Search

Social work education has been greatly affected by ongoing technological advances in society at large and in the academy. Options for instructional delivery have been broadened tremendously. The University of Louisville is the first in Kentucky to put its master's of social work degree fully online, with a first cohort admitted in 2012. The purpose of this article is to provide a model of program development for those social work programs that are considering whether or not to create an online program. The authors explain the process and considerations that went into exploring the online program that was eventually developed and offered by the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and conclude with implications for social work practice and education.

We assessed parent satisfaction with children's mental health services with a new instrument: The Youth Services Survey for Families (YSSF). The Dillman method was used to administer the survey to a random sample of 1,500 parents of Medicaid youth from Kentucky's 14 community mental health centers (CMHCs). The response rate was 37% (n = 534 parents). A factor analysis of YSSF identified five parent-perceived factors: (a) Appropriateness, (b) Outcome, (c) Participation in Treatment, (d) Access, and (e) Cultural Sensitivity. About 70% of parents reported a high level of endorsement with the Appropriateness factor, but only 47% reported high levels of endorsement with the Outcome factor. Results were interpreted as providing support for the reliability of the YSSF in evaluating children's mental health services in CMHCs.

The aim of this pilot study was to examine the nutritional patterns of female college students at a regional state university in Kentucky. The sample consisted of 16 female students aged 18 to 30. Dietary assessment was measured over a two-month period using a self-report intake of food on a food log and a questionnaire based upon the food pyramid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If the new MyPlate tool, which replaced MyPyramid had been available and ready at the time of the study, it would have been utilized. A one-on-one intervention was conducted between investigators and participants after the initial food log was completed. The findings of the study suggest providing nutritional guidelines for recommended servings for dietary intake may produce beneficial changes in dietary habits. Although the findings from the current report are preliminary, they suggest that appropriate interventions to improve the dietary intake of college age women may provide the necessary framework to achieve healthy eating in terms of portion sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships among the Youth Services Survey for Families (YSSF) Indicators, selected demographic and clinical variables, and caregiver-rated hopefulness and children's problem severity were examined in a random sample of 1,500 caregivers of Medicaid-enrolled youth in a satisfaction study with Kentucky's 14 community mental health centers. Multiple linear regressions revealed that caregiver services and caregiver hopefulness were excellent predictors of two and three YSSF Indicators, respectively. Providers need to respond to caregiver concerns when developing support services and understand the mechanisms associated with these services' effectiveness. Tracking changes in caregiver and youth hopefulness during treatment may improve services and retention and bridge the gap between research and the important construct of hope.