"The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not 82 adults who continued treatment and 42 adults who discontinued treatment at the Leon County Mental Health Clinic differed significantly when cross-tabulated with seven baseline characteristics, six agency-client descriptive items, and eight items designed to reveal 'perception of the client's problem.' It was hoped that additional knowledge of and insight into the problem of discontinuance by a study of closed adult treatment records during a period of one year would help the Clinic serve, more effectively, adult clients in Leon County"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "June, 1961." / "Submitted to the Graduate School of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work." / Advisor: Dorothy D. Hayes, Professor Directing Study. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-65).

"The purpose of this study is to analyze data collected from the records of those persons on the waiting list of the Family Consultation Service, Jacksonville, Florida, to ascertain if they reveal a pattern of association of certain social characteristics. Variables to be studied include: Presenting problem, age differences in marital partners, length of marriages, number of children, referral source, and person making application. The recent literature with regard to waiting lists has been reviewed and the findings incorporated in this study. The need for reexamining agency policies and procedures regarding applicants on the waiting list is recognized. It is believed that this study will provide a basis for such an evaluation"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "June, 1959." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work." / Advisor: David L. Levine, Professor Directing Study. / Includes bibliographical references.

"The purpose of this study was to identify some of the distinguishing characteristics in the backgrounds of patients who presented problems in connection with their hospital discharge (and were thus referred to Social Work Service for discharge planning) from those who did not present such problems. At the Veterans Administration Hospital, Coral Gables, Florida, the economic, social and military factors of 50 patients referred to Social Work Service were compared with those of 50 patients who left the hospital without needing help with discharge planning. Records were kept concerning the number and type of interviews which the social worker had with the fifty patients and/or their family members in order to effect their discharge. The diagnoses and length of stay of these 100 patients were tabulated for the purpose of comparison also. It is hoped that this information will be of value in the future in improving discharge planning techniques, in reducing length of hospital stay for greater utilization of beds, and in obtaining the ultimate in rehabilitation for such patients"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "June, 1961." / "Submitted to the Graduate School of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work." / Advisor: Dorothy D. Hayes, Professor Directing Study. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-62).

"The purpose of this study was to examine some social, economic, and physical characteristics of aged persons who requested admission to Douglas Gardens, the Jewish Home for the Aged of Greater Miami, Florida. It was felt that by means of such an examination some conclusions could be drawn about characteristics which influence an aged person's choice of residence in a home for the aged. Fifty-eight applicants were selected for the purpose of examining these characteristics, a sample which consisted of twenty-eight aged persons who requested admission, but withdrew their applications during the application process and thirty people who were admitted as residents of the Home"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "June, 1961." / "Submitted to the Graduate School of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work." / Advisor: Dixie B. Jones, Professor Directing Study. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-54).

