Giving Parents a Voice: A Case Study of a Family Treatment Drug Court Track in Lancaster County, Nebraska

Family drug courts (FDCs) were first established in 1994 as one judge’s response to substance abuse in the majority of his dependency-court cases.1 Since then, hundreds of similar specialized dependency courts have been established around the country. FDCs are based on an adult-drug-court model established in response to the apparent revolving door of drug offenders in criminal court. Drug courts and other problem-solving courts seek to identify the social and psychological dysfunction that brought the individuals before the court. Problem-solving-court judges adopt therapeutic jurisprudence to assess the dysfunction, prescribe appropriate services, and provide support, encouragement, and accountability. Procedural justice, characterized by judicial leadership and participant autonomy, is one of the psychological tools used to successfully adopt therapeutic jurisprudence. Successful problem-solving courts rely on judicial leadership for the network of providers and to engage with the participants. Additionally, the voluntary nature of problem-solving courts ensures participants are given autonomy and allowed to exercise voice and control in the process

Limited Vegetation Development on a Created Salt Marsh Associated with Over-Consolidated Sediments and Lack of Topographic Heterogeneity

Restored salt marshes frequently lack the full range of plant communities present on reference marshes, with upper marsh species underrepresented. This often results from sites being too low in the tidal frame and/or poorly drained with anoxic sediments. A managed coastal realignment scheme at Abbotts Hall, Essex, UK, has oxic sediments at elevations at which upper marsh communities would be expected. But 7 years after flooding, it continued to be dominated by pioneer communities, with substantial proportions of bare ground, so other factors must hinder vegetation development at these elevations. The poorly vegetated areas had high sediment shear strength, low water and organic carbon content and very flat topography. These characteristics occur frequently on the upper parts of created marshes. Experimental work is required to establish causal links with the ecological differences, but other studies have also reported that reduced plant β-diversity and lower usage by fish are associated with topographic uniformity. Uniformity also leads to very different visual appearance from natural marshes. On the upper intertidal, sediment deposition rate are slow, water velocities are low and erosive forces are weak. So, topographic heterogeneity cannot develop naturally, even if creeks have been excavated. Without active management, these conditions will persist indefinitely

S6K-STING interaction regulates cytosolic DNA-mediated activation of the transcription factor IRF3

Cytosolic DNA-mediated activation of the transcription factor IRF3 is a key event in host antiviral responses. Here we found that infection with DNA viruses induced interaction of the metabolic checkpoint kinase mTOR downstream effector and kinase S6K1 and the signaling adaptor STING in a manner dependent on the DNA sensor cGAS. We further demonstrated that the kinase domain, but not the kinase function, of S6K1 was required for the S6K1-STING interaction and that the TBK1 critically promoted this process. The formation of a tripartite S6K1-STING-TBK1 complex was necessary for the activation of IRF3, and disruption of this signaling axis impaired the early-phase expression of IRF3 target genes and the induction of T cell responses and mucosal antiviral immunity. Thus, our results have uncovered a fundamental regulatory mechanism for the activation of IRF3 in the cytosolic DNA pathway

Bioinformatics-Based Identification of Expanded Repeats: A Non-reference Intronic Pentamer Expansion in RFC1 Causes CANVAS

Genomic technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) are revolutionizing molecular diagnostics and clinical medicine. However, these approaches have proven inefficient at identifying pathogenic repeat expansions. Here, we apply a collection of bioinformatics tools that can be utilized to identify either known or novel expanded repeat sequences in NGS data. We performed genetic studies of a cohort of 35 individuals from 22 families with a clinical diagnosis of cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and bilateral vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS). Analysis of whole-genome sequence (WGS) data with five independent algorithms identified a recessively inherited intronic repeat expansion [(AAGGG)exp] in the gene encoding Replication Factor C1 (RFC1). This motif, not reported in the reference sequence, localized to an Alu element and replaced the reference (AAAAG)11 short tandem repeat. Genetic analyses confirmed the pathogenic expansion in 18 of 22 CANVAS-affected families and identified a core ancestral haplotype, estimated to have arisen in Europe more than twenty-five thousand years ago. WGS of the four RFC1-negative CANVAS-affected families identified plausible variants in three, with genomic re-diagnosis of SCA3, spastic ataxia of the Charlevoix-Saguenay type, and SCA45. This study identified the genetic basis of CANVAS and demonstrated that these improved bioinformatics tools increase the diagnostic utility of WGS to determine the genetic basis of a heterogeneous group of clinically overlapping neurogenetic disorders

