No description available.

<p> The purpose of this research paper is to examine the effects of neighbourhood factors on attitudes towards Mental health facilities. The research hypothesis is that personal attitudes towards mental health are a major determinant of reactions to community mental health facilities. The study conducted by the Canadian Training Institute (CTI) in 1983 provides relevant data on attitudes toward mental health group homes. Attitudes towards mental health group homes were studied using measures of desirability and perceived neighbourhood impacts. In order to test the hypothesis, two sets of relationships were examined; the relationship between facility impact and neighbourhoods;and the relationship between facility desirability and neighbourhoods. The results provide support for the results obtained by Trute and Segal in Canada and Linsky in the United States. The results showed similar socio-demographic profiles and attitudes of potential accepting and rejecting neighbourhoods. Therefore, the conclusions are that attitudes towards mental health group homes vary spatially between different types of neighbourhoods. The results have practical reference because they can help planners locate mental health facilities in locations where public opposition and patient dissatisfactionare minimized. </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)

<p> The purpose of this thesis project was to write a grant proposal to secure funding for a mindfulness meditation training program for adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at Venice Family Clinic in Venice, California. A literature review was conducted to examine topics related to ADHD including the unique and challenging experiences of adults with ADHD. The purpose of the proposed program was to increase knowledge in participants about ADHD, improve their mindfulness skills, reduce their ADHD symptoms, and improve their perceived well-being. The Ralphs M. Parsons Foundation was chosen for the proposed grant funding. The actual submission or funding or this grant proposal was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to write a grant to develop a mentoring program for foster youth. The program will be designed for minority male youth, ages 12 to 18, and will espouse the Recovery Model. This model seeks to promote client empowerment by allowing the minority males to have a say in the selection of mentors. The client will have a large state in their treatment plan and other goals concerning permanency following departure from the out of home foster care environment.</p><p> A literature review was conducted in order to provide empirical evidence in support of a mentoring program. The mentoring program will be located in Ettie Lee Youth &amp; Family Services, located in Los Angeles County. The actual submission or funding of this grant was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project.</p>

<p> Research shows that there has been a significant increase in mental health issues within the college student population. Applying recovery-oriented principles as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) may be an effective approach to creating and adapting mental health resources for college students. In the current study, literature on the following was reviewed: (a) the college culture, (b) the prevalence of mental health issues for college students, and (c) recovery-oriented principles. Then, a critical analysis of the literature was conducted based upon the following recovery-oriented principles: (a) encouraging a holistic approach, (b) self-responsibility and self-empowerment, (c) strengths-based practice, (d) cultural sensitivity), and (e) family support. Findings indicate that holistic resources highlight individual needs and creativity; programs that encourage self-responsibility underscore the importance of self-screenings; strengths-based approaches are centered around building self-esteem and increasing positive emotions; culturally sensitive resources are often group-oriented and acknowledge multiple facets of diversity, and programming that promotes family support emphasizes psychoeducation and stigma reduction. Based upon the integration of these findings, adaptations of current efforts on campus to promote these principles, as well as new ideas, are provided.</p>