This study examines six oral history projects that were conducted over fifty years in Palm Beach County, Florida. The projects recorded the history of African American neighborhoods in Delray Beach and Boca Raton; individual lives in their place and times; the pioneer and Flagler eras in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach; and people, places, and events chosen by oral history students at Florida Atlantic University. As with oral histories generally, those studied inherently contain numerous variables concerning their (1) historical context, (2) format, and (3) participants, which clearly affect the outcome of recorded interviews and their written representations. Among the variables considered, this study demonstrates that it is the purpose of a single oral history or project that most significantly affects the others, and which is closely tied to the academic disciplines or backgrounds of its planner and interviewer. Although oral history is a tool with many uses, it is also a discipline within that of history. As such, oral historians are obliged to preserve raw history in a form that is protected, accessible, and useful for interpretation by potential researchers in a variety of fields. Regardless of their primary purpose, oral historians from all disciplines should remain aware of this underlying purpose: to provide for the future. / by Lise M. Steinhauer. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Understanding and resolving the water quality problems that Florida Bay has endured requires an understanding of its salinity drivers. Because salinity is the prime factor that drives estuarine ecosystem, Florida Bay’s ecosystem health depends on the correct salinity balance of the Bay. In this thesis, the Regional Oceanic Modeling System - a hydrodynamic prognostic model -was implemented on Florida Bay and it was tailored for shallow waters. Results show that the model captures most of the salinity spatial and temporal variability of Florida Bay. Furthermore, it establishes the role of the major drivers like evaporation, precipitation, and runoff on Florida Bay’s salinity. The model resolves region specific salinity drivers in all four areas of Florida Bay characterized by their own salinity regimes. The model was also able to reveal the impact of surface runoff on salinity in the later part of the year when evaporation increases. A new technique was developed to estimate the discharge and salinity of unmonitored small creeks north of Florida Bay. Those data were estimated from the relationship between net freshwater flux, runoff, and salinity. Model results revealed the importance of accounting for these small creeks to accurately simulate Florida Bay’s salinity. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Peat soils are known to be a significant emitter of atmospheric greenhouse gasses. However, the spatial and temporal variability in production and release of greenhouse gases (such as methane) in peat soils remains uncertain, particularly for low-latitude peatlands like the Florida Everglades, as the majority of studies on gas dynamics in peatlands focus on northern peatlands. The purpose of the work outlined here is focused on understanding the spatial and temporal variability in biogenic gas dynamics (i.e. production and release of methane and carbon dioxide) by implementing various experiments in the Florida Everglades at different scales of measurement, using noninvasive hydrogeophysical methods. Non-invasive methods include ground-penetrating radar (GPR), gas traps, time-lapse cameras, and hydrostatic pressure head measurements, that were constrained with direct measurements on soil cores like porosity, and gas composition using gas chromatography. By utilizing the measurements of in-situ gas volumes, we are able to estimate gas production using a mass balance approach, explore spatial and temporal variabilities of gas dynamics, and better constrain gas ebullition models. A better understanding of the spatial and temporal variability in gas production and release in peat soils from the Everglades has implications regarding the role of subtropical wetlands in the global carbon cycle, and can help providing better production and flux estimates to help global climate researchers improve their predictions and models for climate change. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The hydrological and topographical variation of wetlands can affect the behavior, population growth, and local densities of aquatic species, which in turn can drive the behavior and density dynamics of gleaning predators. Prey availability, primarily determined by prey density and water depth in wetlands, is an important limiting factor for nesting wading bird populations, top predators in the south Florida Everglades. The Everglades is able to support large colonies of nesting wading birds because of the microtopographic variation in the landscape. Some types of prey concentrate in flat, shallow sloughs or become trapped in isolated pools as they move down from higher elevation ridges with receding water levels. Manipulations to the hydrology and landscape of the Everglades has negatively impacted nesting wading bird populations in the past, and may continue to be detrimental by allowing flat, shallow sloughs to be intersected by deep canals, a potential refuge for wading bird prey. In addition, the subtle elevation differences between the ridge and slough landscape may be an important mechanism for increasing slough crayfish (Procambarus fallax) prey availability for the most abundant and seemingly depth-sensitive Everglades wading bird, the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus). I implemented a 2-year experimental study in four replicated manmade wetlands with controlled water recession rates in order to determine the effects of proximate deep water (akin to canals) on fish prey concentrations in the sloughs, as water levels receded similarly to a natural Everglades dry season. I also calculated average daily wading bird densities with game cameras (Reconyx PC800 Hyperfire) using timelapse imagery over 60 days to determine when and where wading birds responded to changing prey concentrations. I completed an additional observational study on White Ibis and slough crayfish prey from the first year of data (2017). Crayfish make up the majority of the diet for nesting White Ibis, and literature has suggested crayfish are most abundant at slough depths much deeper than previously proposed foraging depth limitations for White Ibis. This study specifically compared recent determinations about crayfish movement dynamics in the ridge and slough system with White Ibis foraging behavior and depth limits. Results from the first experimental study suggest that canals might be an attractive refuge for relatively large prey fishes (> 3 cm SL) in sloughs, but it is uncertain if the fencing blocked all prey fish movement. The second observational study determined White Ibis foraging activity was primarily driven by a down-gradient crayfish flux from ridge to slough, with the majority of foraging activity occurring at much deeper slough depths than previously suggested water depth limitations for White Ibis. Results from both of these studies support the importance of preserving the ridgeslough landscape of the Everglades to sustain high prey availability for wading birds. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Changes in vegetation may influence the quality and quantity of the underlying organic peat soils and have impacts on faunal populations. My goal was to determine whether shifts from native slough communities to invasive cattail in the Florida Everglades could affect peat characteristics that could cascade to impact the dry season survival of crayfish (Procambarus fallax). I contrasted peat soils from native slough and cattail-invaded sites as alternative dry-season burrowing substrates for crayfish. Cattail peat had higher average bulk density and inorganic content within the first ten centimeters of the soil profile. Crayfish showed marginally greater initial burrowing success in slough peat than in cattail peat but survival was equivalent in both peat soils and high overall. Understanding these indirect linkages between vegetation and crayfish populations in the Everglades can provide insight on the consequences of plant invasion on ecosystem trophic dynamics. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Water treatment facilities across the United States are known for providing high-quality drinking water to their residents. However, differences in treatment methods, aging infrastructure, and outdated household plumbing may affect the quality of drinking water by the time it reaches the consumer’s tap. Palm Beach County, Florida, is an area with large socioeconomic contrasts where some families live in dilapidated structures and others reside in luxurious, gated communities. This research highlights the variation of household water quality by determining metal concentrations in tap water samples in communities of different socioeconomic status. In addition, interviews were conducted with personnel from five different Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in the study area to understand the relationship between customers and their water utility. Results indicate that effective communication strategies are needed to boost public trust and fill critical information gaps about the water treatment process. Ninety-six tap water samples were collected from households throughout eastern Palm Beach County and analyzed for different metals using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. Surveys were also administered at the same households where tap water samples were collected. Residents were asked about their perceptions of tap water and social and economic questions regarding their household characteristics. A Socioeconomic Status (SES) index was created using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to understand how perceptions of tap water quality and concentrations of metals in household tap water vary based on SES. Results provide evidence that those living in the lowest-ranking SES neighborhoods are the least satisfied with their tap water quality and consume less tap water than those living in higher SES neighborhoods. Water quality results highlighted large variations in concentrations of aluminum (Al) and thus, analyses focused specifically on how Al concentrations varied according to SES. Results from Ordinary Least Squares regression show that as socioeconomic status decreases, the concentration of Al in tap water increases. Six samples exceed the State of Florida’s Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) for Al, and five of those samples were found in the lowest-ranking SES neighborhoods (SES 1 and 2). The results of this research provide evidence that inequities in household water quality exist across eastern Palm Beach County, Florida. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection