Mental Health Needs of TANF Recipients

This paper reports findings of a study of female Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) and non-recipients ages 18-40, receiving behavioral health services in the rural Southwest in 1998-9. TANF recipients (N = 119) were more likely to be seriously mentally ill than non-recipients (N = 370), suggesting that a subgroup of TANF recipients may face significant barriers to employment given the new TANF regulations. The author argues that responsibility for recognizing the needs of TANF recipients for behavioral health services is shared by both the public welfare and behavioral health systems. Suggestions for meeting this challenge in both systems are discussed

WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER HAS A SCHIZOPHRENIC DISORDER: Practice Issues Across the Family Life Cycle

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72369/1/h0080366.pd

A Numerical Study of the Expanding Direction of T2T^2-Symmetric Spacetimes

The asymptotic behavior of expanding, generic, $T^2$-Symmetric, vacuum spacetimes is examined via numerical simulations. After validation of the numerical methods, the properties of these generic spacetimes are explored and compared to non-generic subfamilies where proven results exist. The non-generic subfamilies within this class, including the Kasner, the Gowdy, the pseudo-homogeneous, and the $B=0$ spacetimes, all have known asymptotic behaviors in the expanding direction which have been determined either from the explicit solutions or using analytic methods. For the $B\ne 0$ spacetimes, the generic case within the $T^2$-Symmetric vacuum solutions, the asymptotic behavior has not been determined analytically. In this work, we use numerical simulations to explore the asymptotic behavior of the $B\ne 0$ spacetimes. Our results indicate that, for these generic spacetimes, the asymptotic behavior in the expanding direction differs from that seen in the non-generic subfamilies. In addition to differences in asymptotic power laws, an apparent quasi-periodic exchange of energy from one gravitational mode to the other for the generic non-polarized solutions is observed.Comment: 22 pages, 18 figure

Agro-Pastoralists’ Wrath for the Prosopis Tree: The Case of the Il Chamus of Baringo District, Kenya

Indigenous to Peru, Chile, and Argentina, the woody plant called Prosopis juliflora (also known by the American common name of “Honey Mesquite”) has spread world-wide in recent decades, including rangelands throughout Latin America, North America, south and central Asia, Australia, and sub-Saharan Africa. A species known for rapid establishment, high adaptability, and fast rates of growth, its dispersal has primarily been a consequence of intentional introduction by well- meaning “technical experts” who wanted to provide a new source of fodder, fuel wood, or a means to combat desertification in arid and semi-arid lands. One problem, however, is that unless Prosopis receives careful management, it can invade and degrade ecosystems. Here we report on interviews conducted among rural residents of central Kenya where Prosopis was first introduced over 20 years ago. The respondents contend that Prosopis has greatly undermined their livelihoods, and they want to see it eradicated

Pastoral Risk Management in Southern Ethiopia: Observations from Pilot Projects based on Participatory Community Assessments

The Borana pastoral system has come under increasing pressure as human populations grow and per capita availability of resources declines. Livestock exhibit large, periodic die-offs that threaten wealth accumulation and food security. Several types of interventions may improve risk management here. For example, there may be opportunity for some pastoralists to diversify their livelihoods. Here we report on a community-based process involving pilot projects begun since 2000. We have embraced Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Action Research (AR) as tools for investigation and empowerment of local people. Full PRAs were conducted for semi-settled communities, located near towns, to identify priority needs and self-help capabilities. Communities selected interventions for implementation in partnership with local development agents as part of Community Action Plans (CAPs). Preliminary observations suggest that these people see income diversification as a major issue. To this end they have a high interest in non-formal education, micro-savings and credit associations, and micro-enterprise development. Newly formed women’s groups have taken the lead in adopting innovations. Our experience confirms that risk-management interventions are in demand here, and that the people are dedicated and capable of novel achievements. Pastoralists also exhibit much enthusiasm when allowed to lead their own development initiatives

An Updated View of University-based Service-learning in Adapted Physical Activity: Instructor-reported use of Best Practices, Challenges and Supports

