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The object of this research is the decision-making process in the context of selecting recipients of social services using a semi-automated expert system. The main focus is on improving the mechanisms of assessment and selection of candidates eligible for assistance, in order to ensure a more efficient and objective allocation of resources. The problem addressed in this study is the need to improve the accuracy and efficiency of decision-making processes in social services through the implementation of semi-automated systems. In particular, reducing subjective influence in selection processes, as well as reducing the time and resources required to process applications. The study shows that the introduction of a semi-automated system can significantly reduce the response time to applications, increase the accuracy of candidate selection and ensure greater transparency in the decisionmaking process. The system, based on data analysis algorithms and production rules, is able to adapt to changing conditions and requirements, providing solutions based on up-to-date information. The effectiveness of the semi-automated system is due to the use of modern technologies for processing large volumes of data and the use of complex mathematical models for the analysis of this data. The implementation of a modular system with individually adjustable parameters allows the system to accurately evaluate each case based on the expected criteria, ensuring a high level of adaptability and accuracy. The results of the research can be applied in practice in various social security institutions, where there is a need to automate the processes of selection and decision-making. Important conditions for the effective implementation of the system are the availability of sufficient technical support, a high level of qualification of the personnel engaged in putting the system into operation, as well as a clear understanding of the rules and procedures that regulate social protection. In addition, to guarantee the successful application of the system, it is necessary to ensure compliance with all regulatory and legislative requirements, especially regarding the protection of personal data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the domain of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for social good, with a particular emphasis on its application in social welfare and service delivery. The study seeks to establish a universal conceptual framework for ethically integrating AI into the social services sector, recognizing the sector's significant yet underexplored potential for AI utilization. The objective is to develop a comprehensive framework applicable to the ethical deployment of AI in social services, using Lithuania as a case study to illustrate its practicality. This involves analysing the political discourse on AI, examining its applications in social welfare, identifying ethical challenges, evaluating the digitalization progress in Lithuania's public services, and formulating guidelines for AI integration at various stages of delivering social services. Our methodology is rooted in document analysis, encompassing a thorough review of both normative and scientific literature pertinent to the ethical application of AI in social welfare. Key findings reveal that AI's anticipated positive impacts on diverse social and economic areas, as highlighted in political declarations, are being partially realized, as corroborated by scientific studies. Although the global application of AI in social welfare is expanding, Lithuania presents a unique case with its strategic planning gaps in this sector. The developed conceptual framework offers vital criteria for the ethical implementation of AI systems designed to be universally applicable to various stages of social services, accommodating different AI applications, client groups, and institutional environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent World Health Organization records show that hypertension is more common in Africa than in other parts of the world, and remains a major common risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, renal diseases, and death. However, little is known about hypertension management strategies among people in rural areas. Therefore, this phenomenological study aimed to investigate knowledge of hypertension management strategies among middle-aged adults in rural areas of Anambra state. Focus group discussions were used to collect data from 40 middle-aged adults (20 males and 20 females). The data were analysed thematically. Results showed that the participants were all aware of hypertension but lacked in-depth knowledge of disease management strategies. Most of the participants did not believe that engaging in regular physical exercise/activity, and other factors like reduction in salt and alcohol intake could help in controlling high blood pressure. Social workers who are also social service providers are needed to raise awareness among middle-aged people in rural areas about hypertension management strategies. This can be done through the provision of social services like education, health services, and transport services, as this will go a long way in helping rural dwellers gain more knowledge of hypertension management strategies. With the provision of health services, the rural population will not only know management strategies for hypertension but will also be able to check their blood pressure regularly, while transport services will make it possible for the rural population who do not have health centres in their community and means of transporting themselves to the neighbouring community for treatment to do so. Future research should focus on the importance of welfare/home visits as an avenue for awareness creation on hypertension management strategies, as this will be an avenue for the provision of better social services for people in rural areas and an improvement in social service research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on the opportunities that digitalisation offers to rethink and innovate the role of the social service and the function of the social worker. It is based on the results of a qualitative research carried out by interviewing social service managers in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region about changes introduced in their service by the digitalisation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The article focuses in particular on the changes that have occurred in the relationship between social workers and ICTs. The results show that much of the resistance that social workers showed towards ICTs before the pandemic has been overcome. They however still seem to be passive and executive rather than active and creative towards them. In this regard, however, further in-depth studies are needed to highlight the actual processes of appropriation of ICT by social workers. The results confirm that ICTs are able to trigger organisational learning processes that can change the way practitioners work and the way services are organised. They also offer interesting insights into how to exploit the positive aspects of the digitalisation imposed by COVID-19 and how to rethink the training of social workers in order to develop and enhance their digital skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Istanbul Gelisim University Journal of Health Sciences / İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Istanbul Gelisim Universitesi Saglik Bilimleri Yuksekokulu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

California is currently grappling with a severe homeless crisis, with Los Angeles and particularly Skid Row, harboring the largest homeless population in the nation. The escalating prevalence of homelessness necessitates evidence-based practices for effective intervention. Despite extensive research on homeless services, the issue's complexity leaves us without a definitive solution for addressing the diverse needs of homeless individuals. The spectrum of approaches, ranging from stringent criminalization to supportive services, poses a challenge for agencies dedicated to serving this population, requiring them to navigate conflicting ideologies. This study delves into the impact of collaborations between opposing service providers on homeless services, drawing insights from interviews with homeless service workers in Skid Row, Los Angeles. Situated within the institutional logics framework, the research theoretically explores how institutions with conflicting ideologies can collaborate. Furthermore, the study introduces the concept of adjacent logics as a novel way to understand collaboration amidst conflicting ideologies. This study contributes to our understanding of homeless services and provides a nuanced framework for comprehending collaboration in the face of conflicting ideologies. This study addresses a critical gap in our knowledge, offering