<p>Abstract In this thesis, I draw on qualitative research collected through a California food bank's CalFresh outreach program to examine barriers to SNAP participation. Drawing on ethnographic methodology, I conducted participant observation, semi-structured interviews, phone surveys and numerous informal interviews in order to develop a client narrative around the application process. Through this research I explored the obstacles and barriers clients must overcome to enroll and maintain enrollment in CalFresh. My research findings revealed there are numerous barriers to participation. Some barriers are a result of being a vulnerable low-income individual or household, while others are a result of program administration or service delivery. My research also revealed that having a community based advocate or CBO intermediary significantly improved the client experience. Having assistance and an advocate throughout the application process improved the application experience as well as retention in the program. Keywords: Keywords: CalFresh Participation, SNAP, food stamps, CalFresh outreach, food bank outreach

<p> In this analysis, we use National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data to investigate whether the adoption of the ambulatory electronic health records (EHR) system is associated with changes in patient-specific health education prescription rates, patient-physician interaction time, and returned appointment rates. We estimate the treatment effect of EHR adoption with multinomial propensity score weighting adjusted regressions. We find evidence to suggest that full EHR adoption positively affects patient-specific health education prescription rates. We find no robust evidence to show a significant effect of the EHR system on time utilization or returned appointment rates. We discuss possible reasons for our findings. We recommend linking patient education with quality improvement efforts and improving the usability of EHR systems.</p>

<p> In public policy literature, there is a lack of research that integrates social construction theory within the advocacy coalition framework, and far less is known about how these theories address policy change and processes related to programs for disabled veterans.The purpose of this study was to conduct a policy analysis to evaluate how well the needs of veterans are met through the U.S. Veterans' Disability Compensation (USVDC) program. In a case study of a city in the southeastern U.S., gaps between formulation and implementation of USVDC policy were examined. The theoretical frameworks used in this study were Hacker's formulation and implementation gap to analyze policy, Schneider and Ingram's conceptualization of social construction, and Sabatier and Weible's advocacy coalition framework. The central research question for this study explored the extent to which the USVDC program meets the needs of disabled veterans (DVs). Data consisting of over 355 USVDC formulation and implementation documents, from March 2007 through August 2013, were coded using a priori codes and content analysis methodology.Findings indicate the USVDC policy subsystem struggled to manage the claims backlog that grew to over one million claims. Between April 2013 and September 2013, an emphasis to reduce the claims backlog improved stalled policy formulation, resulting in a shift to positive social constructions for DVs.Implications for positive social change include improved collaboration between policy makers, the Veterans' Administration, and recently transitioned target group DVs, to reshape policy formulation and implementation to further improve the quality of life for sick and injured veterans when entering the USVDC policy subsystem.</p>

<p> Policies aimed at economic development can be judged by two criteria: efficiency and equity. Policies that result in both greater efficiency and greater equity lead to shared economic prosperity for a region. The innovation economy includes some of the fastest growing industries which generate new wealth in the U.S. Within this context, the life sciences industry has been a prime target for economic development for individual states. This case study examines the economic development agenda in the Massachusetts life sciences industry and whether these efforts result in both sustaining competitive advantage (i.e., continuous innovation that improves productivity and product and service quality) and supporting greater equity&mdash;particularly equality of opportunity and a fair distribution of outcomes. In addition to examining how economic development supports sustained competitive advantage, the study focuses on the extent to which equity goals are defined, implemented, and realized by employers and stakeholders in this fast growing sector. </p><p> This case study design employs both quantitative and qualitative methods, between 2000 and 2010. I find that the life sciences industries in Massachusetts have sustained competitive advantage with growth and concentration intensifying in the second half of the decade. Growth in the life sciences has benefited the highest skilled workers, but left many others behind. Industry concentration in downstream operations (e.g., manufacturing and clinical trials), which is thought to benefit mid-skilled workers, has not been realized in Massachusetts. However, there is some evidence that economic benefits are spreading. Growth has concentrated not only in the Boston-Cambridge core, but also in the Worcester I-495 region. Although women and minorities have been underrepresented in the innovation economy, they have had greater access to employment opportunities in the life sciences when compared to other high tech sectors. </p><p> In the interest of supporting equity goals in economic development, possible policy solutions are numerous. Growth in the life sciences sector results in increased state tax revenues. This increase in revenue is more than sufficient to cover existing economic development efforts and might also cover initiatives in the local services sector and increase initiatives that address workforce diversity.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University OF MICHIGAN.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University OF MICHIGAN.

DISSERTATION (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, San Francisco, 2009. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-10, Section: A, page: 4073. Adviser: Ruth Malone.

Abstract Not Available.

Abstract Not Available.