Research
The Impact of Informal Social Support Systems on African American Male Adolescents in Urban Neighborhoods.
Terrence Allen
This study examines the informal social support systems that facilitate the development of African American males in an urban neighborhood for over a forty year period. The project involves extensive individual and group interviews of approximately 45 men between the ages of 31 and 55 who resided in the same neighborhood and have known each other for at least 30 years. The interviews provide a basis for understanding the extent to which they influenced each others’ development during their childhood through adolescence.
African American Male Juvenile’s Perception of Police Officers Who Patrol in Urban Communities
Terrence Allen
This study examines African American male juveniles’ perceptions of police officers who patrol urban neighborhoods. The focus of the study is to determine if their perceptions of African American police officers are different than their perceptions of White police officers. These young men are either in high school or have been placed in a Department of Youth Services facility. The project will be grounded in the construction of participants personal experiences. The principal stimulus for discussion is to ask participants if they are treated different by police officers based on the race of the police officer.
Human Rights Abuse in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (with Athena R. Kolbe)
Royce Anthony Hutson
Surveyed 1260 randomly selected households, representing 5720 individuals,in the greater Port-au-Prince area regarding their experiences with human rights abuse. Abuses investigated included; homocide, sexual assault and rape, physical abuse, death threats, and extra-judicial detentions.
Child Support and Child Development
Royce Anthony Hutson
Dr. Hutson continues his research on the role of child support and other sources of income on the development of children from low-income families.
Assessment Strategies for Capacity Building (with Joanne Sobeck & Elizabeth Agius)
Royce Anthony Hutson
In cooperation with The Skillman Foundation and New Detroit, Inc., investigators surveyed Detroit-area Management Service Organizations (MSOs) about their capacity-building activities and strategies. Additionally, in six selected neighborhoods within Detroit, investigators surveyed youth-serving non-profit organizations regarding their organizational capacity and activities.
MacArthur Qualitative Study of the Transition to Adulthood
Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni
The MacArthur qualitative study of the Transition to adulthood is a multi-site intensive interview study ( New York , San Diego, Michigan , Minnesota , and Iowa ). Site project coordinators developed a common, open-ended interview protocol that was used to interview a sub-sample of participants drawn from larger, longitudinal studies at 4 of the sites; one site initiated a new data collection with all graduates of 2 high school cohorts. Dr. Jozefowicz-Simbeni is principle investigator for the Michigan component of the study. The Michigan sample includes 50 young adults at 30 years of age. Participants were chosen in order to represent a broad range of young adult experiences. This includes young adults who are/were: high school dropouts, low achievers, non-college/military, first generation college students, college graduates, special education students, individuals suffering from mental health/substance abuse problems, ever incarcerated, teenage mothers, gay, lesbian or bisexual, or an ethnic minority group member. Young adults were interviewed by trained interviewers for a total of 2-6 hours (1-3 interview sessions), depending on the depth of their life story. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and coded using a qualitative data analysis program (ATLASii). Role: Principal Investigator. Co-Principal Investigator: Jacquelynne S. Eccles. Funded by the MacArthur Foundation for $60,000.
Detroit “Best Practices” With Homeless Youth and Families Project
Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni
With initial funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Merrill-Palmer Institute for Child and Family Development at Wayne State University, Dr. Jozefowicz-Simbeni and her colleagues have been able to identify and evaluate agencies in the Detroit metropolitan area that represent ‘best practices’ for serving homeless adolescents and families. A major goal of this study is to provide valuable information to policymakers, researchers, and community organizations on how to more productively use existing funds to improve and develop programs that serve the homeless in the Detroit area. We are conducting interviews, focus groups, and surveys with clients and staff at 6 homeless shelters representing key agencies that service primarily homeless youth in the Southeastern Michigan Metro area. Funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Merrill-Palmer Institute for Child and Family Development and the Skillman Center for Children. $28,500 total funding. PI: Debra M. H. Jozefowicz-Simbeni, M.S.W, PhD., Co-PIs: Bart Miles, PhD. and Paul Toro, PhD.
