Family Matters: Rhode Island Specialty Courts’ Impact on Family Reunification Situated in the Scholarly and Public Spheres

United States Family Courts handle intimately personal matters of immense consequence for individuals who find themselves involved with this court system. Family is the cornerstone of American society and individual lives; however, in many cases, children are separated from their parents if they have been abused, neglected, or their parents are unable to properly care for them. When family separation occurs, courts and family services must make every effort to reunify the family within a timely manner so long as it is safe to do so. Though Rhode Island has one of the smallest populations of all the states, there is still a great demand for family services, particularly in these cases in which families are moving toward reunification. The family courts work closely with the Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF) to ensure children are being well-cared for and families have the resources they need to reunify. Rhode Island has even established a number of specialty courts to handle specific types of family-related cases, such as the Safe and Secure Baby Court, the Family Treatment Drug Court, and the Juvenile Drug Court. In this paper, the author will explore the collaboration between family courts and family agencies within the state of Rhode Island, as well as analyze the effectiveness of existing programs and practices based on successful reunification rates. From there, the author will suggest options to increase successful and long-term reunifications, as well as the general well-being of Rhode Island families going through the family court system

Generative AI (GenAI) for Co-Creating User Personas

Integrating Generative AI into communication courses can really enhance the development of user personas, making the process smoother and encouraging critical insights into audience analysis. This G.I.F.T.S. presentation shows how tools like ChatGPT can support students in developing user personas while encouraging creativity and efficiency for the students. Students will be creating two personas, one human-created and one that is AI-generated, followed by conducting a comparative analysis of similarities, differences, and any potential biases. The activity underlines basic competencies in the development of user personas and ethical considerations that prepare students for the responsible use of AI with a full understanding of its limitations. Reflection upon the comparative analysis teaches students how to integrate insights from both approaches into one coherent understanding of their audience or users

Revisiting Long Island-based nonprofit organizations\u27 use of traditional and digital media for public relations outreach

Nonprofit organizations hold a pivotal role in society, catering to diverse communities and promoting social causes through strategic communication initiatives. Effective public relations (PR) serves as an indispensable tool for nonprofits, facilitating the development of awareness, stakeholder engagement, and the implementation of mission-driven initiatives. The integration of social and owned media has transformed how nonprofits engage with their audiences, providing new opportunities for interaction while creating unique challenges, particularly when nonprofits are dealing with the residual impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated financial instability and complicated program delivery, membership retention, fundraising, and staffing. This study builds upon and compares prior research and surveys conducted in 2011, 2012, and 2013 to explore the use of social and traditional media by nonprofit organizations on Long Island, adjacent to New York City. The research aims to provide a snapshot of organizational PR challenges while suggesting opportunities for improving the deployment of available media resources

Climates’ Impact on Culture: Analyzing the Adaptive Capacity of Cultural Heritage Sites in the Global South Situated in the Scholarly and Public Spheres

This study used a qualitative case study analysis to answer the following research question: How are governments in the Global South tackling the challenge of preserving UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the face of climate change? This was done by investigating the adaptive capacity of the Chan Chan Archeological Site in Trujillo, Peru. The adaptive capacity of the site was evaluated using an adaptive capacity analytical framework that is composed of four determinants: learning capacity, room of autonomous change and access to information, access to resources, and leadership. These determinants were then sought out in State of Conservation Reports provided to UNESCO by the Republic of Peru. The findings of this research were that the Chan Chan Archeological Site does not exhibit a high level of adaptive capacity and, therefore, will likely be unable to adapt to the environmental changes which will occur in the coming years. This is mainly due to insufficient access to resources, lack of a leadership body, and bureaucracy at the site which inhibits autonomous change