Commuter Rail, Freight Railroads, and the Open Access Debate

2000 ◽  
Vol 1704 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fundamental Change ◽  
Rail Freight ◽  
Commuter Rail ◽  
Rail Industry ◽  
The U.S

The future of the U.S. commuter rail industry is inextricably linked to that of the freight railroads. Because of recent mergers and associated operating issues, some shipper interests are seeking fundamental change in the organization of freight railroading. Under proposals for open access, railroads judged to be abusing a monopolistic position or providing inadequate service would be required to accommodate competing operators. As in the telecommunications and natural gas industries, infrastructure and service provision would be disaggregated and rail freight shippers could choose among different railroads. Open access is expected to lead to greater volatility in freight scheduling, as bulk shippers change service providers to maximize their commercial advantage. With freight railroads already at capacity in several metropolitan areas, open access would probably exacerbate capacity problems. The possible effects on commuter operations in Washington, D.C., and Chicago are analyzed. If the United States moves toward some form of open access, commuter railroads must ensure that their operating rights are fully preserved, especially during rush hours.

Growing Older with an Intellectual Disability

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-66
Author(s):  
Lindsay Gething
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Policy And Practice

Both the life expectancy and numbers of older people with intellectual disabilities are growing. Until recently, ageing with a disability had not been a major consideration for Australian policy makers and service providers. The situation was similar in countries such as the United States of America and United Kingdom where, unlike aged care, disability policy and practice had not evolved to meet needs. Ageing with long standing disability has now been specified by the Australian government as a priority area. This paper reports results of consultations held with consumers, their organisations, service providers and government in order to explore quality of life and service provision issues for people with long standing disabilities. It reports these issues and uses themes emerging from consultations to structure previously published information specifically related to ageing with an intellectual disability. Seven broad themes are discussed which relate to: life experiences; attitudes, skills and knowledge of consumers; attitudes skills and knowledge of community and service providers, the nature of service provision; the ageing of family care givers; financial security; and ageing in place. It is concluded that disadvantages and barriers experienced throughout life influence well being and quality of life in old age.

scholarly journals ‘Scrambling to figure out what to do’: a mixed method analysis of COVID-19’s impact on sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. bmjsrh-2021-201081
Author(s):  
Malia Maier ◽  
Goleen Samari ◽  
Jennifer Ostrowski ◽  
Clarisa Bencomo ◽  
Terry McGovern
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Preparedness Planning

ObjectiveA weak and politicised COVID-19 pandemic response in the United States (US) that failed to prioritise sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) overlaid longstanding SRHR inequities. In this study we investigated how COVID-19 affected SRHR service provision in the US during the first 6 months of the pandemic.MethodsWe used a multiphase, three-part, mixed method approach incorporating: (1) a comprehensive review of state-by-state emergency response policies that mapped state-level actions to protect or suspend SRHR services including abortion, (2) a survey of SRHR service providers (n=40) in a sample of 10 states that either protected or suspended services and (3) in-depth interviews (n=15) with SRHR service providers and advocacy organisations.ResultsTwenty-one states designated some or all SRHR services as essential and therefore exempt from emergency restrictions. Protections, however, varied by state and were not always comprehensive. Fourteen states acted to suspend abortion. Five cross-cutting themes surrounding COVID-19’s impact on SRHR services emerged across the survey and interviews: reductions in SRHR service provision; shifts in service utilisation; infrastructural impacts; the critical role of state and local governments; and exacerbation of SRHR inequities for certain groups.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates serious disruptions to the provision of SRHR care that exacerbated existing SRHR inequities. The presence or absence of policy protections for SRHR services had critical implications for providers and patients. Policymakers and service providers must prioritise and integrate SRHR into emergency preparedness planning and implementation, with earmarked funding and tailored service delivery for historically oppressed groups.

scholarly journals Spatial Clustering of County-Level COVID-19 Rates in the U.S

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 12170
Author(s):  
Marcus R. Andrews ◽  
Kosuke Tamura ◽  
Janae N. Best ◽  
Joniqua N. Ceasar ◽  
Kaylin G. Battey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Spatial Clustering ◽  
The United States ◽  
County Level ◽  
Communities Of Color ◽  
States Data ◽  
The U.S

Despite the widespread prevalence of cases associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, little is known about the spatial clustering of COVID-19 in the United States. Data on COVID-19 cases were used to identify U.S. counties that have both high and low COVID-19 incident proportions and clusters. Our results suggest that there are a variety of sociodemographic variables that are associated with the severity of COVID-19 county-level incident proportions. As the pandemic evolved, communities of color were disproportionately impacted. Subsequently, it shifted from communities of color and metropolitan areas to rural areas in the U.S. Our final period showed limited differences in county characteristics, suggesting that COVID-19 infections were more widespread. The findings might address the systemic barriers and health disparities that may result in high incident proportions of COVID-19 clusters.