Detroit Public Schools (DPS) Homeless Project
Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni
The overall purpose of this project is to assess the educational functioning of homeless students in the Detroit Public School system and to assist in building the district’s capacity to identify and meet the needs of homeless students and families. In accordance with the McKinney-Vento act, public schools are required to provide the same resources and facilitate the same level of educational achievement for homeless and housed schoolchildren. In the spring of 2003, an evaluation of these services was conducted with a sample of homeless children from the DPS. The results of this evaluation indicated that persons receiving consistent services from DPS staff were more satisfied with the district and their school; the evaluation also identified the need for additional staff and teacher training regarding homeless students, and identified focal areas for academic intervention. The Wayne State University Research Group on Homelessness and Poverty is working with the DPS to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention designed to raise awareness about identifying homeless students among staff, and to track the service needs and service receipt patterns of these students over time. The WSU group has also created both child and parent literacy training and tutoring programs within homeless shelters around the metro Detroit area. Follow-up assessments are being conducted to assess the efficacy of these programs and other areas in which the DPS may focus their efforts. Funded by the Detroit Public Schools and the Department of Education of the State of Michigan, 2002-2003: $69,190, 2003-2004: $61,220, 2004-2005: $89,910. PI: Debra Jozefowicz-Simbeni, Co-PIs: Nathaniel Israel, M.A. and Paul Toro, PhD. DPS Staff: Arezell Brown, Director of School Social Work Services; Ruby Washington, Supervisor; Phyllis White, DPS Homeless Liaison; Will Fuller, School Social Worker; Gerry Clark, Grants and Compliance
Public Attitudes Regarding Sex Offenders and Sex Offender Registration
Poco Kernsmith
Kernsmith P.D. (2005-2006) School of Social Work Summer Research Stimulation Grant, funded for $4,964.09. The goal of this research is to explore the relationship between knowledge and fear of sex offenders and support for sex offender management policies. Research has indicated that support of sex offender management policies, such as offender registries, residence restrictions and lengthy prison sentencing, is highly correlated with fear of offenders and misinformation about sexual offenses and offenders.Data was collected using computer assisted telephone interviewing with the support of the College of Urban Sudies.
All I Want Is You: Stalking and Harassment of College Students
Poco Kernsmith
Kernsmith, P.D., & Kernsmith, R.M. (2004). University Research Grant Program for $6,827.71. The goal of the research is to develop a theoretical understanding of the perpetration of stalking and harassment among college students. Three theories of social deviance exist that may be able to explain stalking perpetration. These theories will be examined for their predictive relationship stalking and harassment behaviors. In addition, differences based on gender and sexual orientation will be explored. Based on the findings, implications for prevention and treatment of stalking will be discussed.
Gender Differences in Sexually Coercive Behavior
Poco Kernsmith
Kernsmith P.D. & Kernsmith, R.M Unfunded. The goal of this research is to explore students’ experiences with sexual coercion and assault. Research has indicated that females report using sexually coercive behaviors at approximately the same rate as males. This study attempts to replicate those findings while simultaneously exploring the gender differences in the specific coercive behaviors used by the perpetrators and the emotional reactions of the survivors.
Rewriting the Homeless Body: Highlighting a Subjugated Discourse
Bart W. Miles
Role: Principal Investigator. This project will utilize Foucaultian methods for framing the theoretical understanding of the power relationships within the discursive practice that characterize the homeless body in Detroit . It will further analyze the social establishment’s exclusionary citizenship practices when interacting with the homeless population. This research seeks to deconstruct these discursive practices through making the homeless visible through visual media and thus challenging public media and political representations of the homeless body. Additionally, this project desires to restructure the power relationships embedded in the discourse by giving voice to the subjugated discourse of the homeless themselves. The goal of this research is to both deconstruct the discursive practices that have written the homeless body, while providing a consciousness raising activity for the homeless people. This goal will be met through the use of participatory action research and visual ethnography methods. The outcome of this project is to present the research findings in a video documentary at a stakeholders meeting.
Envisioning the Voices of Homeless & Runaway Youth: A photovoice research project
Bart W. Miles
Role: Principal Investigator. This project explores the lived experience of homeless and runaway youth ages 16-24 through the use of photographic images, and participant’s interpretations of pictures. In this study homeless and runaway youth identified the everyday elements, both risks and protective features, of their lives. This study enables participants to identify, record, and reflect on their strengths and needs. This study creates a consciousness raising dialogue about the issues homeless youth face. Further this study allows the youth’s voices to be heard by service providers and policy makers. This project looked at homeless youth through the photovoice methods. Photovoice is a process by which people can identify, represent, and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique. It entrusts cameras to the hands of people to enable them to act as recorders, and potential catalysts for social action and change, in their own communities (Wang, 2003). The youth are given cameras to take pictures of their everyday lives. These pictures are then developed, meaningful images are selected, and then the youth will write narratives about the photo’s meaning. These photos and narratives are then shown in a public showing, therefore enhancing the discourse about the experience of homeless youth.