Giving Parents a Voice: A Case Study of a Family Treatment Drug Court Track in Lancaster County, Nebraska

Family drug courts (FDCs) were first established in 1994 as one judge’s response to substance abuse in the majority of his dependency-court cases.1 Since then, hundreds of similar specialized dependency courts have been established around the country. FDCs are based on an adult-drug-court model established in response to the apparent revolving door of drug offenders in criminal court. Drug courts and other problem-solving courts seek to identify the social and psychological dysfunction that brought the individuals before the court. Problem-solving-court judges adopt therapeutic jurisprudence to assess the dysfunction, prescribe appropriate services, and provide support, encouragement, and accountability. Procedural justice, characterized by judicial leadership and participant autonomy, is one of the psychological tools used to successfully adopt therapeutic jurisprudence. Successful problem-solving courts rely on judicial leadership for the network of providers and to engage with the participants. Additionally, the voluntary nature of problem-solving courts ensures participants are given autonomy and allowed to exercise voice and control in the process

Mandatory, Fast, and Fair: Case Outcomes and Procedural Justice in a Family Drug Court

Objectives: Problem-solving courts are traditionally voluntary in nature to promote procedural justice and to advance therapeutic jurisprudence. The Family Treatment Drug Court (FTDC) in Lancaster County, Nebraska, is a mandatory dependency court for families with allegations of child abuse or neglect related to substance use. We conducted a program evaluation examining parents’ case outcomes and perceptions of procedural justice to examine whether a mandatory problem-solving court could replicate the positive outcomes of problem-solving courts. Methods: We employed a quasi-experimental design that compared FTDC parents to traditional dependency court parents (control parents). We examined court records to gather court orders, compliance with court orders, case outcomes, and important case dates. We also conducted 263 surveys (FTDC = 232; control = 31) to understand parents’ perceptions of procedural justice in the court process. Results: Overall, FTDC parents were more compliant with some court orders than control parents. Although FTDC and control parents did not have significantly different case outcomes, FTDC parents’ cases closed significantly faster than control parents’ cases. FTDC parents also had higher perceptions of procedural justice than control parents. Mediation analyses indicated that FTDC parents believed the court process was more fair and therefore participated more consistently in court-ordered services and therefore reunified more often than control parents. Conclusions: Mandatory problem-solving courts can serve parents through the same mechanisms as voluntary problem-solving courts. More research is necessary to examine which specific elements of problem-solving courts, aside from the voluntary nature, are essential to maintain their effectiveness

Evaluating the Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN) Approach: Vicarious Trauma, Professional Burnout, and Reflective Practice

