne Mcdonald, Elaine Kwee

BSCD Research Briefs

Social enterprise is widely recognized as an innovative and impactful approach to tackling challenging social issues and enhancing community well-being. As highlighted by Samuelsson & Witell (2022), one of the key attributes of social entrepreneurship is its creation of new social values. Understanding social entrepreneurs’ motivations can help inspire more people to create positive contributions to our community. However, there is a lack of research on this topic within Ontario, Canada.

Our study interviewed 10 social entrepreneurs in Ontario to understand the “Factors Motivating Social Entrepreneurs to Learn About Change-making, Social Innovation, and Entrepreneurship.” The objective is encouraging more individuals …

Untitled, Tyler Anserson

Writing Beyond the Prison

Social Justice Autobiography on the topics of: Foster care; social workers; police brutality; community belonging

Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Mental Health Of Frontline Hospital-Based Nurses: Rapid Review And Meta-Analysis, Diane I. N. Trudgill, Kevin M. Gorey

Social Work Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic focused the world’s attention on the gross relative health risks, inequities and injustices experienced by first responders, of whom front-line, hospital-based nurses may be the most vulnerable. A series of research syntheses prior to the pandemic estimated that such front-line nurses were at approximately two-fold greater risk of experiencing mental health challenges such as increased symptoms (and diagnoses) of anxiety, depression and PTSD than were nursing administrators or otherwise similar, people in the general population. Aiming to clarify how the pandemic impacted such mental health risks, we conducted a rapid review and meta-analysis of observational studies from …

Fathers’ Perspectives On The Role Of Spirituality In Substance Misuse Disorder Treatment And Engaging With Their Children, Kendra Michelle Eubank

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

The father's role and the extent of involvement with his children have shifted over the past several decades. As a result, researchers have made considerable advances in understanding paternal influences on child development and families. However, one under-researched topic is how fathers' substance misuse, and the recovery process may influence father involvement and effective co-parenting, and specifically, how spirituality plays a role in that. In this qualitative study, fourteen participants participated in semi-structured interviews. The data revealed two main themes: 1) pillars of a spiritual awakening and 2) applying spirituality to healthy fatherhood engagement.

These findings led to four interpretations: …

Leadership Challenges With Mental Health Literacy And Cultural Stigma In The Hmong Community, Yeng J. Vang

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

It has been nearly 50 years since Hmong refugees started arriving here in the United States, as a result of the Vietnam War. Currently, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area is home to the largest concentration of Hmong Americans here in the states, approximately 81,000 (Pew Research, 2019). Because of the war atrocities that many Hmong refugees experienced, scholars and researchers conducted diagnostic assessments during early resettlement, but the data was disaggregated and combined all Southeast Asian refugees together. This made it difficult to determine mental health needs among the different Southeast Asian ethnicities, specifically Hmong Americans. Many years later, the Wilder …

Hb 1844- Free Breakfast And Lunch Programs In Tennessee, Cora Sm Williams, Bailee M. Walker, Lynn D. Fawcett

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

In 2022, more than 13 million children went to school hungry in the United States. According to the USDA, 1 in 5 children do not know where their next meal is coming from (Child Hunger in America, n.d.). In Tennessee, this number is 1 in 4 (Hance, 2020). Far too many students come from households where they may not have access to regular, nutritious meals. Hunger can significantly impact a child's ability to learn and thrive in school. By providing free breakfast and lunch, schools can ensure that students have access to essential nutrition, which can improve their academic performance …

Child Care Advocacy: Tennessee House Bill 1669, Madelyn Kearns, Julio Rodriguez, Destiny Welch, Dillan Williams

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

House Bill 1669 aims to require day child facilities to alert parents or guardians of
enrolled children sixty days prior to the permanent closure of the facility. The main purpose of this bill is to protect hard working parents in Tennessee from being
blindsided by their childcare service by giving them the right to know 60 days in advance before permanent closure of the childcare agency their child or children are currently enrolled in or are currently on the waitlist for (Tennessee General assembly, 2024). This is an important issue because
72 percent of working parents said they cannot afford …

Factors That Inhibit And Support The Work Of School-Based Mental Health Providers, David B. Naff, Jennifer Murphy, Alexandra Javna, Wyatt Aldrich, Erin Standish, Jeen Joy, Ciana Cross, Sandra Saji

MERC Publications

This research brief comes from the MERC Supporting Mental Health in Schools study. Launched in 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study explores research-based strategies for supporting mental health in PK-12 school settings, as well as the emotional and professional capacity of PK-12 faculty and staff in the MERC region to support the social and emotional wellness of their students. This brief shares takeaways from a systematic literature review that highlight the factors that inhibit and support the work of school-based mental health providers, including school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. It outlines the roles …

Am I Entitled To Help? Building Confidence Through Financial Inclusion, Marilla Kortesalmi, Minna Autio, Mette Ranta

Journal of Financial Therapy

Financial inclusion has focused primarily on the accessibility of financial social services. However, it is important to note that individual financial practices not only require the opportunity to access financial structures, but also confidence in their accessibility to engage in and utilize such services. Individuals facing difficult life situations often encounter challenges in financial activities due to limited resources and a need for more skills. Consequently, their financial capability is often restricted, and they more frequently experience financial exclusion. Despite this problem, the literature on financial inclusion needs to give more attention to subjective financial inclusion. To understand the process …

Time Orientation And Mental Accounting: Examining Serial Mediation Effects Of Financial Literacy And Impulsivity, Maneesha Singh, Tanuj Nandan

Journal of Financial Therapy

With a wide variety of complex financial assets and securities available in the market, individuals often struggle with their financial planning due to a lack of financial literacy, high impulsivity, and short-term time orientation, hampering their financial satisfaction. The current study examines the yet unexplored indirect effect of investors' time orientations on mental accounting through financial literacy and impulsivity. We conducted a cross-sectional survey and collected 162 active investors’ responses via structured questionnaires distributed in both online and offline portals across India to gauge their financial literacy, time orientation, impulsivity, and mental accounting. We used Smart PLS-4 software along with …

Book Review: The Why Of Wealth, Kamille Green

Journal of Financial Therapy

Book Review: The Why of Wealth

Divorced From Knowledge: Perceptions Of Alimony Fairness In Relation To Educational Discrepancies, Michael Kothakota, Jessica Wery

Journal of Financial Therapy

Spousal support or alimony is a cash transfer from one spouse to another after divorce. The amount awarded might seem arbitrary and unfair to either one or both individuals. The public often does not see the fact patterns associated with alimony awards or agreements, and their input may provide information to policymakers and decision-makers about what a fair amount of alimony might be. This study examines data collected from 1,285 U.S. participants randomly assigned to a vignette condition that details a hypothetical alimony scenario where one spouse supported the other spouse to gain education, resulting in significantly increased income prior …