Rehabilitation and healthcare centers (RHCs) provide ongoing care to the elderly and chronically ill. To maximize the quality of this care, RHC staff must be properly trained to respond to patient care crises and communicate across departments. Although researchers have studied the leadership styles, strategies, and interactions of facility administrators and nursing directors, there is a substantial gap in the literature on the leadership styles and strategies employed by directors of social services (DSSs). The aim of this phenomenological study was to address this gap in the research by exploring how DSSs influenced leadership policies, prepared subordinates for crisis intervention and management, perceived that social workers influenced decision-making in patient care, and believed that communication amongst RHC staff about patient care could be improved. The conceptual framework for this study was based on 3 leadership model constructs: the multilevel leadership model construct, the situational leadership model construct, and the complex adaptive leadership model construct. Participants included a purposive sample of 10 DSSs working in large, corporate RHCs in Virginia. Data were collected via in-person, semistructured interviews consisting of open-ended questions. Data were analyzed via Hycner's phenomenological approach. Findings from this investigation helped clarify roles and responsibilities of DSSs, thereby improving the leadership they provide to subordinate social workers. Findings may be used to improve communication across professionals within RHCs and emphasize the important role that social workers should play in patient care decisions.

In Broward County, Florida, over 2,600 individuals experience homelessness daily (Broward Regional Health Planning Council, 2015). Both positive and negative publicity have resulted, based on how local governments have addressed the problem using law enforcement. The typical cycle of homelessness often results in arrests for life-sustaining misdemeanor crimes that would be better suited for diversion into social services. A recent phenomenon between law enforcement and social services emerged in Broward County to help problem-solve reducing criminal recidivism of the homeless. The focus of this study was the collaboration in Broward County between law enforcement and social services to improve communication between the agencies, leading to the reduction of criminal recidivism of homeless individuals. Using a case study methodology, archival data and other documents were collected and analyzed. The study included a comparison between the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the Houston Police Department. Both communities have significant homeless populations, both are multicultural, and both have collaborations between law enforcement and social services to address homelessness. The approaches used by the Broward Sheriff’s Office include specialized training for mental health and homeless outreach. These approaches appear to be the impetus of their successes, which show reductions of up to 21% since 2013 of their at-large (no fixed address) inmates in their jail population (Broward Sheriff’s Office, 2017). This case study suggests recommendations for law enforcement training, impacts of law enforcement collaborations with social services, and impacts of law enforcement utilizing case management systems.

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur sugar dating-fenomenet anses i Stockholms Län av polis och socialtjänst som samverkar kring fenomenet, samt hur samverkansarbetet ser ut mellan myndigheterna i regionen. Studien baseras på kvalitativ metod i form av intervjuer en informant från varje myndighet. Analysen har gjorts med ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv för att förstå och förmedla informanternas beskrivningar. Teorier som användes var samverkansteori, sexuella övergrepp och trauma, skam samt utifrån ett feministiskt perspektiv. Studiens resultat visade att myndigheterna likställde sugar dating med prostitution, något som inte överensstämde med vad tidigare forskning presenterat. Tidigare forskning hävdade att sugar dating är mer som en modern relation där parterna avtalar vad som ska ingå och inte. Majoriteten av de som engagerar sig i sugar dating har varit utsatta för sexuella övergrepp, vilket kan ha lett till att de utvecklat ett självskadebeteende i att sälja sex. Resultaten visar en motstridighet till de hinder kring sekretess som tidigare forskning presenterat, i Stockholm upplevdes detta inte som något problem. En betydelsefull slutsats var att det är två myndigheter som samverkan med olika uppdrag, men målet är detsamma – att hjälpa unga tjejer och kvinnor som lever i sexuell utsatthet och befinner sig i riskfyllda miljöer. / This study aims to investigate how sugar dating is considered in Stockholm County by the police and social services that collaborate on the phenomenon, and how they operate the collaboration work in the region. The study is based on a qualitative method in terms of interviews with an informant from each authority. The analysis has been done with a hermeneutic perspective to understand and convey the informants' descriptions. Theories used were collaboration theory, sexual abuse and trauma, shame and a feminist perspective. The results of the study showed that the authorities equated sugar dating with prostitution, something that did not agree with what previous research presented. Previous research claimed that sugar dating is more like a modern relationship where the man and woman agree on what should be included and excluded. The majority of those who engage in sugar dating have been sexually abused, which may have led them to develop self-harming behavior in selling sex. The results show a contradiction to the obstacles to confidentiality that previous research has presented, in Stockholm this was not perceived as a problem. An important conclusion was that there are two authorities that collaborate with different assignments, but the goal is the same - to help young girls and women who live in sexual exposure and are in risky environments.

