scholarly journals Supervisory Leaders in Aging: One-Year Practice Change Outcomes of Innovative Training Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 19-19
Author(s):  
Daniel Kaplan ◽  
Barbara Silverstone ◽  
Keith Chan ◽  
Amanda Spishak-Thomas

Abstract Social services for older adults are instrumental in addressing vulnerabilities associated with aging. Yet, practitioners report needing expanded geriatric knowledge and enhanced supervision. Agency-based supervision is essential to skilled practice and staff retention, directly impacting the quality of services delivered by the teams they support. The Supervisory Leaders in Aging (SLA) program of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) was designed to strengthen supervision of the social service workforce. The SLA program, adopted in four states (IL, FL, MD, and NY), trained 134 MSW supervisors who support 1,200 social service staff, aimed at enhancing the well-being of 264,000 clients annually. This paper reports newly available final outcomes data from the 3-year implementation study of SLA. Trainees self-rated use of relevant supervisory best-practices was measured with novel 30-item instrument which captured frequency in use of supervisory best practices. The measure was administered prior to the first session and at three and twelve months after the final session. Comparisons of ratings across time periods demonstrate a range of positive and significant increases at the end of program workshops (0.12–0.56; mean of 0.30 points) and after one year (0.18–0.53; mean of 0.34 points). Supervisory best practices were maintained by those who already engaged in these behaviors, and participants who previously underutilized best practices adopted and maintained these behaviors as a result of the workshops. Implications of this tested model for enhancing workforce capacity will be discussed, including variation of impacts by supervisor characteristics and retention of learning gains over time.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E. Gasumova

This article presents the author’s definitions of “digitization of social service provision” and “digitization of social services” concepts and identifies the difference between them. It presents the results of an interview with 18 experts — the heads of institutions and organizations of social service provision implementing the rehabilitation of disabled people in Perm region. The research was conducted in 2019 and sought to identify problems and prospects for the digitization of the social services sphere. Interviewees rated their satisfaction regarding the convenience and time cost of automated systems that are currently being used in their organizations; characterized their needs in introducing various innovative interactive services, mobile applications, and other digital software; and expressed their attitude to various innovations. Social innovations were developed by the researchers and offered to experts by interviewers (for example, services for assessing the quality of work of specialists by service users, quick selection of the right social service, filing a complaint, referring a citizen to another organization, counseling in video mode, electronic appointment service, etc.). The research has shown how innovations can improve the performance of social service providers’ work and the quality of their interactions with citizens, which will ultimately increase the satisfaction of social service users and will positively affect the level of social well-being in society as a whole. A number of problems have been identified that currently impede the development of digitization: they are related to staff resources, the level of computerization, the lack of motivation among managers and personnel of social service organizations to implement innovative IT, and a certain distrust that such technologies can facilitate the activities of the organization and increase its effectiveness. Keywords: digitization, social service provision, social services, social institutions, social work


Author(s):  
Yuliya A. Petrovskaya ◽  

The most important condition for the successful innovative development in Russia is acceptance of the introduced reforms by the population and their understanding that these transformations entail improvement of the quality of life and growth in the level of social well-being. The quality and accessibility of social services are important components of social welfare. The system of social services currently existing in our country needs modernization which would include increasing the availability of social services, development of competition for the quality of their provision and extension of the range of services rendered to citizens. The subject matter under research in this paper is mechanisms and barriers of the social service system modernization in the context of the principal directions of Russia’s innovative development. There appear to be two main mechanisms of modernization: inclusion in the social services system of such entities as socially oriented non-profit organizations and development of social entrepreneurship that could extend the range of social services available to the population and compete for the quality of their provision. Special attention is paid to the analysis of interaction between governmental and non-governmental social service entities. The empirical research combines quantitative and qualitative methodology, since a number of phenomena (e.g. social entrepreneurship) represent an exception rather than a rule, and therefore they are of particular interest. Among the main barriers to the modernization of the social service system, there are both administrative barriers and the ideas and beliefs prevailing among the population (distrust of NGOs; low level of awareness of social entrepreneurship; reluctance of managers to register their organizations as providers of social services; low civil activity of the population in the regions of the Republic; concentration of non-governmental social service entities in the territory of the Petrozavodsk city, with the problem of access to social services being most acute in rural areas).