Adapted physical activity and education (APA/APE) service-learning has received considerable attention as a training tool to prepare undergraduate students, including preservice physical education teachers, to work with people with disabilities (Hodge, 1998; Rowe & Stutts, 1987; Taliaferro et al., 2015). Much of this research focuses on demonstrating the effects of service-learning on student outcomes, including improvements in attitudes toward people with disabilities (Case et al., 2020; Lee et al., 2020), self-efficacy to include children with disabilities, and perceived competence to teach (Hodge et al., 2002). Despite this focus on student experiences in the literature, there is little understanding and evaluation of other important components of service-learning, such as the use of evidence-based and recommended practices, alignment with disability-centered programming, and exploration of course instructor perspectives. While service-learning is strongly advocated for as a training tool in educational settings, it is important to evaluate service-learning from multiple perspectives in order to better understand its success and improve training efforts within APA/APE. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation study is to gain an updated examination of adapted physical activity service-learning at U.S. universities, while evaluating the use of various best-practice recommendations and exploring instructor-rated challenges and supports to service-learning. To achieve this purpose, this dissertation was divided into two separate studies. The first study (Chapter II) focuses on examining the alignment between existing university-based APA/APE service-learning and recommendations for student-centered best-practices, disability-centered best practices, and best-practices for favorable attitude change toward people with disabilities. Participants (n = 165) included instructors of APA/APE undergraduate courses with a service-learning component (n = 159) or facilitators of APA/APE service-learning at their university (n = 6). Participants completed an online survey that measured information about the use of best-practice recommendations from supporting literature (Case et al., 2020; Drum et al., 2009; Pangelinan et al., 2018; Whitley, 2014). The results indicate that APA/APE service-learning in the U.S. use significantly more student-centered recommendations than disability-centered (Z = -10.45, p < .001). In addition, the odds of implementing attitude-change activities did not differ between service-learning with and without attitude-change objectives (OR = 1.14, p = .663, 95% CI [0.64, 2.04]). Implications and future research directions were discussed in relation to increasing consideration of and compliance with disability-centered best-practices in APA/APE training. Recommendations were made for instructors and service-learning facilitators to carefully designing service-learning to meet the target objectives. The purpose of the second study (Chapter III) was to explore the challenges and supports to service-learning among APA/APE course instructors. One hundred and sixty-five participants completed an online survey that measured various instructor-rated challenges and supports as well as service-learning programming responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicate that, on average, the most critical challenges to service-learning all related to lack of time, while the most critical supports related to adequate planning and high-quality staff. Interestingly, the only university or instructor characteristic examined in this study that contributed to differences in mean ratings of challenges to service-learning was current teacher certification (F(1, 163) = 4.353, p = .038, h2 = 0.03). No differences in mean ratings of supports were found based on any university or instructor characteristic. In addition, based on the two separate binary logistic regression analyses, no differences were found in programming response to COVID-19 based on mean challenge ratings (OR = 0.99, p = 0.93, 95% CI [.704, 1.38]). However, results revealed differences in program response based on mean support ratings (OR = 1.37, SE = .15, p = 0.04, 95% CI [1.02, 1.84]), suggesting a 1.37 increase in the odds of implementing virtual programming for every one-unit increase in mean support ratings among programs that stopped in-person service-learning. Collectively, findings from these two studies have several important implications for service-learning evaluation and intervention in APA/APE. Service-learning facilitators should continue to use practices that maximize student training—however, efforts must be taken to prioritize disability-centered best practices moving forward. In addition, these findings highlight the importance of maximizing supports for service-learning. Due to lack of time challenges, course instructors and facilitators should consider using natural openings in time, including temporary changes or pauses in programming due to COVID-19, for program evaluation and redesign

Performance Qualification Test of the ISS Water Processor Assembly (WPA) Expendables

The Water Processor Assembly (WPA) for use on the International Space Station (ISS) includes various technologies for the treatment of waste water. These technologies include filtration, ion exchange, adsorption, catalytic oxidation, and iodination. The WPA hardware implementing portions of these technologies, including the Particulate Filter, Multifiltration Bed, Ion Exchange Bed, and Microbial Check Valve, was recently qualified for chemical performance at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Waste water representing the quality of that produced on the ISS was generated by test subjects and processed by the WPA. Water quality analysis and instrumentation data was acquired throughout the test to monitor hardware performance. This paper documents operation of the test and the assessment of the hardware performance

Collective Action Among Agro-pastoralists in Baringo District, Kenya: Identifying and Nurturing the Entrepreneurs

The rural population of Baringo District in the Rift Valley of north-central Kenya faces numerous challenges including widespread environmental degradation and poverty. The region has endured decades of failed development projects, proliferation of food aid, and has been studied extensively. We have recently undertaken a different approach focused on bottom-up participatory action research and outreach among the Il Chamus and Tugen ethnic communities. The objective is to explore new ways to empower local people via provision of information, novel experiences, and initial access to resources to allow them to envision an alternative future and implement their own activities to better-manage risks. Here we report on the first phase of this activity. Twelve potential entrepreneurs (six from each of the two ethnic groups) were carefully selected and sent on an extensive training and educational tour to Mwingi District in eastern Kenya. There they visited a variety of successful, community-led development projects. The tour helped convince the entrepreneurs of neglected opportunities in Baringo. They have since taken a lead in assisting their communities to form collective-action groups. The groups are now registered with the Kenya government and pursuing work plans aimed at improving their circumstances

‘Aesthetics, Economics and the Enchantment of Cloth’

The paper draws together 20 years of reflective, interdisciplinary practice, focusing on the research project, The Enchantment of Cloth (2014-2017), the archives and objects and the teams they work with