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A family-skills program for Latino fathers and youth was implemented to prevent youth obesity. Lessons learned focused on practices to address barriers to engagement and retention among fathers and youth within the Latino community. Program development issues included selection of organizations, facilitators, language, and delivery methods. Implementation issues included timing and location. Cultural issues regarding learner needs, and teaching and implementation methods need to be considered. Using the lessons learned, Extension professionals can create impactful programs that engage and retain Latino fathers and youth.

Utilizing Yosso's community cultural wealth framework as a theoretical lens, we sought to examine how nontraditional, community-based family engagement programs impacted adult family members' thoughts and actions about engagement with their children's schools. The study drew primarily from the interviews, observations, and document analysis of two nontraditional family engagement programs in urban communities. Findings indicate that program approaches built upon and extended families' social and navigational capitals. Educational leaders can more meaningfully engage urban families by learning from and incorporating practices implemented by the programs we examine and discuss in this article.

Utilizing Yosso's community cultural wealth framework as a theoretical lens, we sought to examine how nontraditional, community-based family engagement programs impacted adult family members' thoughts and actions about engagement with their children's schools. The study drew primarily from the interviews, observations, and document analysis of two nontraditional family engagement programs in urban communities. Findings indicate that program approaches built upon and extended families' social and navigational capitals. Educational leaders can more meaningfully engage urban families by learning from and incorporating practices implemented by the programs we examine and discuss in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contextual and social realities must be built into any educational program for activism to take place. This case study examines an education and environment program which has adapted to the social distancing measures of COVID-19, resulting in an even more community-reliant and community-driven program than the program designers initially intended. The Eco Ambassador Program uses environmental activism within a space that supports mental health during COVID-19 social isolation. While community engagement and action have been elements of the program, the program has transformed to utilize new levels of social capital in the program's network, to overcome the obstacles presented in regular programming. Many aspects of the critical pedagogy of space are utilized to conceptualize this educational program during the pandemic. The limitations of in-person interactions in defined learning spaces led to more technology-reliant programming, hence broadening the space of place-based learning, while enabling personal spaces and personal environments to become new learning spaces.

BackgroundLow-and middle-income countries mostly have ageing populations with many unmet economic, social, or health-related needs, Vietnam being an example. Community-based support in Vietnam, organized as Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs (ISHCs) based on the Older People Associations (OPA) model, can help to meet these needs by the provision of services for various aspects of life. This study aims to assess the implementation of the ISHCs and whether successful implementation is associated with more member-reported positive health.MethodsWe used the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework to evaluate the implementation using multiple data sources: ISHC board surveys (n = 97), ISHC member surveys (n = 5,080 in 2019 and n = 5,555 in 2020), focus group discussions (6; n = 44), and interviews with members and board leaders (n = 4).ResultsReach ranged between 46 and 83% of ISHCs reaching target groups, with a majority of women and older people participating. Regarding Effectiveness, members indicated high satisfaction with the ISHCs. Adoption scores were high, with 74%–99% for healthcare and community support activities, and in 2019, higher adoption scores were associated with more members reporting good positive health. In 2020, reported positive health slightly decreased, probably due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 61 ISHCs had consistent or improving Implementation from 2019 to 2020, and confidence in Maintenance was high.ConclusionThe implementation of the OPA model in Vietnam is promising regarding its promotion of health and may help to tackle the needs of an ageing population. This study further shows that the RE-AIM framework helps to assess community health promotion approaches.

This forum paper dialogues with Crystal Morton and Demetrice Smith-Mutegi's "Making it matter: Developing African American girls and young women's mathematics and science identities through informal STEM learning." Their article unveils the experiences of participants in Girls STEM Institute, and how they challenged beliefs about their ability to perform in science and mathematics. I extend the discussion to explore the importance of access through community-based initiatives and stand on the premise that we will continue to oxygenate master narratives and perpetuate inequities if the structure and function of our programs fail to challenge the status quo. Therefore, this paper serves as a call to action to: (1) recognize and address spirit murdering from teachers and authority figures who dismiss the abilities of Black girls to perform in STEM; (2) create humanizing spaces within schools and the larger community for Black girls to access STEM with authenticity; and (3) leverage the multidimensional identities of Black girls in ways that validate their cultural resources and brilliance. When we commit ourselves to creating more equitable learning spaces in STEM, then our actions will align with our responsibility to make Black girls matter. [For "Making It Matter: Developing African-American Girls and Young Women's Mathematics and Science Identities through Informal STEM Learning," see EJ1332932.]