Identification and Evaluation of Best Practices Serving Detroit’s Homeles
Bart W. Miles
Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Wayne State University, Research Group on Homelessness & Poverty, Department of Psychology. Through interviews in the community, and surveys with homeless adults and youth top-rated homeless service agencies were identified. The research will take place at interested top-rated homeless service agencies. Qualitative focus groups and quantitative surveys will be used with administrators, providers and consumers to identify key elements of a successful homeless service agency. The researchers will identify key characteristics of 4-6 “best practices” agencies serving homeless families and youth as identified by providers and consumers. The study will identify staff/client issues, common characteristics across “best practices”, and recommendations for continued program development and evaluation.
Impacts on Families and Children of Deconcentrating Public Housing
Anna Maria Santiago
Research Goal Our long-range goal is to understand how neighborhood context influences short- and long-term outcomes for low-income, minority children and their families who participate in subsidized housing programs aimed at deconcentrating poverty, enhancing developmental environments for children, and increasing opportunities for self-sufficiency. The objective of this research study is to quantify the associations between multiple dimensions of neighborhood context and child outcomes in five domains (health, education, employment, behavioral and demographic). The central hypothesis of the application is that neighborhood effects for low-income, minority children: (1) are nonlinear, (2) vary in magnitude and timing according to developmental stage, outcome domain, geographic scale of neighborhood, ethnicity, and gender, and (3) are primarily transmitted by local institutional resources. The rationale for the proposed research is that the accurate measurement of neighborhood effects will help inform policy decisions about neighborhood revitalization and subsidized housing that aim to enhance positive developmental impacts on low-income, minority children. Research Aims We expect to test our central hypothesis and to achieve the objective of this study by pursuing the following specific aims: 1. Establish the extent to which child outcomes in five domains (health, education, employment, behavioral and demographic) differ by neighborhood of residence for children who spent a considerable period of time between ages 0-18 living in DHA public housing. 2. Identify the racial-ethnic, income, demographic, crime or institutional resource indicators of neighborhoods that are most predictive of differences in the five child outcome domains. 3. Establish the extent to which the relationship between neighborhood context and child outcomes varies by children’s developmental stage. 4. Establish the extent to which child outcomes vary most strongly across neighborhood indicators when they are measured contemporaneously, after some lag, or cumulatively over time. 5. Establish the extent to which the relationship between neighborhood context and child outcomes is characterized by a threshold point. 6. Establish the extent to which child outcomes differ according to conditions in nearby neighborhoods. 7. Establish the extent to which the relationships between neighborhood context and child outcomes vary by race, ethnicity and gender of children. 8. Identify the salient mechanisms operative in the neighborhood environment that are most strongly associated with differences in child outcomes.
Not Just Buying A Home
Anna Maria Santiago
Research Goal The primary goal ofthis research is to increase understanding about the ways in which participation in public housing authority-sponsored homeownership programs--and subsequent ownership of a home--foster the acquisition of human, financial and social capital assets of adults and children living in low-income households. Particular attention will be given to identifying barriers and facilitators in the acquisition of these assets and assessing racial-ethnic differentials in process and outcomes. Findings are intended to aid in the development of more effective homeownership and asset building programs for low-income households currently receiving housing subsidies. Research Objectives The objectives of the study are specifically aimed at addressing the following research questions: • What factors determine who participates in the FFHO program, attains homeownership, and maintains homeownership? • Are there significant racial-ethnic differences in program participation, attrition, and outcomes? • What changes in financial assets (i.e., earnings, savings, homes, autos) and human capital assets (i.e., employment, education and training) by subsidized housing tenants occur as a result of participating in the Denver Housing Authority (DHA) Foundations for Home Ownership (FFHO) Program? What longer-term changes in these economic assets occur as a result of subsequent ownership of a home? • In addition to developing human and financial capital, what kinds of social capital assets (i.e., self efficacy, self-sufficiency, outcome expectations, social networks) are acquired by subsidized housing tenants and their children as a result of participating in the FFHO Program? What longer-term changes in social capital occur as a result of subsequent ownership of a home? • Are there ethnic differences in the facilitators or barriers associated with the acquisition of these assets? • What are the critical transition points during the process of moving toward homeownership that affect continued participation and the acquisition of human, financial, and social capital assets by participants? Are there comparable transitional points once participants become homeowners? • Are there differences in the process or outcomes, depending on whether the participant comes from the FSS or ROSS programs? From DHA conventional (row) developments, dispersed (scattered-site) public housing, or Section 8 units?
