N.C. Medicaid Reform: A Bipartisan Path Forward

The North Carolina Medicaid program currently constitutes 32% of the state budget and provides insurance coverage to 18% of the state’s population. At the same time, 13% of North Carolinians remain uninsured, and even among the insured, significant health disparities persist across income, geography, education, and race. The Duke University Bass Connections Medicaid Reform project gathered to consider how North Carolina could use its limited Medicaid dollars more effectively to reduce the incidence of poor health, improve access to healthcare, and reduce budgetary pressures on the state’s taxpayers. This report is submitted to North Carolina’s policymakers and citizens. It assesses the current Medicaid landscape in North Carolina, and it offers recommendations to North Carolina policymakers concerning: (1) the construction of Medicaid Managed Care markets, (2) the potential and dangers of instituting consumer-driven financial incentives in Medicaid benefits, (3) special hotspotting strategies to address the needs and escalating costs of Medicaid\u27s high-utilizers and dual-eligibles, (4) the emerging benefits of pursuing telemedicine and associated reforms to reimbursement, regulation, and Graduate Medical Education programs that could fuel telemedicine solutions to improve access and delivery. The NC Medicaid Reform Advisory Team includes: Deanna Befus, Duke School of Nursing, PhD ‘17Madhulika Vulimiri, Duke Sanford School of Public Policy, MPP ‘18Patrick O’Shea, UNC School of Medicine/Fuqua School of Business, MD/MBA \u2717Shanna Rifkin, Duke Law School, JD ‘17Trey Sinyard, Duke School of Medicine/Fuqua School of Business, MD/MBA \u2717Brandon Yan, Duke Public Policy, BA \u2718Brooke Bekoff, UNC Political Science, BA \u2719Graeme Peterson, Duke Public Policy, BA ‘17Haley Hedrick, Duke Psychology, BS ‘19Jackie Lin, Duke Biology, BS \u2718Kushal Kadakia, Duke Biology and Public Policy, BS ‘19Leah Yao, Duke Psychology, BS ‘19Shivani Shah, Duke Biology and Public Policy, BS ‘18Sonia Hernandez, Duke Economics, BS \u2719Riley Herrmann, Duke Public Policy, BA \u271

A qualitative study of presently and formerly homeless female adolescents (Ontario)

Very little research has been carried out with young homeless females in Canada. Therefore, the following study investigated homeless in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region, in two age groups of female adolescents from two different types of settings, a youth drop in centre and a female youth shelter. One sample of 8 female youth was between the ages of 14-19 and was presently homeless. The other sample was an older group of 5 individuals between the ages of 19-27, who had experienced homelessness in their earlier adolescent years. A semi-structured, open-ended interview was carried out with these 13 females. The interview was also structured to capture their life story. They were asked questions about their childhood, their family, their schooling, their homeless experience and their future. The older sample of females was also asked questions about their pathway out of homelessness. Three broad research objectives were outlined: to develop an in-depth understanding of females’ experiences of homelessness; to identify and link the individual, family, school and structural risk factors that are critical for female adolescent homelessness in the K-W region, as described by these adolescents; and to compare the similarities and differences that may emerge between two age groups of female youth regarding their homeless experiences and to identify the protective factors that were important for the older group in their pathway out of homelessness. A qualitative analysis of the results revealed that there were two types of homelessness stories, a street story and a shelter story, and that there were a number of substantial differences between the two stories, including drug use, sexual behavior, negative school experiences and no contact with their biological father, which suggested that the street story was associated with greater risks. However, addressing the second research objective, all of these female youth were experiencing multiple risk factors at all the three levels, individual, family-school-peer and structural, therefore increasing their chances of becoming homeless. Having supportive and caring relationships and learning about themselves were the two primary factors that seemed to have been important for the older youth in finding their pathway out of homelessness. Also, there were some noteworthy differences in the comments of the two age groups. For example, the younger group of female youth spoke about how their friends became more important than school, and their close siblings and peer relations. Whereas, the older group of females spoke about sibling abuse, their concrete plans regarding their schooling and they used mental health terminology, such as depression and suicide. Overall, both age groups had experienced a number of family conflicts, had negative relationships with their mother, had very little contact with their fathers and described similar homeless and school experiences. The stories documented by this thesis in the area of female youth homelessness provide a number of possible suggestions for future research with this particular population of homeless youth. Homelessness is a complicated issue and a single intervention program designed for homeless youth in general is not going to address the varied types of homeless situations that different youth face. The streets, with all of their dangers and hazards, appear to entrench the youth that go to them, likely making it harder for them to find their pathway out of homelessness. We have to address all youth’s individual needs, by helping them to feel connected to their families, schools, and communities

Ideology in Stone: Re-interpreting the Architecture of Albert Speer for Contemporary Germany

Many buildings built under the reign of Adolf Hitler with the purpose to aid the Nazi party’s political and ideological agenda are still in existence and located throughout present-day Germany. During a 2014 faculty-led MSU Study Abroad Tour, student investigators collected data about the work of Albert Speer. Speer, an infamous architect of these times, played a key role in the development of many structures important to the Nazi party. Speer’s intent was not only to influence the people of his time; he was planning the impact the buildings would have for generations to come. This poster will present how these buildings are used in contemporary Germany and the contemporary German perspectives about the structures

Studying Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Experience While Empowering Technology Use Through Personalized Professional Learning