This study, centered around a survey of library directors (N = 83), examines community health programming (CHP) in Michigan's public libraries within the broader context of national CHP initiatives. Reponses indicate that while physical activity classes and food skills programs are popular, there are still challenges to overcome. These findings led us to recommendations for cultivating partnerships that can help CHP grow and flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent aggressive behavior has increasingly become a central issue affecting the safety of both school campuses and the broader society. Despite the existence of numerous community interventions targeting this issue, there has been a paucity of efforts to consolidate the findings on the effectiveness of community-based programs in preventing aggressive behavior. This meta-analysis sought to address this gap by reviewing and assessing the impact of community-based initiatives on reducing adolescent aggression. A thorough search was carried out on 12 electronic databases: EBSCO, ERIC, PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, the China National Knowledge, Wanfang Databases, and China Science and Technology Journal Database. Sixteen studies were finalized, and meta-analyses were performed using a random effect model on RevMan v5.4 software developed by Cochrane. The analysis encompassed 16 published studies, involving a total of 2,585 participants. The key components of existing programs for aggression reduction included providing behavioral skills and training for adolescents, employing a problem-solving approach to address behavioral issues, offering psychological treatment, and emphasizing community supervision. The results indicate a significant positive effect of community-based interventions on aggression reduction (standardized mean difference = -0.26, 95% confidence intervals [-0.39, -0.13], Z  = 3.84, p  < .001). The subgroup analyses revealed that the intervention's effectiveness was moderated by the duration of the intervention, its theoretical foundation, and the sample size. This study furnishes empirical evidence supporting the enhancement of policies and practices to foster community engagement in mitigating aggressive behavior., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

BackgroundApproximately 14% of all adolescents globally cope with mental health conditions. However, community-based psychosocial services for adolescents with mental health conditions are scarce and under-researched. Scant scholarly attention has been paid to leisure and/or social activities in community-based rehabilitation services for adolescents with mental health conditions.ObjectivesTo begin to fill this gap, we chose a bottom-up framework to probe the following questions: Which community-based programs for adolescents with mental health conditions exist worldwide? What common characteristics do they present? What is their range of services?MethodWe systematically searched three leading academic databases, reference lists, and worldwide websites in English.Eligibility criteriaPrograms with information in English that provide services in a community setting, service content that includes leisure and/or social activities, cater to users aged 10–18, and content explicitly targets adolescents with mental health conditions.ResultsTwenty-seven psychosocial programs that provide leisure and/or social activities and encourage the promotion of adolescent mental health in the community were identified. We mapped and categorized the programs into three groups: integrated recovery, leisure recovery, and advocacy recovery.ConclusionPractical implications for implementation are suggested based on the findings. Specifically, service providers should attend to the psychological needs of adolescents by prioritizing peer interaction and offering suitable social and leisure activities. These activities can also boost adolescent participation in community-based rehabilitation programs and address the treatment gap. Comprehensive studies and uniform terminology in the field are needed.

