Browsing by Author "Brown, Samantha"
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Item Alignment of Early Childhood Programs in Colorado: Review of a Legislative Response(University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, 2014) Brown, SamanthaA dearth of coordination and collaboration among early childhood services can have negative consequences for children and families. Alignment of developmental programs for young children is shown to mitigate adverse outcomes and improve access to early childhood care and education. Several policies have been introduced that help to ensure children receive adequate resources in an effort to improve their physical and mental health, development, school performance, and family environment. On May 7, 2013, Colorado Governor Hickenlooper signed House Bill 1117 (2013), which requires the alignment of several early childhood programs under the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). This article describes problems associated with fragmentation of early childhood programs, Colorado’s mission to address these problems through more effective and streamlined systems of care, and how such an approach has promise for implementation in additional states. Implications for social work professionals are also discussed.Item MSW Students’ Understanding of Social Location: The Development of a Positionality Measure(University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, 2015) Peña, Stephanie Lechuga; Klawetter, Susanne; Begun, Stephanie; Brown, SamanthaThe current study presents findings from a pilot study of a positionality measure, developed to assess MSW students’ understanding of positionality encountered in field practice settings. Positionality refers to one’s social location and worldview, which influences how one responds to power differentials in various contexts. This construct is important for social work, as one’s own positionality impacts one’s approach when working with clients, during community engagement, and policy-making. As such, this study examined the utility of developing a positionality measure to assess how MSW students understand and respond to issues related to power, privilege, and oppression in field practice settings. The current study highlights the process of developing and piloting the positionality measure, and preliminary findings from the dissemination of the measure to a sample of MSW students (N = 103) engaged in field placements. Future opportunities for item refinement, including the further establishment of reliability and validity for the measure are discussed.Item PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL WORK VOLUME 10 (SPRING 2014)(University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, 2014) Baldwin, Tamika C.; Vaughn, Janet N.; Cotton, Candace M.; Vakalahi, Halaevalu F. Ofahengaue; Begun, Stephanie; Brown, Samantha; Sayre, Molly MalanyThis is the full-text volume of Perspectives on Social Work, vol. 10 (Spring 2014).