No Notice Is Good News: Notice under the New Ombuds Standards for the Establishment and Operation of Ombuds Offices

The American Bar Association (ABA) recently announced its decision to endorse the revised Standards for the Establishment and Operation of Ombuds Offices, dated February 2004.1 A modification to the 2001 Standards for the Establishment and Operation of Ombuds Offices, 2 the new Standards are responsible for certain clarifications of the role of an ombuds. One such clarification is that of notice in the employment context. Under the new Standards, communications made to an ombuds regarding complaints of violations or unlawful practices within the workplace do not constitute notice to the employer, provided that the ombud\u27s practices are consistent with the core qualities an ombud\u27s office must possess under the Standards. As the 2001 Standards did not address the issue of notice, the new notice provision is particularly important. Because numerous employment dispute proceedings throughout the past few decades have resulted in a judicial finding that an employer received constructive notice of some discriminatory action or other violation within the workplace, the new notice provision is a significant development in the area of employment disputes. The benefits of the new provision will likely extend to both ombuds in the workplace and the entities for which such ombuds work. This Comment explores the backdrop against which notice in the employment context has traditionally been considered, and examines both the rationale employed in forming the new notice provision and the future implications of the provision in the employment context

Seeking Status: Low Socioeconomic Status Pattering at Mont Repose Plantation, Jasper County, South Carolina

Throughout the last 12 years, research and excavations have been ongoing at Mont Repose Plantation in Coosawhatchie, South Carolina. Previous research hasfocused on two areas of the plantation, while other areas have been excavated, yet left unstudied. One of the areas needing more study is the N870 block, first opened during the 2000 field season, and hypothesized to include a slave cabin. In order to investigate this claim the present researcher directed an extension of the N870 block during the 2011 field season to assess the area and determine if it was, in fact, a slave cabin. By conducting a comparative analysis using data from Cannon’s Point Plantation, seeking ethnic markers in the assemblage, and studying census data from Mont Repose, it was determined that it is very probable that this was once a slave cabin

Health and Human Trafficking: The role of health care professionals from prevention to aftercare

Until very recently, the global health care community has lagged behind in identifying human trafficking as a health care issue. Globally, there is a great gap health care for most survivors of human trafficking today. Health, or rather the lack of it, is a huge factor in addressing trafficking in persons at all stages of the process. Trafficking is a health care issue because addressing the physical and mental health of a survivor is central to the restoration of his or her well-being. Counter-trafficking work is a multi-disciplinary effort and health care professionals can participate in a variety of roles. One of the obvious ways is in providing trauma-informed, competent, and compassionate health care for survivors of human trafficking. Another way is in receiving training and building awareness for more effective identification of victims in the health care setting. Evidence-based medicine is the foundation of our practices today and yet there is little data that documents the health of trafficked people, from their pre-trafficked situation through the long-term after care process. A proper understanding through research of the health risks will help to inform and improve our interventions. Health care professionals may participate in preventive work through outreach to at-risk populations. Advocacy of victims to law enforcement, legal aid, the media and to the general public is also an important role. Dr. Welch will discuss the gaps in health care as well as some of the many ways in which health care professionals can have a profound impact on counter-trafficking efforts

Economic contribution and impact analysis of the 2019 flood's disruption of the Oklahoma-McClellan-Kerr Navigation System

Record flooding in spring 2019 caused Oklahoma’s inland navigable waterways to close. Closure disrupted the supply chains of agricultural and manufacturing industries for months, causing economic loss in other industries of the state’s economy. Anecdotal accounts estimated direct losses of 2 million dollars per day. This research uses a multi-regional input-output model to estimate the short term direct, indirect and induced economic impacts of the Oklahoma portion of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System’s disruption from the spring 2019 flood. First the contribution of the water transportation industry to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, and Kansas’ economies is estimated, and the losses in economic output, employment, and value added caused by various length of flood disruption periods. We also estimate the effects the disruption had on the economies of Oklahoma’s metropolitan and non-metropolitan regions. This study finds losses in employment, output, and value added for each of the congressional districts in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, and Kansas. Indirect and induced losses were disproportionately experienced in Oklahoma metropolitan and non-metropolitan agricultural and manufacturing industries. Benefits the public received were diminished due to disruption of the waterway as a result of the spring flooding

The Use of Diary Methods to Evaluate Daily Experiences in First-Episode Psychosis

Experience sampling methods have been used to study symptomatology and functioning in schizophrenia and first-episode psychosis (FEP). However, few studies have used daily diaries to measure experiences such as mood and social functioning in FEP. We sought to first identify predictors of daily diary compliance in a sample of 38 individuals with FEP. Second, we assessed the relationship between daily diary ratings and clinician-administered assessments at mid-treatment and post-treatment. Finally, we evaluated the effect of I-CAT, a mindfulness and positive therapy-based intervention, on daily diary ratings of happiness, sadness, stress, relaxation, adaptation, and social interactions compared to Treatment as Usual (TAU). We found no significant predictors of daily diary compliance, though participants with higher completion rates had higher average social functioning scores. The diary was significantly related to clinician-administered assessments at mid-treatment on domains of happiness, sadness, stress, and relaxation. Finally, ICAT did not have a significant impact on daily diary ratings relative to TAU.Bachelor of Scienc