Background: The current literature supports the effectiveness of exercise, education, and self-management interventions for the long-term management of persistent low back pain. However, there is significant uncertainty about the implementation of interventions related to barriers, facilitators, and patient's preferences. This study will evaluate the Back to Living Well program implementation from a participant and organizational perspective. More specifically we address the following objectives: 1) identify program barriers and facilitators from participants' perspectives, 2) identify factors related to program, personal and contextual factors that contribute to negative and positive outcomes, and outcome trajectories, 3) identify factors influencing participants' selection of an in-person or e-health program, and 4) evaluate program specific barriers and facilitators from the organization and care delivery perspectives. Methods: This study will utilize a mixed-method convergent design including a longitudinal cohort strand and a longitudinal qualitative interview strand. The RE-AIM framework will be used to assess program implementation. Participants (n = 90, 1:1: in person or virtual) who choose to register in the program as well as staff (n = 10 to 15) involved in the delivery of the program will be invited to participate. Participants will participate in a 12-week physical activity, education, and self-management program. Implementation outcomes will be measured at 3-, 6-, 12-months, and six months after the end of the follow-ups. Interview scripts and directed content analysis will be constructed based on the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Neuromatrix Model of Pain, Theoretical Domains Framework. Staff interviews will be constructed and analyzed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Participants will also complete pain, disability, quality of life and psychological questionnaires, wear an activity tracker at all time points, and complete weekly pain and activity limitation questions using a mobile application. Discussion: The study results will provide evidence to inform potential future implementation of the program. An effective, appropriately targeted, and well implemented exercise program for the long-term management (i.e., tertiary prevention) of LBP could minimize the burden of the condition on patients, the health care system and society. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05929846. This (Registration Date: July 3 2023) study has been approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board Project ID#15,354. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family-skills program for Latino fathers and youth was implemented to prevent youth obesity. Lessons learned focused on practices to address barriers to engagement and retention among fathers and youth within the Latino community. Program development issues included selection of organizations, facilitators, language, and delivery methods. Implementation issues included timing and location. Cultural issues regarding learner needs, and teaching and implementation methods need to be considered. Using the lessons learned, Extension professionals can create impactful programs that engage and retain Latino fathers and youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based educational programs coordinated and run by local residents, Inuit organizations, and nonprofit organizations are periodically offered in communities in Nunavut. This article presents examples of these programs from the communities of Kangiqłiniq (Rankin Inlet) and Igluligaarjuk (Chesterfield Inlet) as well as programs connecting Inuit with belongings in museum collections held outside of Nunavut. The research involved anthropological methods of participant observation, interviews, and ethnographic insights from experiences of organizing and participating in programs. Indigenous research methodologies also guide the research. We elaborate how community-based programs provide opportunities for Inuit knowledge generation and transmission while contributing to well-being and community cohesion. These programs can (re)connect and engage Inuit with knowledge of the land, traditional and contemporary cultural practices, and Inuit belongings that have been disconnected from communities and individuals through colonial processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child- and family-serving programs in community-based settings wield tremendous power for improving the lives of infants and toddlers. In this article, three authors, from Ohio, Montana, and Sierra Leone, describe the principles of adaptive leadership and will share their real-world applications. Their stories explore critical questions for leading communitybased organizations: How do leaders of community-based efforts build leadership among families and other program participants? How do they incorporate equity, diversity, and social justice into both their programs and their process? How do they extend their influence and impact beyond the local? And, perhaps most important, how do they sustain themselves amid competing pressures and priorities?

Objectives: Human aging is a multidirectional, multidimensional, and multicausal process that reflects biological, psychological, and sociocultural influences, which act in distinct combinations throughout the life-span. Proactivity towards avoiding the usual aging process is needed. This study analyses the long-term effects of participation in Community-Based Programs on psychological well-being. Method: A sample of 150 community-dwelling participants enrolled in Community-Based Programs, aged 55 to 84 years and living in three Portuguese localities were matched by age (55–64, 65–74, 75–84 years), gender, and locality with a comparison group of non-participants. We administered a multidimensional gerontological protocol which included socio-demographic information, measures of health/disease, functional ability, social network, cognitive performance and psychological well-being. Hierarchical regression models were used to test the effects of Community-Based Programs on psychological well-being adjusting for remaining variables. Results: Overall, psychological well-being is positively associated with household income and satisfaction with health. Nevertheless, in