<p> Human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a dire human rights violation, is a world-wide problem. According to the Polaris Project (n.d.), the illegal sex trade makes 32 billion dollars yearly. Women and children are often sexually exploited for profit after being lured away by &ldquo;fraud, force, or coercion&rdquo; (U.S. Department of State, 2009, p. 8). This phenomenon poses a serious threat to women and youth who are at risk and vulnerable to exploitation. The majority of females are victimized in their own country (McClain &amp; Garrity, 2011). Nonetheless, many Americans are not aware that such tragic underground criminal activity is thriving right here, within our own borders. Trafficking occurs in every state across the nation and approximately 14,500 to 17,500 foreign victims are trafficked each year into our nation (McClain &amp; Garrity, 2011; Polaris Project, n.d.). This is not only a problem for third world countries; this is a global problem that threatens the safety of countless women and children. Though primary prevention is the ultimate goal, Young (2012) illuminates the need for continued education and training of professionals working with survivors as well as collaboration across multiple service venues over time. The current study seeks to contribute to the limited but growing body of literature in this important area by identifying factors that are important to consider when working with survivors of sex trafficking. This researcher will personally interview professionals and staff who work directly with survivors of sex trafficking and recruit survivors to respond anonymously to a questionnaire about their experiences. Both the interview and the questionnaire inquiries will pose open-ended questions in order to gather qualitative data from service providers and survivors, respectively. This study will provide an opportunity to gain insight and perspective on the pertinent factors that need attention when working with this unique population. </p><p> Key words: sex trafficking, survivors, service providers, factors.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to create awareness about the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) community. The CSEC victims face many challenges, which include socioeconomic hardship, mental health issues, criminal charges and inappropriate coping mechanism. The workshops will be focus on educating the Willowbrook community members and bringing awareness about CSEC using the Public Health Model (PHM) perspective. The workshops will focus on what commercial exploitation is, who the victims are, how CSEC victims are lured, circumstances that lead a juvenile into being sexually exploited, and what the community can do to help alleviate CSEC population. The workshops will only include risk factors associated with the CSEC population, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Questioning Youth (LGBTQ), international sex trafficking and the main causes for the CSEC victims. The different prevention programs and interventions currently in place will also be a focus in the workshop. The major component of the proposed program will be to educate the community with facts about the CSEC population and linkages to the multiple programs serving the CSEC community. Submission and/or funding of the project were not requirements for the successful completion of this project.</p>

<p> The purpose of this proposal was to identify the need and write a grant to fund a mental health school based program for adolescents that have a variety of mental health concerns using cognitive behavior therapy techniques. The sponsoring school for the grant proposal was Gladstone High School in Azusa, California. If funded, the school will be able to implement provide mental health services specifically to the students of Gladstone High School. This program that consists of a licensed clinical social worker and 3 master of social work interns will help assess mental health needs of students, provide cognitive behavioral interventions in individual counseling sessions, psychoeducation groups for students, mental health trainings for students, teachers, and families, and meeting with students/families to track their progress.</p>

<p> Mental illness can be debilitating and gravely affect the quality of life (QoL) of individuals with mental disorders. What is more, it is often difficult for individuals to manage their disorder while maintaining a good QoL and to work towards a recovery that encompasses all aspects of their lives. This content analysis of 23 scholarly articles attempted to collect as many influencing factors to QoL and recovery, both positive and negative. The results indicated that there are a variety of environmental, psychological, and social elements that affect QoL and recovery. Social support and social networks were cited most often as improving QoL and aiding in recovery while stigma was found hinder recovery and improved QoL. Additionally, it gathered information about different treatments, interventions, and resources used to treat mental disorders. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a therapeutic intervention, was found to be a commonly used intervention. Recommendations for social work practice, policy, and future research regarding mental health are also presented in this analysis.</p>

<p>This dissertation provides readers with a general framework for understanding drug addiction from a Winnicottian perspective that can help clinicians to better understand and work with clients who struggle with drug addiction. The underlying purpose of developing such a framework is not to formulate a ?master theory? that is applicable to all cases of addiction or that claims to encompass all of the myriad facets of addiction?such an endeavor would prove impossible, reductionistic, and hubristic. Rather, this dissertation uses Winnicott?s theories to identify and explore emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and developmental components of addictive processes that are present in some?but not all?cases of addiction. Although etiological factors play a prominent role in this dissertation, I argue that a Winnicottian approach can help clinicians to work with clients regardless of how much is known about their pasts and illustrate that a Winnicottian perspective need not be reductionisitc. I developed this model by applying the insights gleaned from primary and secondary literature to a case study. More specifically, I analyze the case utilizing three especially prominent themes in Winnicott?s theory: being, aggression, and creativity. Doing so enabled me to conclude the following regarding addiction: From a Winnicottian perspective, an individual?s relationships with drugs of abuse are both interpersonal and regressive in nature and are founded upon the need to experience the personal aliveness that accompanies the actualization of one or more developmental potentials.