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the impact and experiences of teachers who had engaged in a personalized professional learning program to promote ICT integration in preK-12 classrooms. Survey results (n=344) showed that teachers’ perceptions of their ability to use technology tools and their self-efficacy towards using technology in the classroom improved significantly after the training. Interview results indicated support, choice, and coherence as positive aspects of the program with content support, community, and the overarching struggles of teaching as challenges to improvement. Overall, being able to have their individual needs met empowered teacher progress towards their learning goals despite their initial teaching, academic, and technology self-efficacy levels

School Psychologist Leadership in RTI Implementation: Administrators\u27 View of School Psychologists as a Resource in RTI

The purpose of this study is to examine the leadership role of school psychologists in Response to Intervention (RTI) implementation, as well as school psychologists\u27 usefulness to principals in successful implementation of RTI. The researcher asserts, that through the fulfillment of certain roles, school leaders recognize the benefit of involving school psychologists in RTI implementation. The study asks the following questions: 1) To what extent are the specific leadership characteristics associated with school psychologists\u27 roles related to the level of RTI implementation being exemplified? 2) To what extent are the specified school leadership characteristics present in school psychologists in Dorchester 2 schools? School psychologists, who have historically devoted much of their time to testing struggling learners for learning disabilities, may need to adjust their roles to provide instructional consultation in a tiered assessment and intervention model. RTI is promoting a major paradigm shift from the traditional psycho-educational evaluations. IDEA\u27s 2004 reauthorization requires that multidisciplinary teams assess whether a child has received proper instruction and interventions within the general education classroom prior to qualifying for special education services. One of the greatest challenges currently facing education is training personnel to effectively meet these new requirements. School psychologists can support RTI and enhance learning for all students through consultation in school-wide program design and specific intervention programs (Barker, 2011). Their knowledge of child development, social and emotional development, and the principles of learning allow them to become effective members of school intervention teams. School psychologists\u27 knowledge of assessment and intervention may make them ideal candidates to assume the role of instructional consultant in RTI implementation. The hypothesis of this research assumes public school principals view school psychologists as valuable resources for school-wide RTI implementation. The researcher assumes that school psychologists manifest leadership characteristics that enhance successful implementation of RTI. This study aims to gain information pertaining to administrators\u27 perceptions of the usefulness of school psychologists\u27 leadership characteristics as a participant, data manager, and recruiter in school wide implementation of RTI

Hierarchical Corannulene-Based Materials

Merging the intrinsic properties of fullerene (buckyball) and corannulene (buckybowl) derivatives with the inherent properties of crystalline metal- and covalentorganic frameworks (MOFs and COFs), including their modularity, porosity, versatility, high surface area, and structural tunability, opens a pathway to unlock a novel class of fulleretic materials. Despite the great interest in MOFs and COFs, as well as fullerene derivatives, this dissertation is focused on crystalline fullerene- and corannulenecontaining frameworks, highlighting their potential contributions in the fields of optoelectronic devices, electrodes, and photosensitizers. We have revealed a dual role of fullerene- and corannulene-containing building blocks showing their versatility to act as either a framework linker or a guest inside the pores. The work presented within the following six chapters is focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of corannulene and fullerene-based MOFs and COFs that target fundamental understanding of ET processes in predesigned pathways, charge transfer processes, and the ability to tune the electronic structures of novel materials. Overall, this work encompasses a rising new field in which fulleretic crystalline frameworks are not only structural and synthetic masterpieces but also valuable potential materials to the ever-expanding technological landscape

Hierarchical Corannulene-Based Materials

Merging the intrinsic properties of fullerene (buckyball) and corannulene (buckybowl) derivatives with the inherent properties of crystalline metal- and covalent- organic frameworks (MOFs and COFs), including their modularity, porosity, versatility, high surface area, and structural tunability, opens a pathway to unlock a novel class of fulleretic materials. Despite the great interest in MOFs and COFs, as well as fullerene derivatives, this dissertation is focused on crystalline fullerene- and corannulene- containing frameworks, highlighting their potential contributions in the fields of optoelectronic devices, electrodes, and photosensitizers. We have revealed a dual role of fullerene- and corannulene-containing building blocks showing their versatility to act as either a framework linker or a guest inside the pores. The work presented within the following six chapters is focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of corannulene and fullerene-based MOFs and COFs that target fundamental understanding of ET processes in predesigned pathways, charge transfer processes, and the ability to tune the electronic structures of novel materials. Overall, this work encompasses a rising new field in which fulleretic crystalline frameworks are not only structural and synthetic masterpieces but also valuable potential materials to the ever-expanding technological landscape

A Public Health Leadership Opportunity: Implementation of Worksite Wellness Programs to Maximize Return on Investment in Small Businesses

The impact of wellness initiatives in American workplaces is multi-dimensional. This paper details the impact workplace health promotion programs have on the overall health of employees of large and small businesses and how these programs affect companies’ return on wellness program investments (ROI). Selected effects of the wellness provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in relation to small businesses are highlighted, and best practices are discussed with an emphasis on the three core functions of public health -- assessment, policy development, and assurance. In addition to the core public health functions, active leadership best practices play a key role within small businesses to best leverage wellness program development, implementation, and dissemination in order to increase sustainable behavior changes among employees and, ultimately, increase ROI.Master of Public Healt