<p>The purpose of this project was to create a program, locate a potential funding source, and fill out a grant application to acquire funding for a physical activity program for clients at Mariposa Women and Family Center who are currently being treated for diagnoses of depression and anxiety. A literature review was conducted to increase the knowledge of the intersection between physical activity and mental well-being, as well as the specific types of physical interventions that are the most effective. During a comprehensive search on the Internet, the California Wellness Foundation was discovered to be the best funding source for the proposed program. A grant application was filled out in order to potentially gain funding to support a physical activity program at Mariposa Women and Family Center in Orange County, California. The actual submission and/or funding was not required for the successful completion of this project. </p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine various social and ecological factors that affect adolescents' nervousness and/or depression. Secondary data from the 2011- 2012 California Health Institute Survey were used to examine these factors. Chi-Square analyses were utilized to test if relationships existed between the variables in the data. This study examined race, poverty level, immigration status, physical well-being, safety of environment, and the receipt of psychological/emotional counseling as factors for influencing feelings of nervousness and/or depression among adolescents. Results indicated that adolescents feeling nervous were affected by race, poverty level, environmental safety, and the receipt of psychological/emotional counseling. Feeling nervous did not have a significant association with physical well-being in this study. Furthermore, adolescent depression was affected by race, poverty level, physical well-being, environmental safety, and the receipt of psychological/emotional counseling. Immigration status was not found to be associated with affecting adolescent nervousness or depression. Further research is suggested.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the demographic differences in methamphetamine usage among youth and how methamphetamine users engaged in the use of other illegal drugs including, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and also engage in risk taking behaviors. The study utilized secondary data from the National Institute of Health, Youth Behavioral Risk Survey (YRBS) of20011. Sample size consisted of 294 both male and female youth who are methamphetamine users. The findings revealed that drug use amongst youth continues to be on the rise. Findings noted that male meth users had the highest rates of cocaine, ecstasy and heroin use compared to female meth users. The highest rate among female meth users was seen in cocaine use. Findings also revealed that cocaine use was the highest among Hispanic/Latino meth users and ecstasy use was the highest among Non-Hispanic/Latino meth users. In addition findings revealed that a significant association was found in youth's drug use and their involvement in risk taking behaviors. Prior research and findings from this study help society have a more proactive approach when helping youth who suffer from the disease of addiction.</p>

<p> The purpose of the current study was to address the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) status and psychological distress within the adolescent population. Data was acquired from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2011-2012, a state-wide phone survey which addresses health issues among the resident population. The present study used data from 2,1 04 California adolescents, utilizing variables relating to demographics, general health condition, and mental health.</p><p> Results indicated a statistically significant relationship between BMI and psychological distress, with overweight adolescents experiencing more distress and depression than their underweight/healthy weight counterparts. Gender and perceived general health condition were both significantly related to distress, with females and those of poor perceived general health condition experiencing greater psychological distress, regardless of weight status. This study has implications for social work policy and practice, especially in work with youth and families.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to explore the association between adolescent characteristics, community factors and mental health. This was achieved by completing a quantitative study analyzing secondary data obtained from a mental health agency in Orange County, California, and an online database, City-Data.com. The results rendered a statistically significant relationship between age and those who had the presenting problem of depression, relational problems, and poor coping. A statistically significant relationship between females and poor coping was also revealed. The most interesting finding, however, was the statistically significant relationship between presenting problems in relation to their community factors. Both poverty levels and educational attainment less than high school among the residents in the communities where these adolescents live were associated with depression and relational problems. The findings of this study are beneficial in identifyirig the need for further research regarding the relationship between educational attainment and mental health.</p>

<p> This action research study examined the impact of participation in an appreciative inquiry (AI) intervention on social service workers' level of compassion fatigue. Five workers plus two of their managers took part in the study. A 6-hour AI intervention was held and participants completed pre- and post-tests of the Professional Quality of Life Scale to measure their compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout. A focus group also was held to gather qualitative data about the impact of the intervention. Results indicated that the intervention was highly valuable for strengthening working relationships, underscoring the positives in otherwise emotionally difficult work, and learning how to avoid or reduce compassion fatigue. Based on these findings, periodic AI interventions are advised to reduce social service workers' compassion fatigue by sharing their experiences and focusing on the positive. Future research should eliminate the limitations of the present study by expanding the sample and gathering multiple forms of data.</p>

