Marian Bussey

Trauma Response and Recovery Certificate Program: Preparing Students for Effective Practice

ABSTRACT This paper describes an innovative approach to preparing MSW students for work with traumatized clients via a trauma certificate program. It explores conceptual and ethical principles of the program and presents results of the formative evaluation done with faculty, field instructors and students from the programs pilot year. Students reported gains in self-ratings of their efficacy in working with trauma in children, adults and communities, as well as articulating what parts of trauma theory were most useful to them in post-graduation. Field instructors were enthusiastic about the knowledge and skills students were building, and suggested further refinements to the program, including increased communication and networking on the topic of trauma.

How safe are out-of-home placements?

Abstract A primary reason to place children in an alternative living arrangement is to protect them from abuse or neglect. However, few studies exist that examine the safety of substitute care. This paper reports the results of a study of the rate of abuse and neglect for substitute care for a large state public child welfare agency using the existing management information systems. Findings include that the percent of indicated reports of abuse and neglect for children in out-of-home care ranged from a low of 1.7% to a high of 2.3% over a five year period. Reabuse rates are also reported by type of substitute care placement and are examined by age of child, type of abuse and perpetrator relationship for each type of out-of-home placement. Results of this study contribute to the emerging literature on the safety of substitute care.

Reducing Recurrence in Child Protective Services: Impact of a Targeted Safety Protocol

Statewide implementation of a child safety assessment protocol by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in 1995 is assessed to determine its impact on near-term recurrence of child maltreatment. Literature on the use of risk and safety assessment as a decision-making tool supports the DCFSs approach. The literature on the use of recurrence as a summative measure for evaluation is described. Survival analysis is used with an administrative data set of 400,000 children reported to DCFS between October 1994 and November 1997. An ex-post facto design tests the hypothesis that the use of the protocol cannot be ruled out as an explanation for the observed decline in recurrence following implementation. Several alternative hypotheses are tested: change in use of protective custody, other concurrent changes in state policy, and the concurrent experience of other states. The impact of the protocol to reduce recurrence was not ruled out.

I Was Scared Every Day

Abstract This qualitative study explores the personal challenges and the adjustments to the TANF requirements experienced by a sample of 21 ethnically diverse women who were TANF recipients in an urban western metropolitan area. As other research has found, personal challenges for those on TANF, such as domestic violence, mental health and health problems and learning disabilities are prevalent and create barriers to employment. This study identifies the complexity of the relationship between personal challenges and the work first TANF policy environment. Five policy recommendations that can be implemented at the state and local level are proposed.

Increasing MSW Students' Information Competencies through Online Tutorials, Application Exercises, and Course Assignments.

Increasing MSW students’ information competencies was achieved through a 2-year project in which online video tutorials, in-class exercises, and course assignments were created and integrated into two required foundation courses. Tutorials demonstrated basic and advanced search techniques, online databases, and online course-specific research guides. Tutorials were viewed during and outside of class. In-class exercises and course assignments enabled students to immediately apply what they had learned. Results indicate a significant increase in the adequacy of students’ search for online information and ability to critically examine sources and evidence. Implications for social work education are discussed.

The Recovery Paradigm in Trauma Work: Approaches to Healing Psychiatric Disability and Substance Abuse in Women's Lives

ABSTRACT This article addresses the importance of integrative treatment for women with psychiatric disabilities and substance issues, particularly those who have histories of abuse, violence, and trauma. Psychiatric rehabilitation, trauma, and cooccurring dimensions of treatment are discussed. Promising programs using consumer-oriented service models are highlighted.

Countywide Evaluation of the Long-Term Family Self-Sufficiency Plan: Countywide Evaluation Report

Abstract : The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Act of 1997 (CalWORKs) provided Los Angeles County (hereafter, the County) with a large stream of funds. The County Board of Supervisors (hereafter, the Board) instructed the Countys New Directions Task Force (NDTF) to develop a Long-Term Family Self-Sufficiency (LTFSS) Plan for CalWORKs recipients and the broader low-income population, with the purpose of selecting projects that would improve the capacity of families to become self-sufficient. Each of the projects was to: (1) have an adequate evaluation design to track achievement of measurable outcomes; (2) not duplicate existing services; (3) be culturally and linguistically sensitive; (4) not supplant existing funding; and (5) address a clearly documented need. To identify those projects and more broadly to guide the LTFSS effort, the NDTF adopted Mark Friedmans Results-Based Decision Making (RBDM) Framework (hereafter, the RBDM Framework). The NDTF effort resulted in the 46 projects known collectively as the LTFSS Plan that was approved by the Board on November 16,1999. The Chief Administrative Office (CAO) is the lead agency responsible for implementing the evaluation of the LTFSS Plan. The evaluation is taking place on two levels: the Countywide level and the individual projects level. The contract to evaluate outcomes at the county level was awarded to RAND by the Board after an open and competitive bidding process. In brief, this evaluation is not on the individual progress of 46 projects, but on the progress the County has made in achieving its goal of long-term family self-sufficiency. The contract stipulated that one deliverable would be an annual Countywide Evaluation Report. This document, which is the first of three such reports draws from three previous RAND reports produced under the contract.

Countrywide Evaluation of the Long-Term Family Self-Sufficiency Plan. Establishing the Baselines

Abstract : The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted the Long- Term Family Self-Sufficiency (LTFSS) Plan on November 16,1999. The LTFSS Plan consists of 46 projects whose goal is to promote self-sufficiency among families that are participating in the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, among former CalWORKs families, and among other low-income families. The Chief Administrative Office (CAO) is the lead agency responsible for implementing the evaluation of the LTFSS Plan. On December 5, 2000, the Board approved the implementation plan for the evaluation of the LTFSS Plan, Project #46. Following an open and competitive bidding process, the Board awarded RAND a contract to conduct a Countywide evaluation of the LTFSS Plan. Responding to new opportunities and new funding, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted a Long-Term Family Self-Sufficiency (LTFSS) Plan on November 16, 1999. The Plan envisions 46 interrelated projects with the common goal of promoting sustained self-sufficiency for California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS) families, for former CalWORKs families, and for other low-income families in Los Angeles County.