Urban African American Girls at Risk: An Exploratory Study of Service Needs and Provision

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Jane Brubaker ◽  
Kristan C. Fox
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Juvenile Justice System ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Service Needs ◽  
African American Girls ◽  
Race And Gender ◽  
And Gender

Although much has been gained from efforts to document and improve upon race and gender bias within the juvenile justice system, research continues to overlook the importance of service provision, particularly in terms of race and gender differences and inequities. Research focusing on urban African American girls, in particular, remains sparse. This article contributes to these neglected areas by presenting findings from an exploratory, qualitative study of service providers in a southeastern city in the United States. The findings are based on providers’ perceptions of the major problems and needs of the African American girls they serve, as well as of the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges of the programs and services they provide.

The Movement and Settlement of Puerto Rican Migrants within the United States, 1950–1960

1968 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-52
Author(s):  
J. Hernández-Alvarez
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Puerto Rican ◽  
York City ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Puerto Ricans ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Trend ◽  
The U.S

This article presents a concise summary of the geographic movement and settlement of Puerto Ricans within the United States from 1950 to 1960, based on data drawn from the Census taken on the latter date. The Author observes that a shift away from New York City occurred both in terms of migration from Puerto Rico and internal movements between states. This resulted in the development of major Puerto Rican communities in eight other metropolitan areas of the U.S. The Puerto Rican population was found highly mobile within the U.S., especially from neighborhood to neighborhood within the same city and usually in the direction of neighborhoods marked by out-migration of non-Puerto Ricans. The analysis is then extended to the different patterns of settlement outside New York City and the present evolution of the migrant colonias and to the diaspora of a small portion of the Puerto Rican population throughout the U.S. In the final remarks, the Author discusses the future trend of dispersion of the second generation population, especially, and the correlation between economically favored cities and the setlement of Puerto Ricans on the mainland.

Global problem, local solutions: Challenges to exiting commercial sexual exploitation and service provision

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 741-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bincy Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Commercial Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Local Solutions ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
Insight Into

This article explores the challenges (barriers and needs) in exit from commercial sexual exploitation and its implications on service provision across different cultures, using data gathered from 55 service providers in India and the United States. The findings provide an insight into the societal nuances of the exit phenomenon, where the similarities reflect the ubiquitous nature of exploitation and the differences reflect the distinct cultural outlook within each society. The learning would initiate development/modification of interventions that are culturally sensitive and appropriate while sharing knowledge of best practices, thereby helping to make a real impact in the lives of those affected.

scholarly journals Personal and organizational predictors of service provision for refugees

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Eunyoung Jang
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Refugee Resettlement ◽  
Community Resources ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Study Participants

This cross-sectional research study examined related predictors such as knowledge of refugees, familiarity with community resources, cultural competence, and organizational culture factors associated with service provision for refugees among a sample of service providers. Three theories/models provided the theoretical framework-- the gateway provider model (Stiffman, Pescosolido, and Cabassa, 2004), cultural competence model (Schim, Doorenbos, and Borse, 2005; Suarez-Balcazar et al., 2011), and organizational theory (Glisson et al., 2008a; Glisson et al., 2008b). This study aimed to 1) describe the characteristics of a sample of refugee service providers, and 2) examine how service providers' personal factors and organizational culture factors are associated with service provision. One hundred seventy refugee service providers across the United States completed an online survey. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, multiple regression analysis, and mediation analysis were employed to address four research questions and related hypotheses. Seventy-five point three percent of study participants were white and 81.5% were female. The age of subjects ranged from 23 to 75 years of age. Most (60%) of the study participants completed a graduate degree or higher and 86.3% of participants had not been a refugee before. Further, 62.3% of study participants were employed in a refugee resettlement related job. Most of the respondents worked in the Midwest (35.6%) and South (36.3%) regions. The vast majority of participants (84.9%) were working at a refugee resettlement agency. The major findings indicated that service providers' personal factors (i.e., knowledge of refugees, familiarity with community resources, and cultural competence) were significantly associated with overall service provided and referrals as well as each domain of service provided and referrals. Proficient organizational culture was positively associated with service provided and referrals, and constantly rigid organizational culture was negatively associated with service provided and referrals. Cultural competence behavior had a mediation effect on the association between service providers' familiarity with community resources and service provision. In addition, cultural competence behavior had a mediation effect on the association between service providers' work experiences and service provision. The findings provide important insights for refugee service providers, refugee service organizations, researchers, and policy makers for improving refugee service by developing a cultural competence training program and an online networking system.