Assessment Strategies for Capacity Building
Joanne Sobeck
Collaborating withRoyce Hutson, School of Social Work and Elizabeth Agius, School of Medicine. Funded by New Detroit, Inc., April 2006-May 2007. $70,795. This project involves two studies: Study 1 isa survey of management service organizations to inventory their services, methods and costs. Study 2 examines the organizational capacity, program services and readiness for change among small to mid-sized nonprofits in the targeted areas of the Skillman Foundaiton's Good Neighbrohood Initiative.
A Study of Urban Nonprofit Capacity Building
Joanne Sobeck
Collaborating with Elizabeth Agius, School of Medicine , Eileen Trzcinski and Vanessa Mayers, School of Social Work and Sonia Plata, New Detroit, Inc.funded by the Michigan Nonprofit Research Program, Aspen Institute. August 2003 – October 2004. $47,154.The primary goals of this research are to build a knowledge base for understanding small/emerging nonprofits in urban areas and how capacity building is used to strengthen organizations and their efforts in the community. Multiple data collection strategies were used for data collection including web-based surveys, community site surveys, and mail surveys.Study 1 survey examines the costs/benefits of capacity building among organizations that have already engaged in capacity building or activities aimed at improving effectiveness. Study 2 establishes a baseline for a longitudinal study on nonprofits, their capacity, readiness, and other organizational factors.
Evaluation, Consultation and Training for Project SCOPE
Joanne Sobeck
Collaborating with Elizabeth Agius, School of Medicine, WSU. Funded by New Detroit, Inc. January 2001 – December 2005. $295,238. Investigators are working with New Detroit Inc., Detroit Executive Service Corps and nonprofit consultants on a 5–year demonstration project funded by the Skillman Foundation. The initiative, Strengthening Community Organizations to Promote Effectiveness (SCOPE) offers a planned approach to strengthen the human and organizational capacities of grassroots organizations in the City of Detroit . Evaluation, training and consultation are provided to help assess the effectiveness of the project as well as to determine strategies to improve quality of the services.
Reclaiming the Village Evaluation
Shirley A Thomas
African American Family Magazine and the Detroit Youth Foundation, in collaboration with a host of other community partners, conducted a series of televised and community-based forums in Fall, 2005. The Skillman Foundaiton funded the project and the evaluation. The project seeks to create a context for dialogue where parents, youth and community members can “build shared understanding, shared commitment and a new sense of hope” to support and promote positive well-being in African- American children and families. The evaluation will document the process of project implementation, and understand how participants and the community overall was impacted. A report is expected by mid-2006.
The Impact of Total Workload on Maternal and Infant Health: How Employment before and after Childbirth Influences Maternal and Infant Health.
Eileen Trzcinski
This project is a prospective study of 200 mothers recruited from Hutzel Hospital in Detroit . The mothers will be initially interviewed in the hospital and interviewed by telephone at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after birth. The research will directly examine how workplace supports for new mothers affect the relationship between infant health, maternal health, and maternal employment. This study represents a major continuation and extension of work that I began early in my career. Role: Principal Investigator.
The Differential Effects of Cumulative Violence and Trauma Exposures on Two Adolescent Populations
Arlene Weisz
Proposal funded by the Wayne State University Children's Bridge Research Enhancement ProgramMay 1, 2004 through Fall 2005$226,893 The overall purpose of this project is to explore the cumulative effects of various types of violence exposure and trauma, on adolescents' mental and physical health as well as interpersonal, cognitive, behavioral, and academic functioning. The project , used quantitative and qualitative methods to explore, the possible differential and additive (cumulative) effects of multiple types of violence and trauma exposure in two populations of middle and high school students from two different ethnic/cultural backgrounds: African-American urban students and Arab-American (Iraqi) refugee students — both populations with the possibility of high cumulative trauma doses. Collaborators: Linda A. Lewandowski, Ph.D., R.N., (P.I.) College of Nursing/Children's Hospital of Michigan Antonia Abbey, Ph.D., Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine and Department of Psychology Elizabeth Barton, Ph.D., Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, CULMA Beverly Black, Ph.D., M.S.S.W., School of Social Work Lisa Chiodo, Ph.D., Pediatrics, School of Medicine Virginia, Delaney-Black, M.D., MPH, CRCM and Pediatrics, School of Medicine Poco Kernsmith, Ph.D., M.S.W., School of Social Work Cheryl Somers, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, College of Education Jina Yoon, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, College of Education Arlene Weisz, Ph.D., M.S.W., School of Social Work Community Collaborator: Ibrahim Kira, Ph.D., Arab-American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)
Terrence Allen
This study examines the informal social support systems that facilitate the development of African American males in an urban neighborhood for over a forty year period. The project involves extensive individual and group interviews of approximately 45 men between the ages of 31 and 55 who resided in the same neighborhood and have known each other for at least 30 years. The interviews provide a basis for understanding the extent to which they influenced each others’ development during their childhood through adolescence.
