21st century social work: reducing re-offending - key practice skills

This literature review was commissioned by the Scottish Executive’s Social Work Services Inspectorate in order to support the work of the 21st Century Social Work Review Group. Discussions in relation to the future arrangements for criminal justice social work raised issues about which disciplines might best encompass the requisite skills for reducing re-offending in the community. Rather than starting with what is known or understood about the skills of those professionals currently involved in such interventions, this study sought to start with the research evidence on effective work with offenders to reduce re-offending and then work its way back to the skills required to promote this outcome

Pilot Study: Avoiding Readmissions of Heart Failure Patients Across Transitions of Care

Background: A major problem facing the U.S. healthcare system is avoidable hospital readmissions. Patients with Heart Failure (HF) face variety of barriers to health care and are at higher risk for readmissions. To address this problem, evidence-based interventions focused on safe transition from hospital to home are needed. Methods: A quality improvement pilot project was implemented to evaluate the feasibility of evidence based interventions in preventing avoidable readmissions. The project setting was in a 900 bed health care system. The descriptive statistical methods were means and frequencies. The Transition Coordinator (TC) enrolled a convenience sample of 30 participants. The evidence based interventions were Project RED (Re-Engineered Discharge) and the TC Advocacy Plan. Project RED has 12 elements to improve the hospital discharge process by reducing rehospitalization rates, promoting safety, and increasing patient satisfaction. The TC Advocacy Plan consisted of screening tools, HF education, teamwork, collaboration, and use of resources. It offered different strategies and interventions that strengthen the initiatives in avoiding readmissions. This initiative was supported by a collaborative team that included physicians, nurses, social workers, and pharmacists. Results: Project RED 12 elements and the TC Advocacy Plan were all implemented. The identified trends in data were presented to key stakeholders. This possibly led to an enhanced multidisciplinary collaboration creating continuity of care in patient\u27s seamless transition from inpatient to outpatient settings. Conclusion: An intervention that incorporates Project RED and the TC Advocacy Plan may be effective in preventing avoidable readmissions, but further investigation is needed

INCREASING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT-SEEKING IN EMERGING ADULT COLLEGE-STUDENT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF AN ONLINE INTERVENTION

The prevalence of sexual violence, particularly in emerging adult women, is alarming (Sinozich & Langton, 2014; Smith et al., 2017), and rates of treatment seeking are low (e.g., Smith et al., 2010). Engagement strategies and motivational interviewing have garnered support in mitigating barriers to mental health treatment-seeking (e.g., Lerch et al., 2017). However, young college women often do not seek treatment for symptoms following sexual violence due to additional barriers such as shame and institutional betrayal (Holland, 2019; Logan et al, 2005). Lack of treatment can lead to long-term detriments (e.g., Halpern et al., 2018) and there is little research on what strategies are effective in getting these survivors into therapy. The current study aimed to address this gap by examining the efficacy of a technology-delivered engagement intervention, Reaching and Empowering Survivors to Engage in Treatment (RESET, Huntt, 2020), in a randomized controlled trial with sexual violence survivors in college. We conducted logistic and linear regressions to examine the efficacy of RESET compared to a psychoeducational control in improving treatment-seeking in female sexual violence survivors, ages 18-24 (N = 78). Results demonstrated no significant effects of intervention condition on treatment-seeking behaviors, χ2(8) = .819, p = .365, R2 = .011, or readiness to change, F(1,65) = 2.08, p = .154, R2 = .023. However, several constructs emerged as predictors in these regression models. Race/Ethnicity showed a trend toward significant prediction of treatment-seeking behaviors, χ2(3) = 7.30, p = .063, R2 = .119. Based on odds ratios, participants who identified as minority race (i.e., Asian or Black/African American) were 82% less likely to seek treatment than those who identified as multiracial (i.e., two or more races/ethnicities), Exp(B) = .18, p = .023. There was also a trend for participants who identified as minority race to report higher scores (M = 8.06; SD = 1.96) on for readiness to change than those who identified as multiracial (M = 9.93; SD = 1.38). Perceived value of treatment and PTSD symptoms at baseline positively predictive predicted readiness to change. These findings highlight clinical implications and potential adaptations to RESET to improve its efficacy