Background: This evaluation examined the use of the Facilitated Attuned Interaction (FAN) approach to reflective practice among child welfare and early childhood professionals working with vulnerable children and families. Objective: The aims of the current evaluation were to test (a) the role of vicarious trauma in predicting professional burnout, (b) the effect of reflective practice quality in decreasing professional burnout, and (c) the ability of reflective practice quality to lessen the relationship between vicarious trauma and professional burnout. Participants and Setting: The sample included sixty-three professionals across diverse professions including child welfare social workers, early childhood educators, and child welfare attorneys. Methods: Child welfare and early childhood professionals participating in reflective practice with consultants trained in the FAN approach to reflective practice completed surveys measuring their vicarious trauma, burnout, and the quality of reflective practice pre-intervention as well as nine months post-intervention. Results: Results indicated that pre-intervention vicarious trauma directly and significantly increased child welfare and early childhood professionals’ post-intervention reports of professional burnout, β = 0.42, [95% CI: 0.08, 0.76]. Post-intervention reflective practice quality did not directly nor significantly reduce professionals’ post-intervention reports of professional burnout, β = −0.06, [95% CI: −0.46, 0.36]; however, the relationship between pre-intervention vicarious trauma and post-intervention burnout was significantly diminished by positive perceptions of reflective practice quality, β = −0.36, [95% CI: −0.69, −0.02]. Conclusion: Vicarious trauma was associated with increased rates of professional burnout among child welf essionals. The current evaluation indicates the potential benefit of receiving high quality reflective practice with the FAN approach

Mandatory, Fast, and Fair: Case Outcomes and Procedural Justice in a Family Drug Court

Objectives: Problem-solving courts are traditionally voluntary in nature to promote procedural justice and to advance therapeutic jurisprudence. The Family Treatment Drug Court (FTDC) in Lancaster County, Nebraska, is a mandatory dependency court for families with allegations of child abuse or neglect related to substance use. We conducted a program evaluation examining parents’ case outcomes and perceptions of procedural justice to examine whether a mandatory problem-solving court could replicate the positive outcomes of problem-solving courts. Methods: We employed a quasi-experimental design that compared FTDC parents to traditional dependency court parents (control parents). We examined court records to gather court orders, compliance with court orders, case outcomes, and important case dates. We also conducted 263 surveys (FTDC = 232; control = 31) to understand parents’ perceptions of procedural justice in the court process. Results: Overall, FTDC parents were more compliant with some court orders than control parents. Although FTDC and control parents did not have significantly different case outcomes, FTDC parents’ cases closed significantly faster than control parents’ cases. FTDC parents also had higher perceptions of procedural justice than control parents. Mediation analyses indicated that FTDC parents believed the court process was more fair and therefore participated more consistently in court-ordered services and therefore reunified more often than control parents. Conclusions: Mandatory problem-solving courts can serve parents through the same mechanisms as voluntary problem-solving courts. More research is necessary to examine which specific elements of problem-solving courts, aside from the voluntary nature, are essential to maintain their effectiveness

Evaluating the Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN) Approach: Vicarious Trauma, Professional Burnout, and Reflective Practice

Background: This evaluation examined the use of the Facilitated Attuned Interaction (FAN) approach to reflective practice among child welfare and early childhood professionals working with vulnerable children and families. Objective: The aims of the current evaluation were to test (a) the role of vicarious trauma in predicting professional burnout, (b) the effect of reflective practice quality in decreasing professional burnout, and (c) the ability of reflective practice quality to lessen the relationship between vicarious trauma and professional burnout. Participants and Setting: The sample included sixty-three professionals across diverse professions including child welfare social workers, early childhood educators, and child welfare attorneys. Methods: Child welfare and early childhood professionals participating in reflective practice with consultants trained in the FAN approach to reflective practice completed surveys measuring their vicarious trauma, burnout, and the quality of reflective practice pre-intervention as well as nine months post-intervention. Results: Results indicated that pre-intervention vicarious trauma directly and significantly increased child welfare and early childhood professionals’ post-intervention reports of professional burnout, β = 0.42, [95% CI: 0.08, 0.76]. Post-intervention reflective practice quality did not directly nor significantly reduce professionals’ post-intervention reports of professional burnout, β = −0.06, [95% CI: −0.46, 0.36]; however, the relationship between pre-intervention vicarious trauma and post-intervention burnout was significantly diminished by positive perceptions of reflective practice quality, β = −0.36, [95% CI: −0.69, −0.02]. Conclusion: Vicarious trauma was associated with increased rates of professional burnout among child welf essionals. The current evaluation indicates the potential benefit of receiving high quality reflective practice with the FAN approach