Creating a Comprehensive Western American/Canadian Fire Dataset, 1880-2018

The currently available fire-history data of Western North America (US/Canada) available for geographic and other analyses is largely piecemeal and difficult to find. Data from before the 1980s is scattered among many sources and held by a plethora of different agencies. The aim of this project was to change that daunting reality and provide a single dataset that would fill that data gap and make doing research on and mapping of fires in the late 19th and early 20th centuries more accessible. This data encompasses 138 years (1880 - 2018), 12 US states, three Canadian provinces and two Canadian territories. Currently existing digital datasets were combined and streamlined into a single dataset with unified attributes and units. During this process, I found a total of 143,702 fires that totaled 1,793,542.62 sq. kilometers of burned area. The final data is available to the public via the web as a set of ESRI shapefiles

The use of object relations theory in clinical social work practice : a case study

Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this study was to explore the value of a particular theoretical framework in terms of several issues relating to clinical social work practice. The selected theoretical framework was that of Object Relations theory, specifically the works of Melanie Klein and Margaret Mahler. The method of inquiry was that of a single case study. The investigation centred around the theories' usefulness in clinical social work practice regarding: assessment, particularly in terms of the development of insight into and understanding of human psychological development, and guiding practice and informing intervention. The selected theoretical framework was also evaluated according to: its sufficiency, in and of itself, and the extent to which its utilization facilitates avoidance of stereotyping and pathologizing. The study was undertaken in a psychiatric unit, run according to the principles of a therapeutic milieu, in a local hospital. The subject of the study had been admitted to the unit after a parasuicide attempt. He manifested many of the affects and behaviours associated with Borderline Personality Disorder, and was a transsexual who had undergone reassignment surgery. Ongoing assessment and intervention were undertaken in the residential unit on an individual basis and in group activities. Reference to literature, the writings of Klein and Mahler in particular, was a crucial and essential aspect of the study. The selected theoretical framework was found to be of great value in terms of the development of insight into and understanding of human psychological development, which in turn aided the assessment process. Whilst neither Klein nor Mahler wrote extensively or specifically of intervention, a model compatible with their opinions was identified in the literature and effectively used for this purpose. The approach used, both from a theoretical and a practical standpoint, encouraged expression and maintenance of individual uniqueness. The study highlighted the importance of a sound theoretical knowledge base underpinning clinical practice, particularly when practitioners are challenged by difficult cases. In addition, the need for practitioners to assume responsibility for continued dynamic learning, and the significant role of supervision were apparent. Further avenues for study and research were also identified

Un processus d'admission aux programmes de médecine basé sur la localisation géographique n'influence pas les résultats académiques avant l'externat ni ceux à l'examen menant à l’obtention du permis d'exercice

Background: Students are selected for admission to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSM U) MD degree program using criteria aiming to maximize access of persons thought most likely to practice in the region, including use of a geographic context score (GCS) which ranks those with lived experience in northern Ontario and/or rurality most highly. This study investigates the effect of this admissions process upon medical school academic performance.  Methods: We used a retrospective cohort design combined with multiple linear regression analysis to investigate the relationship between admission scores and performance on pre-clerkship courses, and the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam Part 1 (MCCQE1). The GCS did not significantly explain performance variance on any pre-clerkship course, nor on the MCCQE1, while the undergraduate Grade Point Average correlated with most assessment scores.  The number of prior undergraduate biomedical courses predicted science and clinical skills performance, particularly in Year 1, but not with MCCQE1 scores. Performance on Year 2 courses, particularly foundational sciences and clinical skills, significantly predicted MCCQE1 scores. Results: Our data suggest that admission geographic context scoring is unrelated to future academic performance. Further, students with fewer prior undergraduate biomedical courses may benefit from increased support and/or a modified program during the early years. Contexte : La sélection étudiants à l'École de médecine du Nord de l'Ontario est fondée sur des critères visant à faciliter l’admission de candidats qu’on estime susceptibles de pratiquer dans la région. Un de ces critères est le score de contexte géographique (SCG) qui classe au premier rang les personnes ayant déjà vécu dans le Nord de l'Ontario ou en milieu rural. Cette étude examine l'effet de ce processus d'admission sur les résultats académiques des étudiants en médecine. Méthodes : Nous avons utilisé un modèle de cohorte rétrospective et une analyse par régression linéaire multiple pour étudier la relation entre les scores d'admission et les résultats obtenus aux cours avant l’externat et à l'examen d'aptitude du Conseil médical du Canada (EACMC), partie 1. Le SCG n'explique pas de manière significative la variance des résultats dans les cours pré-cliniques, ni à l'EACMC1, tandis que la moyenne pondérée cumulative au premier cycle est en corrélation avec la plupart des scores d'évaluation. Le nombre de cours en sciences biomédicales suivis dans un programme de premier cycle ont permis de prédire les résultats en sciences et en compétences cliniques, en particulier en première année, mais pas les résultats à l'EACMC1. Les résultats aux cours de deuxième année, en particulier de sciences fondamentales et de compétences cliniques, ont permis de prédire de manière significative les résultats à l'EACMC1. Résultats : Nos données portent à croire que le score de contexte géographique au moment de l'admission est sans lien avec les résultats académiques subséquents. En outre, les étudiants ayant suivi moins de cours en sciences biomédicales au premier cycle pourraient bénéficier d’un soutien plus important ou d'un programme adapté au cours des premières années