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irechukwu Eugenia Nkechi ◽  
Chima Paul

This study attempted to determine the factors militating against effective social services administration and its unfolding empirical manifestations on the well-being of the rural dwellers in Gwagwalada Area Council in Abuja, Nigeria as well as its attendant effects on rural development. Based on the data generated from 200 respondents (rural residents and staff of the area council) using questionnaire, interview and personal observation, it was discovered that lack of involvement of the rural dwellers in decisions regarding the design and implementation of the social service programmes by the Council is one of the key factors. The paper recommends accordingly among others, that effective social services administration should reflect the wishes and aspirations of beneficiaries. 


2018 ◽  
pp. 99-108
Author(s):  
Nataliya Nikolenko ◽  
Yana Serova

The study investigates the changes taking place in the domestic market of social services expressed in the appearance of "new players" in the form of socially oriented non-profit organizations (SO NPO) within its field in addition to public institutions for social protection and social services of the population. The authors identify the advantages and disadvantages of SO NGO compared to government organizations and social services, describe the processes of shadow economy expansion to the social services market and formation of regional "quasi-markets". The empirical part of the article is based on the data of two studies conducted in the form of indepth interviews. First, with experts on "Practices of interaction and prospects of cooperation between NPO and government organizations of social services in the Volgograd region", N = 52 (27 representatives of the public sector, 25 representatives of NPO, January-March 2018). Then with recipients of social services from government organizations and clients of SO NPO on the theme "Availability and quality of paid and free social services provided in the Volgograd region for retiring aged women" N = 46, 60 years and older (21 people-clients of SO NPO, 25 people-recipients of social services. services, October 2017 – January 2018). The analysis of these in-depth interviews with experts allowed to draw the following conclusions. There is a duplication of functions of the organizations of public and non-public sectors providing social services to the population. The activities of modern SO NPO operating in the social services market contain innovative and commercial components. The expansion of the "platform" of the social services market does not yet lead to full competition between organizations, encouraging them to constantly improve the quality of services. The analysis of in-depth interviews with recipients of social services from government organizations and customers of SO NPO showed that the commercialization of activities of SO NPO does not make social services more accessible to those who are in need of them. There is the necessity of changes in the way social services are being provided in the Volgograd region as they do not meet the needs of women of retirement age, do not take into account their level of income and material well-being.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 40-44
Author(s):  
T.V. Soloveva ◽  
◽  
E.G. Pankova ◽  
D.A. Bistyaikina ◽  
◽  
...  

The article presents the results of a study of the possibilities of the social protection system to improve the quality of life of substitute families in the Republic of Mordovia. The authors conclude that a substitute family is not a legally defined term for any type of family that accepts a child (children) left without parental care. Social protection of a substitute family is a system of support provided by providing a set of social services to the family in order to preserve and strengthen the social, psychological and physical health of members of the foster family and prevent secondary abandonment of the child. Professional formation and support of substitute families is one of the most important stages in the work of specialists working with a child placed in a family and members of this family. The results of the research presented in the article suggest that in General, substitute parents in the Republic of Mordovia are satisfied with the socio-psychological and socio-legal knowledge obtained during the preparation and decision-making on the creation of a substitute family. Adaptation and upbringing of a foster child, the features of children who have a traumatic experience of breaking up with their biological parents and the features of their development in adolescence – are the topics that were most significant for the substitute parents. The authors observed that adoptive families are heterogeneous both in terms of social well-being in General, and by the presence and intensity of elements, and therefore family policies should focus not only on the institution of foster families in General, but to be differentiated in relation to different groups. The results obtained provide a scientific basis for such a differentiated policy, which corresponds to the principle of targeting, widely declared in social policy and social work.


2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-48
Author(s):  
Agota Giedrė Raišienė ◽  
Laura Gardziulevičienė

