Prevalence of Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Direct Support Professionals in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Field.

Direct support professionals (DSPs) are deemed by existing literature as vital support to persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). They may be exposed to the traumatic experiences of people with IDD with potential psychological implications. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) has been studied among related professionals across human services, but little is known among DSPs.

The Psychology of Coronavirus Behavioral Health Mindset, Vaccination Receptivity, Customer Orientation and Community Public Service.

Three studies were conducted to explore the psychological determinants of COVID-deterrent behaviors. In Study 1, using data collected and analyzed both before and after the release of COVID-19 vaccines, mask-wearing, other preventative behaviors like social distancing, and vaccination intentions were positively related to assessments of the Coronavirus Behavioral Health Mindset (CVBHM); belief in the credibility of science; progressive political orientation; less use of repressive and more use of sensitization coping; and the attribution of COVID-19 safety to effort rather than ability, powerful forces, fate, or luck. In Study 2, favorable COVID-19 vaccination intentions were related to greater willingness to work, lower emotional distress, and greater customer experience mindset.

Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams for families with co-occurring substance use and child maltreatment: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Co-occurring parental substance use and child maltreatment has increased in recent years and is associated with poor child welfare outcomes. The Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) program was developed to meet the needs of these families.

Objective: A randomized controlled trial was implemented to compare START to usual child welfare services on three outcomes: out-of-home care (OOHC) placements; reunification; and subsequent child maltreatment.

Perceptions by Families of Emergency Medical Service Interventions During Imminent Pediatric Out-of-Hospital Death.

Objective: To understand how family members view the ways Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and other first responders interact with distressed family members during an intervention involving a recent or impending pediatric death.

Methods: In depth interviews with 11 grieving parents of young children and survey results from 4 additional grieving parents of adult children were conducted as part of a larger study on effective ways for EMS providers to interact with distressed family members during a pediatric death in the field. The responses were analyzed using qualitative content analyses.

Compassionate Options for Pediatric EMS (COPE): Addressing Communication Skills.

Introduction: Each year, 16,000 children suffer cardiopulmonary arrest, and in one urban study, 2% of pediatric EMS calls were attributed to pediatric arrests. This indicates a need for enhanced educational options for prehospital providers that address how to communicate to families in these difficult situations. In response, our team developed a cellular phone digital application (app) designed to assist EMS providers in self-debriefing these events, thereby improving their communication skills.

Family Centered Practice During Pediatric Death in an Out of Hospital Setting.

Objective: To understand effective ways for EMS providers to interact with distressed family members during a field intervention involving a recent or impending out-of-hospital (OOH) pediatric death.

Methods: Eight focus groups with 98 EMS providers were conducted in urban and rural settings between November 2013 and March 2014. Sixty-eight providers also completed a short questionnaire about a specific event including demographics.

Impact of Two Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Interventions on Risky Sexual Behavior: A Three-Arm Cluster Randomized Control Trial.

Objectives: To test the efficacy of Reducing the Risk (RTR) and Love Notes (LN) on reducing risky sexual behavior among youths yet to experience or cause a pregnancy.

Methods: The four dependent variables were ever had sex, condom use, birth control use, and number of sexual partners at 3- and 6-month follow-up in a 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial of 1448 impoverished youths, aged 14 to 19 years, in 23 community-based organizations in Louisville, Kentucky, from September 2011 through March 2014.

Results: At 3 and 6 months, compared with the control condition, youths in RTR reported fewer sexual partners and greater use of birth control.

The impact of the Solution Based Casework (SBC) practice model on federal outcomes in public child welfare.

Objective: To test the effects of the Solution-Based Casework practice model on federal outcomes of safety, permanency and well-being. The Solution-Based Casework model combines family development theory, solution-focused skills and relapse prevention for the casework process in child protection.

Method: 4,559 public child welfare cases were reviewed through a CQI case review process.

The effects of training reinforcement on training transfer in child welfare.

The purpose of this research was to compare the impact of different training methods on training transfer. Child welfare workers were assigned to one of three groups: classroom training only, classroom training plus reinforcement, and no training. The effect of these different training approaches on the transfer of assessment and case planning skills from the training was examined through a review of 120 child welfare case records.

Recruiting and retaining child welfare workers: is preparing social work students enough for sustained commitment to the field?

Graduates of specialized BSW child welfare education programs are more likely to be retained after two years of service in the agency, but many leave at the four year mark. Two studies explored possible reasons for departure at this time. The first study found that graduates of specialized child welfare programs were significantly more likely to engage in best practices in nine areas than workers from other fields.

Close relationships and social support in coping with HIV: a test of sensitive interaction systems theory.

This study tested sensitive interaction systems theory, and examined how persons with HIV seek and receive social support in relationships with peers versus parents and the association between different kinds of support-receiving behaviors and depressive symptoms. The participants were men and women with HIV in southeastern Virginia who completed a self-administered questionnaire about their relations with parents, an intimate partner, and a close friend. Participants reported using more Ask behaviors (a direct form of support seeking) with a friend and an intimate partner than with parents.

Expedited permanency planning: evaluation of the Kentucky Adoptions Opportunities Project.

This article presents the evaluation findings of a Kentucky Adoptions Opportunities Project (KAOP), a three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau.