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Item A Facility-Level Analysis of Nursing Home Compare Five Star Rating and Maryland’s Family Satisfaction with Care Survey Get access Arrow(Oxford University Press, 2023-12-18) Kusmaul, Nancy; Millar, Roberto J; Diehl, Christin; Stockwell, IanBackground and Objectives: Nursing facilities care for individuals with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. Poor quality is associated with greater disease and mortality. Quality comprises many factors and different stakeholders value different factors. This study aimed to compare two care quality frameworks, one based on observable factors and one on family satisfaction. Research Design and Methods: We merged publicly available 2021 Maryland nursing facility data. The Maryland Health Care Commission surveys long-term care residents’ family satisfaction across seven domains. CMS’ five-star ratings aggregate inspections, staffing, and quality measures. We used univariate and bivariate statistics to compare the frameworks. Results: The dataset included 220 facilities and 4,610 survey respondents. The average facility rating was 7.70/10 and overall 77% of respondents would recommend the facility. Eighty-six percent of respondents from 5-star facilities, 79% from 4-star facilities, and 76% from 3-star facilities would recommend the facility compared to 65% from 1-star facilities (p < 0.001, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Four or 5-star facilities received significantly higher ratings (8.33, p < 0.001; 7.75, p < 0.05, respectively) than 1-star facilities (7.07). Discussion and Implications: Our results corroborated earlier findings of strong associations between CMS ratings and satisfaction at the extremes of the five-star system. These associations are inconsistent across family-reported domains. This suggests overlap between the frameworks. CMS ratings address care quality; family satisfaction measures quality of life and care quality. High satisfaction is associated with high care quality and quality of life; lower satisfaction is associated with lower care quality.Item CIDER program supports new approach to measuring nursing home quality, plus more research collaborations(UMBC News, 2023-03-15) Fraser, AdrianaItem Board Games Revisited w/ Dr. Kerri Evans, Dr. Keisha Allen, Netty Lichtman, Brittany Murillo, & Kaylee Reyes(UMBC Center for Social Science Research, 2023-10-04) Anson, Ian; Evans, Kerri; Allen, Keisha; Murillo, Brittany; Evans, Kaylee; Lichtman, NettyOn this episode we return to our discussion of pedagogical simulations and the immigrant experience in educational settings from Dr. Kerri Evans, Assistant Professor of Social Work at UMBC; Dr. Keisha Allen, formerly of UMBC, who is now Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park; recent UMBC graduates Brittany Murillo and Kaylee Evans; and current UMBC senior, Netty Lichtman.Item Higher education can be elusive for asylum-seekers and immigrants(The Conversation, 2023-11-06) Evans, Kerri; Connors, Ishara Casellas; Unangst, LisaItem Educational Services for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in the United States(Taylor & Francis, 2022-07-25) Hasson III, Robert G.; Corbett, Caitlin; Diaz-Valdés, Antonia; Evans, Kerri; Crea, Thomas M.; Underwood, DawnyaSome unaccompanied children (UC) who migrate to the United States (US) receive post-release services (PRS) to help them adjust to the US and access community-based supports. Upon their arrival to the US, UC discuss their need(s) with their PRS caseworker in order to identify their primary needs. This study examines factors associated with UC who reported education services as a primary PRS need. The sample is based on administrative data shared by a major nonprofit in the US that provides technical support for PRS for UC throughout the US (n = 851). The cross-sectional research design includes a binomial logit regression model. Older UC have higher odds of reporting educational services as a primary need and UC placed with their mothers have lower odds of reporting education services as a primary need. The results can inform how education professionals and social services assess the needs of vulnerable immigrants. For example, older UC may require additional support with navigating barriers for accessing education. Conversely, UC who are placed with their mother may require less support with accessing education. Future research includes examining education levels and need for education support, and qualitative methods that describe how family dynamics inform the need for education services.Item Inclusive education for children with disabilities in a refugee camp(Wiley, 2022-03-16) Crea, Thomas M.; Evans, Kerri; Hasson III, Robert G.; Neville, Sarah; Werner, Kelsey; Wanjiku, Elizabeth; Okumu, Nobert; Arnold, Gregory St.; Velandria, Eric; Bruni, DanielaChildren in refugee camps, and particularly those with disabilities, face unique challenges in accessing education and are at high risk of being marginalised. Best practices suggest that main-streaming is the optimal strategy for serving students with disabilities. This study examines the extent to which mainstreaming in a refugee camp helps to promote children's prosocial behaviours, taking into account their emotional and behavioural problems. In Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, researchers collected data from the parents of children currently enrolled in special needs education centres (n=65) and from those formerly enrolled at these facilities who transitioned to mainstream classrooms (n=81). Children in mainstream schools functioned better in terms of prosocial behaviours, but this relationship disappeared when factoring in children's emotional and behavioural difficulties. In the context of a refugee camp, mainstreaming alone is not likely to help children's psychosocial and educational functioning, which requires dedicated supports, appropriate facilities and infrastructure, and a dual focus on disability-specific and disability-inclusive initiatives.Item Examining Traumatic Experiences: Violence, Loss, Isolation, Cultural Struggle, and Their Influence on the Mental Health of Unaccompanied Rohingya Youth Resettled in the U.S.(Taylor & Francis, 2023-08-28) Evans, Kerri; Nemphos, Nick; Husfloen, Teri; Ferguson, Hannah; Gross, KathleenThe Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar, are a relatively small, yet extremely vulnerable group of refugees in the United States. Most research on Rohingya focuses on trauma in Myanmar rather than adjustment to the U.S., and almost none looks specifically at adolescents. Therefore, in this paper the data are from qualitative focus groups (n = 10) with 23 service providers to help answer the research question: In what ways did service providers discuss the trauma histories and mental health adjustment of Rohingya unaccompanied refugee minors? Results indicate that both pre-migration trauma and aspects of adjustment post-arrival are factors influencing the rocky start to life in U.S. communities. Specifically, a history of normalized violence was noted to lead to acting out behaviors and seeking of harm; and their vast experiences of loss (family, friends, and culture) were discussed in terms of survivors’ guilt and prolonged mental health challenges. Themes in terms of post migration isolation in a new environment, and cultural struggles in understanding U.S. culture and the norms of foster care were also discussed. Implications include the need to destigmatize mental health services and seek alternatives, help youth overcome the survivor’s guilt, and ensure both foster parents and case management staff have adequate training and tools to work with youth who have experienced extreme institutional discrimination, personal violence, and ethnic cleansing.Item Humanizing Internationalization in the Context of Permanent Displacement(NAFSA, 2023) Unangst, Lisa; Connors, Ishara Casellas; Evans, KerriItem Addressing Mental Health Needs of Hispanic and Latino Unaccompanied Minors Web Panel(HiLaMHTTC, 2021-05-07) Zayas, L. H.; Orengo-Aguayo, R.; Hasson III, R. G.; Evans, KerriRaising awareness of the traumatic experiences, background, developmental history, and mental health needs of unaccompanied minors (UC) and place this in the context of the child’s culture and national origin is critical. The panelists will provide an overview of what is trauma, common reactions (emotional/behavioral) observed in youth after traumatic events, and evidence-based tips and strategies to bolster resiliency and promote psychological recovery among unaccompanied minors that any individual or community member interacting with these youth can use. The webinar will include a description of mental health assessment strategies for unaccompanied minors in the United States, with a focus on how the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Barriers and facilitators to community participation and making referrals that lead to positive engagement for UC and their families and cultural and linguistic considerations when working with Hispanic/Latino UAC will be discussed. This webinar was recorded live on 04/28/2021 if you would like to know about our next webinars contact us at hispaniclatino@mhttcnetwork.org to join our mailing list. For more information please visit: http://www.mhttcnetwork.org/hispanicl...Item Strategies to Increase Community Participation of Unaccompanied Minors(HiLaMHTTC, 2021-05-10) Evans, KerriCasework practices in connecting UAC to culturally relevant community resources including formal and informal mental health supports and school. The presentation will cover barriers and facilitators to community participation and making referrals that lead to positive engagement for UC and their families. We will address the benefits of community collaborations and building networks as well as strategies to reduce barriers including stigma and cultural preconceptions, with the goal of increasing service utilization. As education is one of the primary needs and also one of the main locations of connection to US-born people, we will specifically address school enrollment, orientation to US school systems, and ongoing well-being in the classroom. Learning objectives: 1. Participants will understand barriers to community participation, school enrollment, and school well-being. 2. Participants will discuss strategies for improving barriers to community participation for immigrant children. 3. Participants will learn best practices in creating welcoming schools for immigrant children. This webinar was recorded live on 05/05/2021 if you would like to know about our next webinars contact us at hispaniclatino@mhttcnetwork.org to join our mailing list. For more information please visit: http://www.mhttcnetwork.org/hispanicl...Item A Social Work Perspective on Immigration Reform(AASWSW, 2022-02-16) Evans, Kerri; Zayas, Luis H.; Palinkas, Lawrence A.This program is presented in partnership with the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis via Open Classroom. --- In recent decades, there has been a lack of consensus on how to respond to the growing demand for political asylum, legal status as citizens, and economic opportunity for immigrants and refugees seeking entry or currently living in the United States. As a profession, social work is called to empower and give voice to these disenfranchised and vulnerable individuals and give voice to those unable to speak for themselves. In this webinar, two leading authorities are interviewed to examine the current debate on immigration reform from a social work perspective. Panelists include: Kerri Evans, PhD, LCSW Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work University of Maryland, Baltimore County - Luis H. Zayas, PhD Dean & Professor, Steve Hicks School of Social Work University of Texas at Austin - Moderated by: Lawrence A. Palinkas, PhD Albert G. & Frances Lomas Feldman Professor of Social Policy and Health Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California.Item Game Changers(UMBC Magazine, 2021-12-08) Lamb, KennedyItem Post-release services for unaccompanied children: Current gaps and needed improvements(CICW, 2022-08) Evans, Kerri; Londoño, TatianaItem Bullying Victimization and Bully Prevention Programs as Predictors of Classroom Peer Support for Immigrant and US-born Students(Universidad de la Costa, 2023-07-10) Evans, KerriIntroduction: On average, one in four students in US schools are part of immigrant families, and school is the main place they engage with US-born peers. Their ability to thrive in the classroom can be impacted by both bullying and support of peers and teachers. Objective: This paper sought to understand the relationships between bullying victimization, bullying prevention programs, and school mental health staff on classroom peer support, noting differences among immigrant and US-born students. Methodology: Data are from 7 881 fifth to tenth graders from The Health Behavior in School Children (HBSC) cross-sectional survey. Stata was used to run descriptive statistics, t-tests, and a Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) to examine the extent to which different supports, victimizations, and demographics influence the level of peer support that students sense in the classroom. Results and discussion: Results indicate no difference in levels of peer support between immigrant and US-born students. However, the influence of interpersonal bullying victimization had a negative relationship with peer support for both US-born and immigrant students across multiple models. Similarly, bullying prevention programs were a significant predictor of increased peer support across multiple models. Conclusion: Implications suggest more research on the topic, and advocacy for bullying prevention programs that are peer led and intentionally account for immigrant students.Item Medical Aid in Dying: How Might U.S. Policy Prevent Suffering at the End of Life?(Taylor & Francis, 2023-06-22) Kusmaul, Nancy; Becker, Todd D.; Gibson, Allison; Wallace, Cara L.Medical aid in dying refers to policies that allow terminally ill patients to seek assistance from their medical providers to obtain medications to hasten death. In this paper, we used a 7-point policy analysis model to examine the diversity of medical aid in dying policies that exist in jurisdictions (states and territories) in the U.S. and the implications of these policies for suffering at end of life. As of this writing, these practices are available in 12 jurisdictions, including 11 states and the District of Columbia. Legalization has occurred via statutory approaches in 10 jurisdictions and permissive approaches in two jurisdictions. We discuss the structures of these laws, the requirements for participation, and the limitations created by having jurisdiction-specific policies on such broad, bioethical issues. Existing laws appear to relieve suffering in patients at end of life. Jurisdictional differences create barriers to comprehensive expansion but provide insights into practice in different contexts.Item Exploring Neighborhood Social Environment and Social Support in Baltimore(Oxford University Press, 2021-06-21) Mair, Christine A.; Lehning, Amanda; Waldstein, Shari R.; Evans, Michele K.; Zonderman, Alan B.Intervention efforts include social support as a mechanism to promote well-being in diverse communities. Cultivating support can be complex, particularly in disadvantaged urban communities. This complexity is compounded by a lack of studies that attempt to map associations between urban neighborhood environments and social support exchanges. Authors address this gap by analyzing data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study (Wave 1, 2004–2009), a 20-year epidemiological investigation of African American and White adults living in Baltimore City. Results of ordinary least squares linear regression models (N = 2,002) indicate that individuals who report that their neighborhoods have more social resources (p = .03), social order (p < .001), social cohesion (p = .002), and social control (p = .001) tend to exchange more social support. Respondents in neighborhoods with more social disorder report providing more support (p = .02), but receive less (p = .004). Neighborhood social environment is more consistently associated with support received from friends or other kin compared with spouses and children. These findings suggest that neighborhood social environments may be a key contextual consideration for social work intervention efforts and indicate need for macro-level interventions to complement existing micro-level interventions.Item Policy and Legal Implications for Working with Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in Foster Care in the United States(MDPI, 2023-03-20) Evans, KerriUnaccompanied immigrant children arrive in the US having fled deteriorating conditions and human rights violations in their home countries. Despite the large numbers of unaccompanied children, there is a lack of research on outcomes for unaccompanied children in the US and particularly for those in the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) Long Term Foster Care (LTFC) program. This manuscript begins with a review of the existing laws that influence unaccompanied children (UC) served through the ORR’s LTFC program and a review of the current research on UC in foster care in the US. Notably, this manuscript also visualizes the numbers of UC that have arrived in the US since the early 2000s. These are used to provide a synthesis of recommendations for policy and practice with unaccompanied children.Item Social Workers Critical to Honoring Commitments to Residents and Families in Long-Term Care(Taylor & Francis Online, 2023-02-21) Kusmaul, Nancy; Roberts, Amy Restorick; Hector, Paige; Galambos, Colleen; Zimmerman, Sheryl; Bern-Klug, Mercedes; Connolly, Robert; Wang, Xiaochuan; Herman, ChrisSocial workers have been at the forefront of research and advocacy to improve nursing home care for several decades. However, United States (U.S.) regulations have not kept pace with professional standards, as nursing home social services workers are still not required to have a degree in social work and many are assigned caseloads that are untenable for providing quality psychosocial and behavioral health care. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)’s recently published interdisciplinary consensus report, The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring our Commitment to Residents, Families, and Staff (NASEM, 2022) makes recommendations for changing these regulations, reflecting years of social work scholarship and policy advocacy. In this commentary, we highlight the NASEM report recommendations for social work and chart a course for continuing scholarship and policy advocacy to improve resident outcomes.Item High Interest in Pursuing Trauma-Informed Care in Nursing Home Social Services Directors(Sage, 2023-01-26) Kusmaul, Nancy; Becker, Todd D.; Hector, Paige; Bern-Klug, Mercedes; Smith, Kevin M.This study explored nursing home social services directors’ interest in pursuing trauma-informed care (TIC) training, and individual and organizational characteristics associated with their interest. Data from the 2019 National Nursing Home Social Services Directors Survey, a national cross-sectional survey, were used. Measures sought information on participants’ interest in TIC training, sociodemographic characteristics, and characteristics of employing nursing homes. Descriptive statistics and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used. Of the 924 respondents, 880 (95.2%) were included in the analysis. Most (71.7%) expressed high interest in TIC training. Younger age, fewer years of nursing home social services experience, being degreed and licensed in social work, and being a person of color were associated with greater odds of high interest in TIC training. Neither nursing home ownership nor social services staffing ratio was significantly associated with interest in TIC training. As policy requires TIC in nursing homes, these findings present a first step towards understanding implementation.Item The Association Between Engagement in Activities of Daily Living and Care Interactions for Residents Living With Dementia(Wolters Kluwer, 2022-10-21) McPherson, Rachel; Resnick, Barbara; Galik, Elizabeth; Gruber-Baldini, Ann L.; Holmes, Sarah; Kusmaul, NancyBackground: Care interactions are essential to residents with dementia. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the characteristics and quality of staff-resident care interactions among nursing home residents living with dementia and to test whether the quality of staff-resident care interactions varied by resident level of engagement in the interaction. Specifically, it was hypothesized that controlling for age, gender, comorbidities, cognition, and function, actively engaged residents would have more positive care interactions with staff compared with passively engaged residents. Methods: This was a secondary data analysis using baseline data from the Evidence Integration Triangle for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia intervention study. Results: A total of 532 residents were included. Actively engaged residents had significantly more positive interactions compared to passively engaged residents. Conclusions: Passively engaged residents may be at risk to receive poor quality care interactions. Strategies and interventions to optimize care interactions for these individuals are needed.