This thesis is a bridge to healing Between my grandmothers who have gone on before me And me and my daughter I've been told that I have a keen ability to expose and look at both sides of the story. No matter how ugly the truth may look I am likely to name it, voice it and admit it. This thesis looks at both sides of an Aboriginal adoption and reconnecting story. By both sides I do not mean the sides of the government and First Nations people. I will not give the government such pleasure to voice their opinion to my story. I will tell the sides of the stories of women who have been affected by the adoption scoops. The women, connected through genetics and sisterhood, all have similar roots but different stories. Different stories with different truths.

In 1991, a political event took place in British Columbia that had a major impact on the provision of social services. The province, which for 16 years had been governed by a right-of-centre, pro-business political party was, for the first time since 1975, governed by the left-of-centre NDP party. This conversion of government brought with it a series of major shifts in the provision of social services throughout the province. The organizational change that was initiated continued for the entire 10-year mandate of the provincial NDP. This study explores the period of change and related issues using a hybrid model of methods derived from case study. Methods include participant observer research, a review of relevant literature and documents, and most significantly, key informant interviews with many of the leaders in provincial social services between 1991 and 2001. Findings reflect the relationship between leadership and change and in particular the importance of the former to the latter. Findings also explore the role of values in social services change agendas, the importance of stakeholder involvement in organizational change and the importance of communications and media in the context of change.

The practicum is regarded by many as the most important part of social work students’ program experience. The literature pertaining to Indigenous social work student experiences in field placements is minimal, as is the literature relating to the health and wellness of Indigenous students engaged in social work field education. This thesis is designed to begin to address the gap in the literature. Child protection services have been a destructive force in Indigenous communities in BC. Some research shows that frontline child protection workers suffer negative health consequences due to the stress of the work (Gold, 1998; Reid, 2006). The research questions that directed this study are as follows: How is the holistic health and wellness of Indigenous female students impacted during, and directly following, a government child protection practicum? What factors contribute to an Indigenous student’s resiliency in a Child Welfare Specialization field placement? What coping strategies do Indigenous students employ to stay healthy and balanced during the practicum? The ultimate goal of this thesis research is to create a space for the knowledge and voices of Indigenous women in social work, and to create knowledge that will be used to support future Indigenous practicum students. This research is a qualitative study. Five Indigenous women courageously shared their fourth year child protection social work practicum experiences in respective two hour interviews. All the participants were recent graduates of an undergraduate social work program in British Columbia. All of the study participants were enrolled in a Child Welfare Specializations program. The Indigenous women’s stories were documented using a blend of Indigenous and narrative qualitative methodological approaches. The findings of this thesis reveal that Indigenous student holistic health is significantly impacted during child protection practicum placements. All of the Indigenous women who participated in this thesis experienced stress at different points of the practicum, which had an impact on their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. A significant theme that emerged in the women’s stories was the importance that the supervisor plays in the child protection practicum. The findings of this study suggest that Indigenous students are more vulnerable to stress and ill health in government placements. Therefore particular care needs to be taken to ensure that Indigenous students are placed with supervisors who are sensitive to their needs. Students employ a number of strategies to rebalance their holistic health. Good attention to self-care, engaging in cultural practices and development of support networks are themes that emerged as strategies for coping with the stress of the practicum. This study concludes with recommendations to educators, MCFD policy makers and others who work with Indigenous students.

Drawing from principles of discourse analysis, this study provides a critical exploration of the contemporary debate surrounding spirituality and social work through the analysis of nineteen journal articles written by contemporary social work scholars. Two common problems identified by the scholars include the neglect of spirituality within contemporary practice and a lack of education and guidelines to address spirituality. The solutions identified by the scholars include provision of guidelines and education, the utilization of spirituality as a technique and the creation of spiritually aware social workers. The exclusion of general discussions surrounding macro level issues leads the author of this thesis to suggest that more research is necessary in order to explore how the concept of spirituality might serve to upset current power relations on a collective and systemic level in order to create a more significant impact upon contemporary social work practice and education.