participants, psychological well-being builds predominantly upon social network and is not associated with a moderate inability or cognitive deficits, contrasting with psychological well-being in non-participants. After adjusting for background variables, psychological well-being was positively associated with health satisfaction and social network and negatively related to moderate inability. Further, a significant interaction of participation in Community-Based Programs with age, points out higher levels of psychological well-being in participants contrasting with a downward trend in non-participants. After stratification by age, psychological well-being increases with time attending Community-Based Programs in the oldest (75–84 years) contrasting with the remainder. Conclusions: Participation in Community-Based Programs may improve the negative effects of the aging process on psychological well-being. This positive effect as age increases may be linked to a reinforcement of social network, valued more by participants in Community-Based Programs. Furthermore, the programs may act as a healing/maintenance strategy in persons with moderate inability and/or cognitive deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased engagement with community-based practices is a promising strategy for increasing clinical trials access of diverse patient populations. In this study we assessed the ability to utilize a patient-advocacy organization led clinical network to engage diverse practices as field sites for clinical research. Methods: GO2 for Lung Cancer led recruitment efforts of 17 field sites from their Centers of Excellence in Lung Cancer Screening Network for participation in an implementation-effectiveness trial focused on smoking cessation integration into screening programs for lung cancer. Sites were engaged by one of three methods: 1) Pre-Grant submission of letters of support, 2) a non-targeted study information dissemination campaign to network members, and 3) proactive, targeted outreach to specific centers informed by previously submitted network member data. Detailed self-reported information on barriers to participation was collected from centers that declined to join the study. Results: Of 17 total field sites, 16 were recruited via the targeted outreach campaign and 1 via pre-grant letter of support submission. The sites covered 13 states and 4 United States geographic regions, were varied in annual screening volumes and years of screening program experience and were predominantly community-based practices (10 of 17 sites). The most reported reason (by 33% of sites) for declining to participate as a field site was inadequate staffing bandwidth for trial activities. This was especially true in community-based programs among which it was reported by 45% as a reason for declining. Conclusions: Our results suggest that this model of field site recruitment leveraging an existing partnership between an academic research team and an informal clinical network maintained by a disease-specific patient advocacy organization can result in engagement of diverse, community-based field sites. Additionally, reported barriers to participation by sites indicate that solutions centered around providing additional resources to enable greater capacity for site staff may increase community-practice participation in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examines reciprocal mentoring in a community-based program (CBP) serving immigrant Latino families with school-aged children. University student volunteers shared technological and college knowledge and grew in leadership skills. Simultaneously, they gained familial and cultural support and belonging from program families. The CBP fostered all forms of community cultural wealth capital. Study findings can inform educational leaders seeking to develop mutually beneficial partnerships between education institutions and community organizations to support student success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesHuman aging is a multidirectional, multidimensional, and multicausal process that reflects biological, psychological, and sociocultural influences, which act in distinct combinations throughout the life-span. Proactivity towards avoiding the usual aging process is needed. This study analyses the long-term effects of participation in Community-Based Programs on psychological well-being.MethodA sample of 150 community-dwelling participants enrolled in Community-Based Programs, aged 55 to 84 years and living in three Portuguese localities were matched by age (55-64, 65-74, 75-84 years), gender, and locality with a comparison group of non-participants. We administered a multidimensional gerontological protocol which included socio-demographic information, measures of health/disease, functional ability, social network, cognitive performance and psychological well-being. Hierarchical regression models were used to test the effects of Community-Based Programs on psychological well-being adjusting for remaining variables.ResultsOverall, psychological well-being is positively associated with household income and satisfaction with health. Nevertheless, in participants, psychological well-being builds predominantly upon social network and is not associated with a moderate inability or cognitive deficits, contrasting with psychological well-being in non-participants. After adjusting for background variables, psychological well-being was positively associated with health satisfaction and social network and negatively related to moderate inability. Further, a significant interaction of participation in Community-Based Programs with age, points out higher levels of psychological well-being in participants contrasting with a downward trend in non-participants. After stratification by age, psychological well-being increases with time attending Community-Based Programs in the oldest (75-84 years) contrasting with the remainder.ConclusionsParticipation in Community-Based Programs may improve the negative effects of the aging process on psychological well-being. This positive effect as age increases may be linked to a reinforcement of social network, valued more by participants in Community-Based Programs. Furthermore, the programs may act as a healing/maintenance strategy in persons with moderate inability and/or cognitive deficits.

Introduction: Globally, over half of the estimated new HIV infections now occur among key populations, including men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, transgender individuals, and people in prisons and other closed settings, and their sexual partners. Reaching epidemic control will, for many countries, increasingly require intensified programming and targeted resource allocation to meet the needs of key populations and their sexual partners. However, insufficient funding, both in terms of overall amounts and the way the funding is spent, contributes to the systematic marginalization of key populations from needed HIV services. Discussion: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has recently highlighted the urgent need to take action to end inequalities, including those faced by key populations, which have only been exacerbated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. To address these inequalities and improve health outcomes, key population programs must expand the use of a trusted access platform, scale up differentiated service delivery models tailored to the needs of key populations, rollout structural interventions and ensure service integration. These critical program elements are often considered "extras," not necessities, and consequently costing studies of key population programs systematically underestimate the total and unitary costs of services for key populations. Findings from a recent costing study from the LINKAGES project suggest that adequate funding for these four program elements can yield benefits in program performance. Despite this and other evidence, the lack of data on the true costs of these elements and the costs of failing to provide them prevents sufficient investment in these critical elements. Conclusions: As nations strive to reach the 2030 UNAIDS goals, donors, governments and implementers should reconsider the true, but often hidden costs in future healthcare dollars and in lives if they fail to invest in the community‐based and community‐driven key population programs that address structural inequities. Supporting these efforts contributes to closing the remaining gaps in the 95‐95‐95 goals. The financial and opportunity cost of perpetuating inequities and missing those who must be reached in the last mile of HIV epidemic control must be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether, drawing on the perception of their coaches, the application of the pedagogical model of sport education could be associated with satisfying the basic psychological needs of children from socially vulnerable backgrounds. Method: A 36-session sport education season was implemented within a community program for youths from disadvantaged environments. Three coaches, one researcher, and 31 children aged 9–11 years (17 boys and 14 girls) of diverse ethnicities participated. Qualitative data were obtained through four focus groups conducted during the program in addition to the research diary of the researcher, who played the role of participant observer. Results: The coaches observed a progressive evolution in the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs of competence, autonomy, relatedness, and the need referred to as novelty. Discussion/Conclusion: We may conclude that sport education can be a valuable tool to improve the satisfaction of these needs in children from socially vulnerable backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately 14% of all adolescents globally cope with mental health conditions. However, community-based psychosocial services for adolescents with mental health conditions are scarce and under-researched. Scant scholarly attention has been paid to leisure and/or social activities in community-based rehabilitation services for adolescents with mental health conditions., Objectives: To begin to fill this gap, we chose a bottom-up framework to probe the following questions: Which community-based programs for adolescents with mental health conditions exist worldwide? What common characteristics do they present? What is their range of services?, Method: We systematically searched three leading academic databases, reference lists, and worldwide websites in English., Eligibility Criteria: Programs with information in English that provide services in a community setting, service content that includes leisure and/or social activities, cater to users aged 10-18, and content explicitly targets adolescents with mental health conditions., Results: Twenty-seven psychosocial programs that provide leisure and/or social activities and encourage the promotion of adolescent mental health in the community were identified. We mapped and categorized the programs into three groups: integrated recovery, leisure recovery, and advocacy recovery., Conclusion: Practical implications for implementation are suggested based on the findings. Specifically, service providers should attend to the psychological needs of adolescents by prioritizing peer interaction and offering suitable social and leisure activities. These activities can also boost adolescent participation in community-based rehabilitation programs and address the treatment gap. Comprehensive studies and uniform terminology in the field are needed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tuaf and Orkibi.)

This study investigated the effect of therapeutic community programming and aftercare treatment completion on rearrest rates in the Southwest United States across 25 years. The asymptote of rearrest trajectories did not occur until 10 years post-release, although this varied by risk classification. Treatment receipt was not related to 25-year rearrest trajectories. However, people classified as higher risk were more likely to be rearrested than those classified a low risk while controlling for treatment receipt. Aftercare completion extended the time to arrest; individuals completing an aftercare program were less likely to be arrested, and high-risk participants that completed aftercare showed a similar rearrest trajectory as low-risk participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of germline genetic testing in urologic oncology has expanded in recent years. However, implementation of genetic testing in community practices remains a challenge, often due to limited access to qualified genetics trained providers. In this study, we report outcomes of a universal germline screening program in a community urology practice. Between November 2021 and September 2022, all patients referred for urology clinic visits at Frederick Health (Frederick, MD, USA) were provided an online genetics screening questionnaire prior to the visit. Responses were compared against National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria for germline testing. Those who met criteria were provided educational materials at the end of the questionnaire, and then counseled by a trained urologic oncologist (HC) in the clinic or referred to a genetic counselor prior to testing. Testing was performed with a 36‐gene pan‐cancer panel (CancerNext) or a 14‐gene targeted prostate cancer panel (ProstateNext), with or without additional RNA analysis (RNAinsight) (Ambry Genetics, CA, USA). Demographic and clinical parameters, as well as genetic testing results, were retrospectively collected under IRB approval. In the study period, 765 patients were seen over 1370 clinic visits. Of these, 505 patients (66.0%) completed the screening questionnaire. The majority were completed via email (54.5%) with the remainder (45.5%) via text message. Of the patients who completed screening, 125/505 (24.7%) met NCCN criteria for germline testing. 