The phenomenon of the welfare state is characterized by complexity of indicators. To determine in which areas the country is closer to the welfare state, various areas of social policy are analysed. In this article, we set out to investigate one of them, i.e., the accessibility of social services for children with disabilities. The European Union ensures the basic preconditions for the well-being of children with disabilities and emphasizes the compatibility of health, social and educational services (European Commission, 2021). In addition, Member States are free to introduce specific measures for social inclusion (COM, 2021). The well-being of children with disabilities is inseparable from that of adults, usually the family in which the children live. Depending on the child’s disability, the family has to devote time to the child’s special needs, so opportunities to function in society, such as working and earning an income, become dependent on the social assistance received for the disabled child. Research shows that participation in labour market processes reduces the social exclusion of families with children with disabilities and improves quality of life indicators in general (Stefanidis & Strogilos 2020). However, analysis of good practice is more common, while information about the lack of services that parents face difficulties remains overboard. Thus, our research contributes to a better understanding of how families raising children with disabilities use state-provided social services and what solutions and measures are needed to improve the quality of life of children with disabilities and their relatives. The practical implications of our article are revealed through the possibility of more confidently shaping the decisions and measures of the welfare state.The article presents results of a survey of 68 families with disabled children. Our research was conducted in Druskininkai municipality which has typical infrastructure of social services for the disabled and their families in Lithuania.Our study has shown that social services in Lithuania poorly meet needs of families with disabled children. Though social inclusion is one of the most important features of the welfare state, the provision of social services to disabled and their families goes beyond the concept in Druskininkai municipality at least. Families have little information about social guarantees and support provided by the state and municipality. The families are limited to services reported by health care and education institutions. Moreover, the most significant problem hindering social integration of disabled and their families is a small portion of disabled children using services of day care centre. As a result, children suffer at risk of social exclusion while disabled children’s parents lack of opportunities to fully participate in the labour market.Based on the results of the study we state that increasing the availability of social services that meet the needs of families with disabled children is a necessary social policy solution, without which the development of a welfare state in Lithuania is hardly possible.


Author(s):  
М. В. Зарічкова

<p><strong>IMPROVEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF PROVIDING THE SOCIAL SERVICES FOR SPECIALISTS PHARMACY</strong></p><p><strong>M. V. Zarichkova</strong></p><p>InstituteofPharmacyProfessionals Qualification Improvement (IPHPQI), NationalUniversityofPharmacy, Kharkiv</p><p><strong>Summary:</strong> the main components of the system of social services (SS) for specialists’ pharmacy, namely the quality, the monitoring, the control and the evaluation of SS were considered. SS as an economic category was analyzed and outlined its basic properties. The differences of SS and material assistance were given. It was theoretically proved necessity of improvement some of the terms, including «social services», «monitoring of social services», «quality of social services for specialists pharmacy» and others. The algorithm for monitoring, control and evaluation of SS was developed. It was proposed to consider these components as a chain of «Monitoring of social services (MSS) - Control of Social Services (CSS) - Evaluation of Social Services (ESS)». It was investigated the legislative support of provision of SS and on its basis proposed to develop the unified standard of SS for specialists pharmacy.</p><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> social protection of specialists pharmacy, pharmaceutical industry, social services, monitoring of social services, control of social services, evaluation of social services.</p><p><strong>Introduction.</strong> The important aspect in providing SS specialists pharmacy is the implementation of the institutional analysis of the production sector SS of an administrative-territorial unit. Particular attention is given to study ought the state's role in the formation and development of the sector SS; study the scope and structure of the sector SS relevant administrative units, mechanisms and forms of interaction between its elements, potential and resources of organizations to provide the necessary SS. This requires comprehensive research and detailed description the sector SS. The analysis of the scope of the provision of SS may be useful to identify of social groups’ pharmacy professionals who today feel the need in social protection and the relevant SS [1, 2].</p><p><strong>Research methods.</strong> The basis of the research served as the requirements legislative and normative acts the system for providing SS in Ukraine; domestic scientific achievements of the organization and economics of pharmacy. During research the have been used the modern scientific methods: comparison (generalization legislative base on providing SS), logical (research of dynamics of changes in the provision of SS), historical analysis and more. We have been analyzed the existing scientific publications of foreign and domestic authors, who covered the issues related to social protection. Thus, the problems of social security of the population studied, particularly domestic scientists - Kotvitska A.A., Posylkina A.V., Nemchenko A.S. etc. The analysis of the literature has shown that the attention to the use of SS inUkraine started quite recently, and experience in providing SS for specialists’ pharmacy is an innovative.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion.</strong> The development of the private sector social service is extremely slow inUkraine. This is associated with the imperfection of the normative base which does not allow developing non government social services, in particular given the sector specific. The development of the private sector in the social protection specialist pharmacy (SPSPh) ofUkraine is a social problem which requires immediate resolution. The demand for alternative social care of professionals pharmacy has been around a long time, but appropriate conditions for its implementation has not created [1].</p><p>Developed industries countries use different models of social services, which are promising for application inUkraine. The foreign experience of the private sector to provide SS demonstrates the significant achievements in this regard.</p><p>Is necessary to note that in all these countries the right to providing SS guaranteed by the State and derive social competition. Typically in private institutions SS is cheaper than in public. However, the recipients seeking to use the SS of state institutions because the quality of SS is higher.</p><p><strong>Conclusions.</strong> 1. Has been analyzed the existing experience of SS in Ukraine and abroad and the possibility of their use in the trade unions and other organizations that deal with social protection specialist pharmacy has been established. It was found that to date is missing effective mechanism to provide of SS specialists pharmacy in the relevant administrative units territorially because we consider it necessary to create a single register of SS for pharmacy professionals.</p><p>2. The basic criterion features of SS were analyzed and brief description of them was given, with highlighted as features of each criterion.</p><p>3. It was analyzed the legislative and normative base which regulates the system of SS and discovered necessity of improvement of some terminological definition of concepts such as "social service", "monitoring of social services", "quality of social services for specialists pharmacy " and so on.</p><p>4. It was studied the system of SS inUkraineand found that it is reasonable to improve the organization of monitoring, control and evaluation of SS. To summarize the actions in this direction was suggested to consider these components as a chain "MSS - CSS - ESS."</p><p>5. The resulted of studies have demonstrated that there exists necessity of development of system of SS standards that provide adequate standard of living specialists pharmacy and correspond to the European standards. Considering this, the basis of social protection specialist pharmacy is necessary to not establish subsistence minimum, as specified in the applicable social laws and social standards on the basis of pharmacy professionals.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey Menzel Baker ◽  
Courtney Nations Azzari ◽  
Meredith Rhoads Thomas ◽  
Aronté Marie Bennett