Denna studie visar att en hög grad av tvingande isomorfism präglar den mindre kommunens förutsättningar. Vi har studerat den kommunala socialtjänsten i Strömsunds kommun mellan 2015-2020 och funnit att verksamhetens utmaningar mer eller mindre är konstanta under perioden. Kommunens socialnämnd ansvarar för budgeten och påverkas i hög grad av statliga styrmedel eller överordnade myndigheters tillsyns- och uppföljningsinsatser. Vi har också funnit att det finns stora utmaningar att rekrytera personal till socialtjänsten vilket både innebär ökade kostnader till följd av nyttjande av konsulttjänster och ökad risk för att både utredningar och verkställighet blir lidande. Vidare beskriver Strömsund kommun att konkurrensen från andra kommuner och större städer är en faktor de märker av. Studien ger en kort inblick i en mindre kommuns verklighet och utmaningar.

Forskning visar att samverkan mellan skola och socialtjänst är en ständig utmaning. Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka socialsekreterares upplevelser och erfarenheter av samverkan med skolan i arbetet med att tillförsäkra barn goda levnadsvillkor. Metoden i studien var en kvalitativ ansats och det genomfördes sex halvstrukturerade intervjuer med socialsekreterare som arbetar på barn och ungdomsenheten. De socialsekreterare som intervjuades hade alla arbetat minst ett år på enheten barn och familj. Resultatet i studien visade att samverkan är viktig, men är svår när olika yrkesgrupper ska samverka mot ett gemensamt mål. Teoretiska utgångspunkter som användes i studien var organisations- och samverkansteori. Studien visar att de hinder som framkom handlade främst om okunskap och förståelse om hur socialtjänsten arbetar. De möjligheter som framkom var förslag på att arbeta fram gemensamma rutiner om hur samverkan ska fungera. / Research shows that collaboration between school and social services is a constant struggle. The purpose of this study was to examine the social workers' experience of cooperation between schools and social services when it comes to ensuring children good living conditions. The method in the study was a qualitative approach, and six semi-structured interviews were conducted with social workers working in the children and youth unit. The social workers who were interviewed have all worked for at least one year at the children and family unit. The result in study indicates that collaboration is important, however it if difficult when different professional groups have to strive towards common goals. Theoretical starting points used in the study were organizational and collaboration theory. The study concludes that there are both obstacles and opportunities in collaboration with the school. The study shows that the occurring difficulties were grounded in lack of knowledge and understanding of how the social services work. The possibilities that emerged were suggestions to develop common routines on how collaboration should work.

Trauma has been described as a pressing public health concern and research evidence demonstrates how unresolved trauma can lead to multiple co-morbidities including chronic medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, epidemiological evidence demonstrates the high prevalence of trauma histories amongst service users seeking care across a range of systems including child welfare, education, health, social services and the criminal justice system. In response, the concept of trauma-informed care (TIC) has emerged, but how TIC can be conceptually defined and utilized remains unclear in the scholarly literature. This dissertation utilizes a variety of methodological approaches to explore how and under what conditions TIC can be utilized within and across systems of care to address the prevalence of trauma-affected individuals seeking care. First, a critical interpretive synthesis of the TIC literature provides an overview of how TIC can be defined and utilized through the development of a conceptual framework situating TIC within and across systems of care. A theoretical framework outlines important contextual factors, such as system arrangements as well as the political system, that can act as either barriers or facilitators to the operationalization of TIC. Second, a document analysis examines how and under what conditions TIC is utilized in adult mental health policy documents in Ontario, Canada. Finally, a case study explores what factors led to the exclusion of TIC from Ontario’s first province-wide strategy on mental health and addictions. Collectively, these three studies add several substantive, methodological and theoretical contributions regarding a cohesive understanding of what is trauma, how TIC can be defined and operationalized and the role of TIC at various levels within and across systems of care. Mobilizing sustainable and effective TIC has been demonstrated to improve the overall health and well-being of both service users and services providers, leading to stronger systems of care and healthier communities and societies at large. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy / The concept of trauma-informed care (TIC) has emerged in response to increased awareness regarding the prevalence and impact of trauma. A growing body of empirical literature has demonstrated the effectiveness of TIC within specific programs and services as well as at the organizational and system levels. What constitutes trauma, however, and how TIC can be defined and operationalized at various levels remains unclear. This thesis aims to address these gaps in the literature by: (1) developing a conceptual framework on TIC and a theoretical framework outlining the barriers and facilitators of TIC (2) examining how and under what conditions can TIC be utilized in mental health policy documents (3) exploring what are the political factors that can lead governments to decide against utilizing TIC.