58/125 patients (46.4%) who met criteria underwent germline testing, of whom 5/58 (8.6%) had distinct pathogenic mutations identified. These included actionable mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, and CHEK2, as well as an additional pathogenic mutation in NBN. Variants of unknown significance were identified in 8/58 patients (13.8%) in 11 total genes. Challenges to implementation of this program included meeting institutional requirements for genetic testing consent, facilitating specimen collection in clinic, and integration of results into the electronic health record. Genetic risk assessment for high‐risk individuals is feasible as part of a universal screening program in a community urology practice. Approximately 8% of tested patients were found to have pathogenic germline mutations, which is consistent with contemporary tertiary referral cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prior research documented racial and ethnic disparities in health care experiences within the Veterans Health Administration (VA). Little is known about such differences in VA-funded community care programs, through which a growing number of Veterans receive health care. Community care is available to Veterans when care is not available through the VA, nearby, or in a timely manner. Objective: To examine differences in Veterans' experiences with VA-funded community care by race and ethnicity and assess changes in these experiences from 2016 to 2021. Design: Observational analyses of Veterans' ratings of community care experiences by self-reported race and ethnicity. We used linear and logistic regressions to estimate racial and ethnic differences in community care experiences, sequentially adjusting for demographic, health, insurance, and socioeconomic factors. Participants: Respondents to the 2016–2021 VA Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients-Community Care Survey. Measures: Care ratings in nine domains. Key Results: The sample of 231,869 respondents included 24,306 Black Veterans (mean [SD] age 56.5 [12.9] years, 77.5% male) and 16,490 Hispanic Veterans (mean [SD] age 54.6 [15.9] years, 85.3% male). In adjusted analyses pooled across study years, Black and Hispanic Veterans reported significantly lower ratings than their White and non-Hispanic counterparts in five of nine domains (overall rating of community providers, scheduling a recent appointment, provider communication, non-appointment access, and billing), with adjusted differences ranging from − 0.04 to − 0.13 standard deviations (SDs) of domain scores. Black and Hispanic Veterans reported higher ratings with eligibility determination and scheduling initial appointments than their White and non-Hispanic counterparts, and Black Veterans reported higher ratings of care coordination, with adjusted differences of 0.05 to 0.21 SDs. Care ratings improved from 2016 to 2021, but differences between racial and ethnic groups persisted. Conclusions: This study identified small but persistent racial and ethnic differences in Veterans' experiences with VA-funded community care, with Black and Hispanic Veterans reporting lower ratings in five domains and, respectively, higher ratings in three and two domains. Interventions to improve Black and Hispanic Veterans' patient experience could advance equity in VA community care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, Aims and Objectives Method Results Conclusion Diabetes mellitus is a global serious health problem that has a clear negative impact on economy. The high prevalence of diabetes worldwide urges for prevention and educational programs. Engagement of community pharmacists in offering various diabetes care services enables delivery of quality of care for patients and could play key role in diabetes management. The current study was designed to assess the knowledge towards diabetes among community pharmacists and to investigate their role in diabetes management through identifying different diabetes care services they provide in Asir region, Saudi Arabia. In addition, possible barriers for providing these services were evaluated.A cross‐sectional study was performed using an online self‐administered anonymous survey that consisted of 4 domains: demographics, knowledge, practice and barriers related to diabetes management.A total of 258 pharmacists completed the survey, and one‐third of respondents (34.5%) demonstrated good knowledge while 42.2% showed moderate knowledge towards diabetes. Respondents of the age group (30–39) years, males, those with bachelor's degree and those with 5 years or less of experience had higher mean knowledge. Nearly half of the participants had positive practice. The most prominent (75%) services offered by the community pharmacists were counselling on the appropriate administration, handling and storage of insulin and the appropriate time to administer oral antidiabetic drugs. Pharmacists who received training had higher mean practice scores. Lack of time, lack of diabetic patients visiting the pharmacy and low patient expectations regarding pharmacists' role in diabetes care were identified as the most important barriers they encountered.Community pharmacists of Asir region exhibited moderate knowledge and practices regarding diabetes management. Our results support the need for national advanced diabetes training programs targeting community pharmacists for providing quality of care services for diabetic patients Moreover, strategies to overcome the reported barriers are indispensable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To aid departments in growing and supporting the potential of novice instructors, this paper shares a peer-mentoring program that has been implemented at three universities over the last five years for graduate student instructors (GSIs, master, and doctoral) within mathematics departments. This paper provides frameworks, curricular topics, necessary conditions, methods of implementation, successes, and anticipated challenges from five years of research to help establish and sustain a peer-mentoring program for GSIs. Positive outcomes from this peer-mentoring program included improving support for Novices (resulting in anticipating teaching concerns), lowering the rate at which students received a D, F, or withdrew (DFW), having fewer complaints and concerns, and sustaining stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMaterials and MethodsResultsConclusionsAcquired brain injury (ABI) community support programs aim to help support long-term needs through informational and psychosocial support. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many support programs adopted virtual program delivery. However, the experiences of facilitators and people with ABI who participate in virtual support programs are understudied. This study aimed to describe the experiences of people with ABI and program facilitators participating in virtual ABI community support programs.This was a qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people with ABI and program facilitators who participated in virtual ABI community support programs. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.In total, 16 participants were included in this study. Of the 16 participants, 14 were people with ABI (three of whom were also program facilitators) and two were program facilitators without ABI. Our analysis generated three themes including perceived benefits (theme 1), perceived challenges (theme 2), and considerations to improve program quality (theme 3). Each theme outlines subthemes relaying the experiences of participants.These findings highlight the need for stakeholders to implement guidelines and training for program facilitators and attendees of virtual ABI support programs to maximize accessibility, usability, inclusivity and safety.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThis study described the experiences of people with acquired brain injury and facilitators who participated in virtual support programs.Benefits of virtual support programs include connecting with peers, increased access to resources, and enhanced feasibility and accessibility.Difficulties with virtual support programs include intrapersonal (e.g., increased side effects), interpersonal (e.g., communication barriers), and environmental and contextual (e.g., privacy concerns) challenges.Suggestions to improve program quality include creating a safe and respectful environment, fostering engagement and managing challenging situations, and enhancing accessibility and inclusivity.This study described the experiences of people with acquired brain injury and facilitators who participated in virtual support programs.Benefits of virtual support programs include connecting with peers, increased access to resources, and enhanced feasibility and accessibility.Difficulties with virtual support programs include intrapersonal (e.g., increased side effects), interpersonal (e.g., communication barriers), and environmental and contextual (e.g., privacy concerns) challenges.Suggestions to improve program quality include creating a safe and respectful environment, fostering engagement and managing challenging situations, and enhancing accessibility and inclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Categorical funding is often intended to support our most historically underserved students, while also addressing financial inequities. Extant research suggests, however, that these funding streams may be equitable in intention but not in practice. Situated in a multidimensional equity framework, this study leverages descriptive budget data, funding and regulation documentation, and interviews with categorical-affiliated staff across multiple institutions within the US’s largest community college system to examine funding (in)equities of categorical funding and their potential to address persistent inequities in student access and success within higher education. Our findings suggest that in addition to trade-offs in the funding formulas themselves, contextual factors via program regulations and institutional characteristics also ultimately influence the “equitable” resourcing of these potentially high-impact programs. This study contributes to literature on higher education finance and policy, including the often-overlooked mechanism of categorical funding, and offers implications for future policy and practice, as well as opportunities for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodsResultsConclusions\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe transition to adulthood is one of the most challenging and complex processes for autistic youth and their families. Few evidence-based transition support programs exist, and those that have garnered support require long-term commitments and resources that may prohibit participation by families with financial and time limitations. The current study investigated the feasibility and initial promise of a brief, caregiver-focused educational transition program for families of autistic youth delivered in the community over a single day.Quantitative informant-report and qualitative interview data were collected from 12 caregivers of autistic youth before and after program participation. Using a partially mixed sequential equal status design, quantitative and qualitative data were integrated to evaluate change in caregiver transition knowledge and empowerment, as well as caregivers’ perceptions of program feasibility, acceptability, and usefulness.Caregivers reported significant increases in knowledge of transition-related topics and sense of empowerment regarding their family life. Caregiver perceptions of the intervention suggest they found it feasible, acceptable, and useful.Short-term transition programming may be a helpful option for caregivers who seek transition supports for autistic youth.The transition to adulthood is a stressful and complex process for autistic adolescents and their caregivers.Many caregivers lack time, financial resources, and access to comprehensive transition supports.Brief educational support is a potential alternative for aiding caregivers in planning for and assisting with adolescents’ postsecondary training/education, employment, social, and living arrangements.The Planning for your Loved Ones Future (PLOF) intervention showed promise in improving