insights that can inform scholars and practitioners on collaborative strategies and reforms to benefit individuals experiencing homelessness and similar interacting populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have resuscitated different mindsets in people. While much attention has been focused on the effect on health and the economic system, the study diverted attention to the disrupted social life and psychological trauma caused by the pandemic. This qualitative study explored people's experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they will be leveraged to promote social service delivery through social work intervention in the post-pandemic era. The data were collected through phone interviews involving 12 participants, comprising both social workers and nonsocial workers within the Southeast geopolitical zone. The generated data were analyzed thematically and arranged in quotes. The study found that the pandemic has both positive and negative implications for the social and psychological well-being of people. However, there was no effective engagement of social workers' intervention amidst the need for social service during the pandemic. As a result, the level of preparedness of social workers for effective social service delivery in the post-pandemic era is not adequate. However, the finding reveals prospects for social work in Nigeria. The study suggests a swift government response, which will involve revitalizing the social work profession in Nigeria to enhance social service delivery. Also, social work, especially in the health care setting, should leverage this to make its voice heard in society through enhanced education and practice. However, future research should consider exploring new perspectives in social work education and practice based on the experience of COVID-19 to ensure better social service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic affected almost all sectors including the social services in Bangladesh. The authorities struggled to provide services to the pandemic‐affected people who suddenly lost their jobs, falling into a state of poverty. This study aims to investigate interruptions, interventions, and innovations in government social services because of social policy responses during COVID‐19 considering different theoretical models of institutionalism. Following the qualitative method, the study conducted in‐depth interviews with 39 representatives of social service agencies that delivered services in the Sylhet district during the pandemic. The study finds that COVID‐19 interrupted social service programs leading to interventions and innovations based on the new situation that emerged. It reveals innovations like launching virtual service, introducing a hotline number for help seekers, creating WhatsApp and Messenger groups among the service providers, emphasizing community engagement, etc. in social services which seem to go along with the punctuated equilibrium model or the first‐order change that integrates new policies or innovations within the traditional institutional framework to deal better with the problems caused by COVID‐19. However, these initiatives were insufficient since pressing issues like mental health and domestic violence that substantially increased during COVID‐19 failed to draw the attention of the authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of O Social em Questão is the property of Faculdades Catolicas - Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of O Social em Questão is the property of Faculdades Catolicas - Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a social service project for disadvantaged students through pretest–posttest study design and qualitative interviews. All students joining the service project were invited to participate in this study. Data on personal growth and academic performance (exam scores and class ranks) before and after joining the project were collected. Two focus group interviews were conducted to explore the strengths and limitations of the project. Paired t-test and generalized estimating equation model and content analysis were conducted to analyse quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Results showed significant improvements in personal growth including self-esteem, academic performance, interpersonal relationship and personal goal setting (all p < 0.05); while exam scores and class ranks were not improved. 'Being empathic', 'self-awareness' and 'interpersonal relationship' emerged from the qualitative interviews as the strength of the project; short duration, lack of follow up and practical strategies in the service contents were concerned as limitations of the project. To conclude, this social service project was proven effective in empowering the personal growth of disadvantaged youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essence of a comprehensive social service for the formation of resilience is disclosed. The purpose and expected results from the implementation of the pilot project for the provision of social services for resilience are outlined. The tasks of the authorized bodies of the project participants are presented. The conditions for the participation of the territorial community in the introduction of a comprehensive social service for the formation of resilience are analyzed. The path of the community to the formation of resilience is considered. The difficulties of territorial communities on the way to the efficient use of benefits from the point of view of the interests of their residents are analyzed, in particular: arrangement of premises for the provision of a comprehensive service and ensuring its maintenance from the community budget; a large number of objects of communal property that is not used or that is in an abandoned state; a significant share of municipal infrastructure that is damaged as a result of the full-scale russian invasion, which has become a real challenge for each territorial community, etc. It is noted that the development of social services in territorial communities, in particular resilience services, will be facilitated by the efficient use of communal property resources, including: inventory of available communal property; determination of the number of communal property objects (including by starostats), the premises of which can be used for the work of social service providers, in particular those that meet the established requirements for the provision of viability services, taking into account the geography of their location (remoteness, quantity of population, conveyance, etc.), the needs of the population of specific settlements (starostats) in social services, depending on age, social status, social and demographic tendencies, etc.; formation of an open electronic database of communal property objects, on the basis of which potential providers of social services can work to attract/interest potential partners, including non-governmental organizations. A mechanism of communal property management in the context of activating the social service of resilience in the context of decentralization and war is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Larq Journal for Philosophy, Linguistics & Social Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Didasc@lia: Didáctica y Educación is the property of Universitaria de Las Tunas, Centro de Estudios de Didactica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Current regulations in the field of social services do not allow meeting the requirements of the state standard in terms of pooling and allocating necessary resources objectively. The research aims to create a model of regional information system according an algorithm, which assumes developing a five-level classifier of social services, identifying typological groups of services providers, and applying an industry-average cost of homogeneous services. This model serves a basis for automated formation of norms that guarantee the quality of social service required by the standard. The research methodology rests on the theory of public goods and institutional economics. The methods include structural, normative, and comparative analysis. The data comes from statistical, accounting, and analytical reporting of the social welfare institutions of the Sverdlovsk oblast. Creation and practical implementation of the suggested model of digitalisation of the processes related to the development of normative regulatory measures permitted the authors to customise the existing method of formation of normative regulators of the services quality in line with the preferences of individual consumers; to ensure completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of substantiating the expenditures for fulfilling the state task by social welfare institutions and autonomous non-profit organisations of social service. The findings contribute to the research of the systemic effects of the product, spatial, and time customisation of the social welfare system.

This study used convergent mixed approaches to contribute to local studies and provide a reflection that civic competence is an essential dimension of social service. Contextualized in a northern Luzon municipality, Philippines, the purposively selected 94 participants responded to the survey questionnaire and one-on-one interviews, anchored on the four domains of civic competence, such as civic rights, civic virtues, civic responsibilities, and civic participation. The quantitative findings revealed that among all the domains, only the civic rights were fully manifested, while the other three domains were all at a moderate level. Furthermore, the qualitative findings uncovered factors that possibly influenced the level of civic competence. In converging the findings from the two approaches, apart from the results of citizens' civic competence, this study mirrored experiences of how social services were delivered in a local community. The results suggest that the government may consider local experiences and civic competence levels to plan for policy enhancement for social services during a pandemic or any unprecedented encounters. Future research may use a grounded theory design to form a middle-range theory for civic competence as an essential social service dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment crosses all socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, and educational boundaries; however, studies focusing on demographic characteristics of these children in Greece are scarce. Despite recent effort there is no national registry and the response system remains fragmented. Since the existing response system often includes hospital admission, this study aims to describe the characteristics of children up to 16 years of age with suspected maltreatment admitted to a tertiary children's hospital in Greece, as well as to describe the case management procedure and to calculate the length and baseline cost of hospitalization for this population of children. The socioeconomic factor most often recorded in the study participants was parental unemployment within the nuclear family structure. The main reason for referral to Social Services was neglect. The mean hospitalization duration was 28.5 days. The most frequent outcome was discharge to parental home under Social Services' supervision. The analysis of associations between gender, age, residence status and the referral reasons showed significant differences. Quantitative and qualitative descriptors of children with suspected maltreatment offer potential insights on the social determinants of health. Our findings have the potential of offering assistance to future interventions that aim to develop effective system responses and preventive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is an experience report that focuses on the Social Work of a tertiary-level public hospital in Fortaleza-CE, facing the Covid-19 pandemic, in which it had to draw on a whole human arsenal, theoretical/methodological and operational to meet the users' families. The general objective was to get to know the dynamics of the actions developed by the Social Service against the Covid-19 pandemic, mainly in a space called "Family Shelter" from May to July 2020. The methodology used was bibliographical research, documentary research and direct observation. The result of this study was the importance of the role of Social Work in a highly complex unit in the face of a pandemic, and mainly to understand that the Social Worker is that professional who deals directly with the user of the Unified Health System (SUS) and their social demands based on quality service. It is concluded that, in view of the public calamity that was installed, the Social Service experienced a unique moment in the history of the SUS, with the new demands imposed by the pandemic in Ceará. With effort, new practices were created in the work processes and to give new meaning to the way of service. So, the alternative was to reframe and turn the negative experience into something positive, based on the instrumentality and policy of humanization of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary : Social work has long history with practice in diverse places. Indigenous social work traditions have long been grounded in place and land. There has been little attention to the role of place in Western and Northern social work practices. Place-based theories attend to the fundamental role of place in social work practice and provide principles that social workers can use to recognize place in their practice. There has been little practical guidance on how social workers can apply these principles to identify and modify place-based levers for improving practice and outcomes within Western contexts. To address these gaps and advance the use of place in practice, principles of place-based power dynamics are described here in relation to the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of the key areas of social work practice: assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Findings : Place-based principles of form, function, location, time, threshold, and relations, provide a framework that social workers can incorporate into social work practices at all levels and throughout social work practice phases. Application : Social workers can use these principles to examine how social work practice can better assess, intervene, and evaluate the role of place in the social environment and in the daily lives of the participants and populations they serve. Incorporating place-based principles can illuminate malleable place-based levers to fit the needs of service users. Attending to place in social work practice can also heighten practitioners' awareness of power and decision-making to identify and intervene at the root causes of social problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]