African American Male Juvenile’s Perception of Police Officers Who Patrol in Urban Communities
Terrence Allen
This study examines African American male juveniles’ perceptions of police officers who patrol urban neighborhoods. The focus of the study is to determine if their perceptions of African American police officers are different than their perceptions of White police officers. These young men are either in high school or have been placed in a Department of Youth Services facility. The project will be grounded in the construction of participants personal experiences. The principal stimulus for discussion is to ask participants if they are treated different by police officers based on the race of the police officer.
Human Rights Abuse in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (with Athena R. Kolbe)
Royce Anthony Hutson
Surveyed 1260 randomly selected households, representing 5720 individuals,in the greater Port-au-Prince area regarding their experiences with human rights abuse. Abuses investigated included; homocide, sexual assault and rape, physical abuse, death threats, and extra-judicial detentions.
Child Support and Child Development
Royce Anthony Hutson
Dr. Hutson continues his research on the role of child support and other sources of income on the development of children from low-income families.
Assessment Strategies for Capacity Building (with Joanne Sobeck & Elizabeth Agius)
Royce Anthony Hutson
In cooperation with The Skillman Foundation and New Detroit, Inc., investigators surveyed Detroit-area Management Service Organizations (MSOs) about their capacity-building activities and strategies. Additionally, in six selected neighborhoods within Detroit, investigators surveyed youth-serving non-profit organizations regarding their organizational capacity and activities.
MacArthur Qualitative Study of the Transition to Adulthood
Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni
The MacArthur qualitative study of the Transition to adulthood is a multi-site intensive interview study ( New York , San Diego, Michigan , Minnesota , and Iowa ). Site project coordinators developed a common, open-ended interview protocol that was used to interview a sub-sample of participants drawn from larger, longitudinal studies at 4 of the sites; one site initiated a new data collection with all graduates of 2 high school cohorts. Dr. Jozefowicz-Simbeni is principle investigator for the Michigan component of the study. The Michigan sample includes 50 young adults at 30 years of age. Participants were chosen in order to represent a broad range of young adult experiences. This includes young adults who are/were: high school dropouts, low achievers, non-college/military, first generation college students, college graduates, special education students, individuals suffering from mental health/substance abuse problems, ever incarcerated, teenage mothers, gay, lesbian or bisexual, or an ethnic minority group member. Young adults were interviewed by trained interviewers for a total of 2-6 hours (1-3 interview sessions), depending on the depth of their life story. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and coded using a qualitative data analysis program (ATLASii). Role: Principal Investigator. Co-Principal Investigator: Jacquelynne S. Eccles. Funded by the MacArthur Foundation for $60,000.
Detroit “Best Practices” With Homeless Youth and Families Project
Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni
With initial funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Merrill-Palmer Institute for Child and Family Development at Wayne State University, Dr. Jozefowicz-Simbeni and her colleagues have been able to identify and evaluate agencies in the Detroit metropolitan area that represent ‘best practices’ for serving homeless adolescents and families. A major goal of this study is to provide valuable information to policymakers, researchers, and community organizations on how to more productively use existing funds to improve and develop programs that serve the homeless in the Detroit area. We are conducting interviews, focus groups, and surveys with clients and staff at 6 homeless shelters representing key agencies that service primarily homeless youth in the Southeastern Michigan Metro area. Funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Merrill-Palmer Institute for Child and Family Development and the Skillman Center for Children. $28,500 total funding. PI: Debra M. H. Jozefowicz-Simbeni, M.S.W, PhD., Co-PIs: Bart Miles, PhD. and Paul Toro, PhD.