caregiver knowledge about transition and sense of empowerment, and was described as feasible, accessible, and helpful by those who participated in a pilot study.The transition to adulthood is a stressful and complex process for autistic adolescents and their caregivers.Many caregivers lack time, financial resources, and access to comprehensive transition supports.Brief educational support is a potential alternative for aiding caregivers in planning for and assisting with adolescents’ postsecondary training/education, employment, social, and living arrangements.The Planning for your Loved Ones Future (PLOF) intervention showed promise in improving caregiver knowledge about transition and sense of empowerment, and was described as feasible, accessible, and helpful by those who participated in a pilot study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given public perceptions about those who have sexually offended, there tends to be a focus on offence-specific intervention programs in a bid to address re-offending risk. With a significant portion of the literature on sexual offending focused on the development and evaluation of interventions targeting this behavior, there is little that considers community maintenance programs (CMPs) or those programs in the community where those who are released from prison are attempting to reintegrate. Further, there is no known research considering the theoretical underpinnings of or a framework for delivering CMPs. This paper offers Transformative Learning Theory as a potential framework for the delivery of CMPs and offers that adult learning theory needs to be considered in the delivery of offending interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed: Community participation in planning, delivery, and evaluation of health promotion (HP) programs is a poorly explored topic. However, this approach has the potential to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities, particularly for residents of rural and remote areas. Methods: This case study describes the outputs of an academic‐health service partnership in rural Victoria. The collaboration has led to the implementation and ongoing evaluation of a microgrant program for HP which integrates community participation principles in the foundations of the program and its evaluation. Results: To date, 10 funded projects have been brought to completion, with COVID‐19 having disturbed both grant distribution and funded activity implementation. Semi‐structured interviews with health service officers served to clarify conceptualisation and operationalization of HP principles. Focus groups with health service management and officers contributed to building an overarching evaluation framework for the HP team's activities. Finally, the specific methodological evaluation framework for the microgrant program was developed through a collaborative workshop with the HP team and grantees. Conclusions: Fostering community participation in HP planning, delivery, and evaluation, especially in rural areas, is feasible as evidenced by the experience described in this case study. The forthcoming evaluation results will help clarify the impact of community participation on health‐related outcomes. So What?: Documentation and dissemination of processes used to increase community participation in HP programs is essential to grow the knowledge base around what works and what doesn't, and for whom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Research Question : States have increasingly used merit-based criteria to distribute scholarships and grants, and the dominant conversation on merit-aid programs centers on students attending 4-year colleges and universities. This study examines the characteristics of state-funded merit-aid programs for community college students and provides implications for policymaking to promote educational equity. Methods : With a newly collected dataset capturing a variety of program-level features of state-funded merit-aid policies between 2003 and 2021, we used latent class analysis to identify different types of merit-aid programs for community college students. We present a 3-class model based on model fit indices and practical interpretation of policy designs. Results: Findings indicate three classes of merit-aid programs that extended support to community college students: The Community College Marginalizing Programs (n = 47), The Community College Targeted Programs (n = 4), and The Balanced Programs (n = 17). Conclusions/Contributions : Drawing on Mettler's notion of the policyscape, we discuss the characteristics of the three types of merit-aid programs and provide implications for designing merit-aid programs to better support community college students and promote educational equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The potential for broadening participation in engineering among Black undergraduates via transfer pathways is considerable, given their large share of the community college population. By understanding the opportunities and challenges presented within the context of transfer, this potential can be realized. Purpose/hypothesis: The goal of this study is to explore ways in which Black students who transitioned from a community college to a 4‐year engineering program describe the institutional factors affecting their transfer processes. Design/method: Drawing from a 3‐year qualitative research study involving approximately 27 Black engineering transfer students at a large, predominantly White, institution, we present data derived through interviews and focus groups with these undergraduates. Results: Participants expressed that they benefited from supportive institutional agents who offered engineering transfer‐related resources. These included both faculty and advisors in their mostly Minority Serving Community Colleges (MSCCs) as well as advisors from the engineering college at the 4‐year institution. In addition, respondents described being part of a number of community college programs, including some for Black collegians, that offered resources for transfer. Nonetheless, some participants shared problems that emerged during the transfer process, including having to self‐navigate confusing transfer websites or self‐advocate to resolve erroneous admissions decisions. Conclusions: We suggest a need to elevate MSCCs as learning environments that can produce future Black engineers. We also recommend a systems‐level approach that brings together community colleges and 4‐year institutions while also accounting for issues related to resources as well as power dynamics that students may encounter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]