Health and social service barriers negatively affect child and family development. Understanding how family characteristics and service barriers affect service access may promote child and family wellbeing. This study utilized secondary data from a family navigator intervention study to explore factors associated with family service access. Twenty-nine caregivers participated. Measures included a family service plan, service barriers checklist, navigator check in notes, and lab meeting notes. Thematic analysis was used to explore the qualitative data, and descriptive statistics was used to explore the quantitative data. Findings were mixed to uncover factors associated with service access. On average families experience 10.4 (4.1) barriers to care. Every participant that completed the study identified the lack of awareness about available service options was a barrier to care, and the majority of these families reported needing services for mental health care. Based on the check-in notes and the lab meeting notes family dynamics also played a role in barriers. Families systems that didn’t function smoothly had a delay to accessing services.

The purpose of this study is to look at the mental and physical wellbeing of rural police officers to determine if there is a difference in the wellbeing of rural officers as compared to urban and if there is, why. Studying the wellbeing of rural officers is extremely important because while research shows a decline in the wellbeing of police officers in general, most recent research data on why there is a decline is skewed in favor of urban police due to urban agencies being easier to study. To gather data, we distributed an online survey to 20 rural police departments in Nebraska. In the survey, officers were asked questions pertaining to various aspects of their physical and mental wellbeing such as experience with traumatic events, suicidal ideation, common stressors, general physical fitness and exercise consistency, and use of addictive substances. They were also asked questions about their access to and use of mental health resources and what they prefer to use. Based on prior research, we believe that rural officer wellbeing will reflect the same trend as urban officer wellbeing, but stressors and access to mental health resources will be vastly different. The findings of this study will provide a basis for future research into rural policing, particularly research on stressors and policies to improve wellbeing.

Proposed frameworks of modern intellectual life bifurcate how knowledge is understood: where knowledge that is true stands alone and often immune to criticisms from knowledge that is good and beautiful. The ethical oaths a physician swears to–the Hippocratic Oath and its modern adaptations–are a direct challenge to these proposed frameworks. In medicine, scientific truths are used to carry out the good and beautiful action of healing people. The U.S., however, invests substantially in healthcare, yet experiences some of the poorest outcomes among developed nations. These circumstances, thus, raise critical questions about the relationship between the search for scientific truth in medicine and its ethical obligation and injunction held by the Hippocratic Oath. I’ve found that the consolidation of the medical profession grew the intellectual distance between the patient and physician. While the primary goal of the Hippocratic Oath is to ostensibly facilitate the safety and care of a patient, there exists tension between the ethical obligations and the practices of the field. The oath promises care for a sick human being, not a fever chart nor cancerous growth, yet, medicine continues to treat patients through the medical gaze. Particularly, diagnostic criteria, sets of standardized signs and symptoms, are designed to help physicians explain a patient’s condition. Those in power define their own truths, and in turn, the standards. These established standards fail to align with the unique needs of members of marginalized communities who are unable to receive adequate care.

The current shortcomings of the American welfare state often result in individuals falling through the cracks of essential safety net programs. As social service providers working with populations experiencing poverty, social workers must advocate for proactive social policies that promote long-term economic and social well-being. This study explores the benefits and challenges of integrating the social investment policy theory into the existing welfare system while examining the social work profession's role in advancing these principles, particularly through education, job training, and employment initiatives. Through a comprehensive review of scholarly literature, this study evaluates the intersection of American welfare history, social work, and human capital development. The findings will illustrate the potential transformative effects of social investment policies on social work outcomes, demonstrating how this paradigm can lead to a more effective and equitable welfare system.