Hedström Tom, Care planning teams. Advantages and disadvantages. Examination work C-level, 15 hp, Malmö Högskola, Health and society, Social works program, autumn semester 2009.The purpose of my work was to find out what the advantages and disadvantages might be with a care planning team from a support administrators point of view. The data collection for this work was done by semi-structured qualitative interviews with five people, all working as support administrators within the social services in the same region and town in Sweden. In my choice of interviewees i have tried to get such a diverse mix as possible when it comes to the interviewees experience in the profession and experience with care plannings. My results show that support administrators approach to care planning teams is profound positive, but that its structure and organization has a very vital role.

TO WORK WITH BIOLOGICAL MOTHERS IN LUNDFROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL POINT OF VIEWALEXANDRA BERTRAMBertram, A. Degree project in social work 15 Credits. Malmö University: Faculty of health and society, Department of Social Work, 2014.This essay deals with biological mothers whose children are placed in foster care within the municipality of Lund. This essay aimed to describe how social workers in Lund deal with biological mothers from investigation, to treatment. In this essay social workers whom meets biological mothers on an everyday basis have been interviewed about their experience in the field, to gather information. The result of this study describes how the social service in Lund works with biological mothers, routines for offering the mother support, reception of the mothers, how to diminish the risk of the mother feeling stigmatized, how the mother can have power to change her current situation, cooperation between different units in the social services, how the relationship between mother and child are planned and maintained and to presuppose from a parent orientated perspective and a child orientated perspective.Keywords: biological mothers, cooperation, foster care, organisation, social services, treatment

I det allt mer digitala samhället, har olika samhällsaktörer implementerat digitala verktyg i sitt arbete. Däribland socialtjänsten, som samhällets yttersta skyddsnät och en minst sagt betydelsefull välfärdsaktör. Det relateras till syftet med denna kvalitativa fallstudie, som har varit att undersöka det sociala arbetets innehåll, på det webbaserade råd- och stödforumet Soctanter på nätet. Fallstudie har använts som forskningsstrategi och analysmetoden består i en tematisk analys. Studien tar avstamp i hermeneutiken och Zygmunt Baumans teori "liquid modernity", som har använts för analys av frågor och svar. Därutöver används begreppen makt och maktutövning, vilka har förankrats i Foucaults maktanalys. Studien visar att de som ställer frågor på forumet har olika relation till socialtjänsten. Vissa har en etablerad kontakt, andra har inte det och vissa ställer frågor åt någon annan. De frågor som ställs berör olika områden inom socialtjänsten, men även sådana som faller utanför. Utvecklingstrender har också visats, när det gäller frågorna som ställs. Däribland speglar dessa det aktuella samhällstillståndet som råder. Bland frågorna har också en trend angående anonymisering kunnat spåras. Ett annat resultat är att svaren som finns många gånger är generella samt att frågeställare ofta blir upplysta om rättigheter och skyldigheter. Därtill visas det att frågeställare har en syn på socialtjänsten som sakkunniga, oförstående och i vissa fall ett emotionellt stöd. Det är tydligt att det sociala arbetet befinner sig i en digitaliserad era. Vi har i den här studien kunnat konstatera att vidare forskning om onlinebaserat socialt arbete behövs.

Introduction: Nearly 60,000 children receive emergency services each year due to accidental medication ingestion. Since families regularly receive verbal anticipatory guidance about locking up medications during pediatric well child visits, primary care clinics are an opportune place to distribute lock boxes to families who need them. ETSU Pediatrics is an interprofessional outpatient clinic that serves a population with many social, medical, and psychological needs. ETSU Pediatrics partnered with a local non-profit organization to provide medication lock boxes free to charge to families who need one. However, it was not known whether more families would endorse a need for a lock box in response to a systematic effort to screen for this need. We hypothesized that more medication lock boxes would be administered if families were given a written screener asking explicitly about their need for a lock box. Method:ETSU Pediatrics added the question “To increase child safety, is your household in need of a lockbox for medications?” to an existing social determinants of health screener that is given annually to each patient during their well child visit. Social work students imbedded in the clinic gave out lock boxes to families who endorsed a need. Frequency counts of the number of medication lock boxes given out were compared 6 months before and after the initiation of the screener. Results: Out of the 2,018 well child visits that occurred in the 6 months after screener initiation, 5.5% (111) of families endorsed a need for a medication lock box. Of those 106 were given a lock box. This was a substantial increase in demand for lock boxes compared to the 6 months prior to screener initiation in which only 16 lock boxes were given out. Conclusions: Systematic screening for medication lock box need resulted in more lock boxes being administered to families over a 6-month period, compared to care as usual. An embedded interprofessional student team helped facilitate this process. These results show promise for other healthcare organizations aimed at reducing accidental medication ingestions in children.