Many Americans living in poverty rely on a constellation of social services to meet their consumption needs. This article explores the conditions under which social service programs enhance or detract from holistic well-being, from recipients’ perspectives. Depth interviews with 45 rural and urban recipients reveal, through a power–justice–access model, that holistic well-being extends beyond access to social service programs to include power to choose and control resource outcomes and justice (respect) in recipients’ experiences with elements of the social service ecosystem (design, practices, actors, resources). Theoretically, focusing on the social service ecosystem allows a broader understanding of holistic well-being than is possible through a resource-based or dyadic perspective. In terms of policy, the findings suggest the need to include subjective, versus solely objective, approaches in assessing the performance of the social service ecosystem in meeting consumption needs. Finally, the authors offer a practical principle termed “sensitized standardization,” whereby, at the local level, needs are addressed in relation to the context of recipients’ daily lives and the macro structure of the social service ecosystem.


2020 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 04018
Author(s):  
Alexandra S. Shcheglova

Population aging is an objective global process that is characterized by an increase in the absolute and relative number of older people and a decreasing birth rate. The relevance of this study is that at the beginning of 2019, 146.781 million people lived in Russia, including 68.097 million men and 78.684 million women. Children aged 0 to 9 years - more than 18 million, teenagers from 10 to 19 years - more than 14.7 million people, young people from 20 to 29 years - more than 17.3 million people, 40-year-olds (40-49 years) - almost 20.3 million people, Rosstat calculated. There are 19.8 million pre-retirees aged 50-59 in Russia. In Russia, 60-year - olds and older-22%[15]. The increase in the number of elderly citizens leads to the fact that the state should look for new approaches to social services for the elderly in order to create the most comfortable living conditions for them and extend their period of active and independent longevity. The problem of social services for the elderly in the Russian Federation is particularly relevant at the present time, since the liberal reforms in Russia in the 1990s, associated with fundamental changes in the sphere of distribution relations and the transition to the market, radically changed the social conditions of Russian citizens. The current socio-economic situation in the country does not give confidence to the older generation. The increase in the retirement age and the low level of material pension provision add to modern Russian pensioners and people approaching this age category, worries about their social well-being[1].


2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Bowblis ◽  
Amy Restorick Roberts

Health care providers face fixed reimbursement rates from government sources and need to carefully adjust staffing to achieve the highest quality within a given cost structure. With data from the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (1999-2015), this study holistically examined how staffing levels affect two publicly reported measures of quality in the nursing home industry, the number of deficiency citations and the deficiency score. While higher staffing consistently yielded better quality, the largest quality improvements resulted from increasing administrative registered nurses and social service staffing. After adjusting for wages, the most cost-effective investment for improving overall deficiency outcomes was increasing social services. Deficiencies related to quality of care were improved most by increasing administrative nursing and social service staff. Quality of life deficiencies were improved most by increasing social service and activities staff. Approaches to improve quality through staffing adjustments should target specific types of staff to maximize return on investment.


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