Detroit Public Schools (DPS) Homeless Project
Debra Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni
The overall purpose of this project is to assess the educational functioning of homeless students in the Detroit Public School system and to assist in building the district’s capacity to identify and meet the needs of homeless students and families. In accordance with the McKinney-Vento act, public schools are required to provide the same resources and facilitate the same level of educational achievement for homeless and housed schoolchildren. In the spring of 2003, an evaluation of these services was conducted with a sample of homeless children from the DPS. The results of this evaluation indicated that persons receiving consistent services from DPS staff were more satisfied with the district and their school; the evaluation also identified the need for additional staff and teacher training regarding homeless students, and identified focal areas for academic intervention. The Wayne State University Research Group on Homelessness and Poverty is working with the DPS to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention designed to raise awareness about identifying homeless students among staff, and to track the service needs and service receipt patterns of these students over time. The WSU group has also created both child and parent literacy training and tutoring programs within homeless shelters around the metro Detroit area. Follow-up assessments are being conducted to assess the efficacy of these programs and other areas in which the DPS may focus their efforts. Funded by the Detroit Public Schools and the Department of Education of the State of Michigan, 2002-2003: $69,190, 2003-2004: $61,220, 2004-2005: $89,910. PI: Debra Jozefowicz-Simbeni, Co-PIs: Nathaniel Israel, M.A. and Paul Toro, PhD. DPS Staff: Arezell Brown, Director of School Social Work Services; Ruby Washington, Supervisor; Phyllis White, DPS Homeless Liaison; Will Fuller, School Social Worker; Gerry Clark, Grants and Compliance
Public Attitudes Regarding Sex Offenders and Sex Offender Registration
Poco Kernsmith
Kernsmith P.D. (2005-2006) School of Social Work Summer Research Stimulation Grant, funded for $4,964.09. The goal of this research is to explore the relationship between knowledge and fear of sex offenders and support for sex offender management policies. Research has indicated that support of sex offender management policies, such as offender registries, residence restrictions and lengthy prison sentencing, is highly correlated with fear of offenders and misinformation about sexual offenses and offenders.Data was collected using computer assisted telephone interviewing with the support of the College of Urban Sudies.
All I Want Is You: Stalking and Harassment of College Students
Poco Kernsmith
Kernsmith, P.D., & Kernsmith, R.M. (2004). University Research Grant Program for $6,827.71. The goal of the research is to develop a theoretical understanding of the perpetration of stalking and harassment among college students. Three theories of social deviance exist that may be able to explain stalking perpetration. These theories will be examined for their predictive relationship stalking and harassment behaviors. In addition, differences based on gender and sexual orientation will be explored. Based on the findings, implications for prevention and treatment of stalking will be discussed.
Gender Differences in Sexually Coercive Behavior
Poco Kernsmith
Kernsmith P.D. & Kernsmith, R.M Unfunded. The goal of this research is to explore students’ experiences with sexual coercion and assault. Research has indicated that females report using sexually coercive behaviors at approximately the same rate as males. This study attempts to replicate those findings while simultaneously exploring the gender differences in the specific coercive behaviors used by the perpetrators and the emotional reactions of the survivors.
Rewriting the Homeless Body: Highlighting a Subjugated Discourse
Bart W. Miles
Role: Principal Investigator. This project will utilize Foucaultian methods for framing the theoretical understanding of the power relationships within the discursive practice that characterize the homeless body in Detroit . It will further analyze the social establishment’s exclusionary citizenship practices when interacting with the homeless population. This research seeks to deconstruct these discursive practices through making the homeless visible through visual media and thus challenging public media and political representations of the homeless body. Additionally, this project desires to restructure the power relationships embedded in the discourse by giving voice to the subjugated discourse of the homeless themselves. The goal of this research is to both deconstruct the discursive practices that have written the homeless body, while providing a consciousness raising activity for the homeless people. This goal will be met through the use of participatory action research and visual ethnography methods. The outcome of this project is to present the research findings in a video documentary at a stakeholders meeting.
Envisioning the Voices of Homeless & Runaway Youth: A photovoice research project
Bart W. Miles
Role: Principal Investigator. This project explores the lived experience of homeless and runaway youth ages 16-24 through the use of photographic images, and participant’s interpretations of pictures. In this study homeless and runaway youth identified the everyday elements, both risks and protective features, of their lives. This study enables participants to identify, record, and reflect on their strengths and needs. This study creates a consciousness raising dialogue about the issues homeless youth face. Further this study allows the youth’s voices to be heard by service providers and policy makers. This project looked at homeless youth through the photovoice methods. Photovoice is a process by which people can identify, represent, and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique. It entrusts cameras to the hands of people to enable them to act as recorders, and potential catalysts for social action and change, in their own communities (Wang, 2003). The youth are given cameras to take pictures of their everyday lives. These pictures are then developed, meaningful images are selected, and then the youth will write narratives about the photo’s meaning. These photos and narratives are then shown in a public showing, therefore enhancing the discourse about the experience of homeless youth.