scholarly journals Why Pandemics, Such as COVID-19, Require a Metropolitan Response

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Shlomo Angel ◽  
Alejandro Blei
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Small City ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Rural Counties ◽  
Scaling Hypothesis ◽  
Statistical Support ◽  
Statistical Results ◽  
The U.S

We introduce evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States that lends support to future political efforts to include multi-county metropolitan areas as an additional and critical institutional layer—over and above municipalities, countries, states, or the federal government—for the effective management of present and future pandemics. Multi-county metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) accommodated 73% of the U.S. population and, as of 27 September 2020, they were home to 78% of reported cases of COVID-19 and 82% of reported deaths. The rationale for a renewed focus on these spatial units is that they are found to be densely interconnected yet easily identifiable locales for the spread of pandemics and, therefore, for their proper management as well. The paper uses available data on cases and deaths in U.S. counties as of 27 September 2020 to lend statistical support to four hypotheses: (1) The Onset Hypothesis: The onset of COVID-19 cases and deaths commenced earlier in multi-county metropolitan areas than in small-city counties or rural counties; (2) The Peak Hypothesis: The current peak of COVID-19 cases and deaths occurred earlier in multi-county metropolitan areas; (3) The Scaling Hypothesis: Multi-county metropolitan areas had more than their shares of COVID-19 cases and deaths than their shares in the population; and (4) The Neighbor Hypothesis: Levels of COVID-19 cases and deaths in counties within multi-county metropolitan areas were more strongly related to respective levels in their neighboring counties than small-city counties or rural counties. The reported statistical results demonstrate the value of adopting a metropolitan perspective on pandemics and working to empower effective institutional arrangements at the metropolitan level for managing the present and future pandemics.

scholarly journals An Examination of the Employment Recovery in the United States in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 170-175
Author(s):  
David C. Wyld
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
The United States ◽  
Labor Statistics ◽  
Government Data ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Bureau Of Labor Statistics ◽  
The U.S

The “shock” of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set about wholesale changes across American life, impacting the way we socialized, shopped, and yes, worked. There were significant disruptions across the business landscape in the United States, accompanied by significant job losses, starting in March 2020. In this article, we examine the size and scope of the changes in employment that took place in the U.S. at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and during the recovery period up through April 2021. Utilizing official government data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the author examines how the pandemic caused both widespread job losses and record-setting levels of unemployment but had differential effects across a variety of industries. Then, the author looks at the recovery period, examining the recovery in employment has been unequally distributed across the United States, with differentiations between both urban and rural areas and between metropolitan areas across the county. The article concludes with a look at what this means for the future of work and for management moving forward - hopefully - into the post-pandemic period.

scholarly journals Restaurant Organizational Forms and Community in the U.S. in 2005

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn R. Carroll ◽  
Magnus Thor Torfason
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Sociological Theory ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Food Service ◽  
The United States ◽  
Organizational Forms ◽  
Suburban Sprawl ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Analyze Data

Recent sociological theory and research highlights food, drink, and restaurants as culturally meaningful and related to social identity. An implication of this view holds that the prevalence of corporate chain restaurants affects the sociological character of communities, as many activists, popular–based movements, and theorists contend. The analysis we report here seeks to identify the ecological niche properties of chain and independent restaurants—which kinds of communities support restaurant chains, and which kinds of communities tend to support independent local restaurants and food service providers instead. We analyze data from a 2005 sample of 49 counties across the United States with over 17,000 active restaurants. We argue that demographic stability affects the community composition of organizational forms, and we also investigate arguments about a community's income distribution, age distribution, population trends, geographic sprawl, and commuter population. We find that communities with less stable demographic make–ups support more chain restaurants, but that other factors, including suburban sprawl and public transit commuter, also have some impact.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document