Identification and Evaluation of Best Practices Serving Detroit’s Homeles
Bart W. Miles
Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Wayne State University, Research Group on Homelessness & Poverty, Department of Psychology. Through interviews in the community, and surveys with homeless adults and youth top-rated homeless service agencies were identified. The research will take place at interested top-rated homeless service agencies. Qualitative focus groups and quantitative surveys will be used with administrators, providers and consumers to identify key elements of a successful homeless service agency. The researchers will identify key characteristics of 4-6 “best practices” agencies serving homeless families and youth as identified by providers and consumers. The study will identify staff/client issues, common characteristics across “best practices”, and recommendations for continued program development and evaluation.
Impacts on Families and Children of Deconcentrating Public Housing
Anna Maria Santiago
Research Goal Our long-range goal is to understand how neighborhood context influences short- and long-term outcomes for low-income, minority children and their families who participate in subsidized housing programs aimed at deconcentrating poverty, enhancing developmental environments for children, and increasing opportunities for self-sufficiency. The objective of this research study is to quantify the associations between multiple dimensions of neighborhood context and child outcomes in five domains (health, education, employment, behavioral and demographic). The central hypothesis of the application is that neighborhood effects for low-income, minority children: (1) are nonlinear, (2) vary in magnitude and timing according to developmental stage, outcome domain, geographic scale of neighborhood, ethnicity, and gender, and (3) are primarily transmitted by local institutional resources. The rationale for the proposed research is that the accurate measurement of neighborhood effects will help inform policy decisions about neighborhood revitalization and subsidized housing that aim to enhance positive developmental impacts on low-income, minority children. Research Aims We expect to test our central hypothesis and to achieve the objective of this study by pursuing the following specific aims: 1. Establish the extent to which child outcomes in five domains (health, education, employment, behavioral and demographic) differ by neighborhood of residence for children who spent a considerable period of time between ages 0-18 living in DHA public housing. 2. Identify the racial-ethnic, income, demographic, crime or institutional resource indicators of neighborhoods that are most predictive of differences in the five child outcome domains. 3. Establish the extent to which the relationship between neighborhood context and child outcomes varies by children’s developmental stage. 4. Establish the extent to which child outcomes vary most strongly across neighborhood indicators when they are measured contemporaneously, after some lag, or cumulatively over time. 5. Establish the extent to which the relationship between neighborhood context and child outcomes is characterized by a threshold point. 6. Establish the extent to which child outcomes differ according to conditions in nearby neighborhoods. 7. Establish the extent to which the relationships between neighborhood context and child outcomes vary by race, ethnicity and gender of children. 8. Identify the salient mechanisms operative in the neighborhood environment that are most strongly associated with differences in child outcomes.
Not Just Buying A Home
Anna Maria Santiago
Research Goal The primary goal ofthis research is to increase understanding about the ways in which participation in public housing authority-sponsored homeownership programs--and subsequent ownership of a home--foster the acquisition of human, financial and social capital assets of adults and children living in low-income households. Particular attention will be given to identifying barriers and facilitators in the acquisition of these assets and assessing racial-ethnic differentials in process and outcomes. Findings are intended to aid in the development of more effective homeownership and asset building programs for low-income households currently receiving housing subsidies. Research Objectives The objectives of the study are specifically aimed at addressing the following research questions: • What factors determine who participates in the FFHO program, attains homeownership, and maintains homeownership? • Are there significant racial-ethnic differences in program participation, attrition, and outcomes? • What changes in financial assets (i.e., earnings, savings, homes, autos) and human capital assets (i.e., employment, education and training) by subsidized housing tenants occur as a result of participating in the Denver Housing Authority (DHA) Foundations for Home Ownership (FFHO) Program? What longer-term changes in these economic assets occur as a result of subsequent ownership of a home? • In addition to developing human and financial capital, what kinds of social capital assets (i.e., self efficacy, self-sufficiency, outcome expectations, social networks) are acquired by subsidized housing tenants and their children as a result of participating in the FFHO Program? What longer-term changes in social capital occur as a result of subsequent ownership of a home? • Are there ethnic differences in the facilitators or barriers associated with the acquisition of these assets? • What are the critical transition points during the process of moving toward homeownership that affect continued participation and the acquisition of human, financial, and social capital assets by participants? Are there comparable transitional points once participants become homeowners? • Are there differences in the process or outcomes, depending on whether the participant comes from the FSS or ROSS programs? From DHA conventional (row) developments, dispersed (scattered-site) public housing, or Section 8 units?
Assessment Strategies for Capacity Building
Joanne Sobeck
Collaborating withRoyce Hutson, School of Social Work and Elizabeth Agius, School of Medicine. Funded by New Detroit, Inc., April 2006-May 2007. $70,795. This project involves two studies: Study 1 isa survey of management service organizations to inventory their services, methods and costs. Study 2 examines the organizational capacity, program services and readiness for change among small to mid-sized nonprofits in the targeted areas of the Skillman Foundaiton's Good Neighbrohood Initiative.
A Study of Urban Nonprofit Capacity Building
Joanne Sobeck
Collaborating with Elizabeth Agius, School of Medicine , Eileen Trzcinski and Vanessa Mayers, School of Social Work and Sonia Plata, New Detroit, Inc.funded by the Michigan Nonprofit Research Program, Aspen Institute. August 2003 – October 2004. $47,154.The primary goals of this research are to build a knowledge base for understanding small/emerging nonprofits in urban areas and how capacity building is used to strengthen organizations and their efforts in the community. Multiple data collection strategies were used for data collection including web-based surveys, community site surveys, and mail surveys.Study 1 survey examines the costs/benefits of capacity building among organizations that have already engaged in capacity building or activities aimed at improving effectiveness. Study 2 establishes a baseline for a longitudinal study on nonprofits, their capacity, readiness, and other organizational factors.
Evaluation, Consultation and Training for Project SCOPE
Joanne Sobeck
Collaborating with Elizabeth Agius, School of Medicine, WSU. Funded by New Detroit, Inc. January 2001 – December 2005. $295,238. Investigators are working with New Detroit Inc., Detroit Executive Service Corps and nonprofit consultants on a 5–year demonstration project funded by the Skillman Foundation. The initiative, Strengthening Community Organizations to Promote Effectiveness (SCOPE) offers a planned approach to strengthen the human and organizational capacities of grassroots organizations in the City of Detroit . Evaluation, training and consultation are provided to help assess the effectiveness of the project as well as to determine strategies to improve quality of the services.
Reclaiming the Village Evaluation
Shirley A Thomas
African American Family Magazine and the Detroit Youth Foundation, in collaboration with a host of other community partners, conducted a series of televised and community-based forums in Fall, 2005. The Skillman Foundaiton funded the project and the evaluation. The project seeks to create a context for dialogue where parents, youth and community members can “build shared understanding, shared commitment and a new sense of hope” to support and promote positive well-being in African- American children and families. The evaluation will document the process of project implementation, and understand how participants and the community overall was impacted. A report is expected by mid-2006.
The Impact of Total Workload on Maternal and Infant Health: How Employment before and after Childbirth Influences Maternal and Infant Health.
Eileen Trzcinski
This project is a prospective study of 200 mothers recruited from Hutzel Hospital in Detroit . The mothers will be initially interviewed in the hospital and interviewed by telephone at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after birth. The research will directly examine how workplace supports for new mothers affect the relationship between infant health, maternal health, and maternal employment. This study represents a major continuation and extension of work that I began early in my career. Role: Principal Investigator.
The Differential Effects of Cumulative Violence and Trauma Exposures on Two Adolescent Populations
Arlene Weisz
Proposal funded by the Wayne State University Children's Bridge Research Enhancement ProgramMay 1, 2004 through Fall 2005$226,893 The overall purpose of this project is to explore the cumulative effects of various types of violence exposure and trauma, on adolescents' mental and physical health as well as interpersonal, cognitive, behavioral, and academic functioning. The project , used quantitative and qualitative methods to explore, the possible differential and additive (cumulative) effects of multiple types of violence and trauma exposure in two populations of middle and high school students from two different ethnic/cultural backgrounds: African-American urban students and Arab-American (Iraqi) refugee students — both populations with the possibility of high cumulative trauma doses. Collaborators: Linda A. Lewandowski, Ph.D., R.N., (P.I.) College of Nursing/Children's Hospital of Michigan Antonia Abbey, Ph.D., Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine and Department of Psychology Elizabeth Barton, Ph.D., Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, CULMA Beverly Black, Ph.D., M.S.S.W., School of Social Work Lisa Chiodo, Ph.D., Pediatrics, School of Medicine Virginia, Delaney-Black, M.D., MPH, CRCM and Pediatrics, School of Medicine Poco Kernsmith, Ph.D., M.S.W., School of Social Work Cheryl Somers, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, College of Education Jina Yoon, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, College of Education Arlene Weisz, Ph.D., M.S.W., School of Social Work Community Collaborator: Ibrahim Kira, Ph.D., Arab-American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)