scholarly journals ‘Developing an App Could Be the Wrong Place to Start’: User Reflections and Ideas about Innovation in Municipal Substance Abuse Services

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-108
Author(s):  
Vidar Bakkeli ◽  
Arne Backer Grønningsæter
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Aftercare Services ◽  
Substance Abuse Services ◽  
Service Collaboration ◽  
User Perspectives

Introduction: There has been an increased focus on the search for innovative ways to use technology to improve services among many public welfare services. However, this focus has been less apparent among municipal substance abuse follow-up and aftercare services. Historically, this is a field that has had weak user involvement. Therefore, we have explored user ideas and reflections on whether and how technological innovation can improve these services. Method: We conducted four group sessions with a total of 14 users of substance abuse follow-up services (five women and nine men) in the southern part of Norway in June of 2014 and February of 2016. Results: The users who participated in the study pointed out that face-to-face interaction with service practitioners is an important dimension of these services. Some expressed fear that more technology might lead to services that are less relational or more standardized and that such developments might lead to reduced availability. They pointed out that enhancing individualization, continuity and service collaboration might be more important than prioritizing technology-oriented innovation. Nevertheless, the users viewed technology as positive and useful when it improves service accessibility and communication between service providers and users. More generally, the data also shed light on users’ service experiences. The analysis of these data shows that access to support from peers who have had user experiences was found to be particularly valuable. Discussion: We contribute to the literature on co-production and user involvement by highlighting user perspectives on the risks, uncertainties and possibilities for the use of new technologies in service delivery. Based on these findings, we develop the ‘co-production triangle’. In this model, the relationship between the service provider and the user is expanded to include skilled peers as a third actor. Keywords: User involvement, co-production, technology, follow-up care, addiction, peer support

Leveraging a New Well Delivery Methodology for Stellar Drilling Results Steam Injection Project Case Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Alejandro Terrones Brand ◽  
Miguel Alejandro Basso Mora ◽  
Rajeswary Kandasamy ◽  
Sergio Comarin ◽  
Felipe Rene Bustos Guevara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Monitoring ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Stringent Performance

Abstract Mexico has set challenging oil and gas production to meet worldwide demand. In order to deliver promised oil production outputs in this challenging environment, the operator came up with efficient partnerships with key service providers to leverage resources and technical know-how whilst encouraging knowledge transfer and drilling project cost reduction. By working with various service companies, the operator creates a competitive environment where each strives to outperform the other. One such success case is in the "S" field, a heavy oil field producing via steam injection in the South of Mexico. Utilizing a creative design and execution methodology, the "S" project team succeeded to deliver improved project performance over the course of drilling the 14 wells in the campaign. The average well operational time was successfully reduced by 10%, hence maximizing the well construction index to 122 m/day and reducing overall well costs. The main strategy to optimize performance is to re-engineer solutions for profitability such as performing a study to replace OBM by WBM, designing a new wellhead system, collaborating with the rig contractor to reduce flat time activities, redesigning cement properties for losses mitigation, improvement of ROP by merging new technologies and local practices, among others. Complementary to this, the strategy is to prioritize realistic areas of improvement by the development and utilization of a new tool called Best of the Best (BoB), a methodology breaking down all well activities in order to measure its fastest time per well and then aiming to achieve that aggressive goal. Detailed follow up in the field allows to reduce operational times by allowing the wellsite team monitor and suggest new and improved ways of doing a routine task all of which result in lower costs per foot. Utilizing this BoB approach and stringent performance monitoring while drilling (pre-actual-post) activity analysis, allowed superior performance to be achieved. The project reached a 60% improvement on well times from the first well drilled to the best performing well. The best well was drilled in 8.68 days versus a field average of 18 days (217 m/day construction index). This generated 369,000 bbls of earlier oil production, 176 days ahead vs client expectations. Furthermore, in coordination with field staff, lessons learned were captured. But this is not enough since fast and effective communication is required, and the BoB methodology provides the solution to share optimization tricks quickly and effectively between crews, to continue well to well improvement and overall project and field level learning. Improved well delivery results is possible only by aligning the detailed planning and execution follow up in both the wellsite and a remote operations centre which monitored drilling activity in real time from town. This synergy and proactive communication system is also a key factor in the project delivery. This paper will present the results from the first application of the ‘Best of Best' (BoB) methodology in Mexico. This successful application enforces the idea that by coupling re-engineering practices to develop a more creative well design along with stringent performance monitoring; any field performance can be improved to deliver stellar results.

Money Laundering, Cybercrime and Criminal Responsibility of Legal Persons

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-150
Author(s):  
Miguel Abel Souto
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Criminal Responsibility ◽  
Criminal Liability ◽  
Criminal Activity ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Payment Systems ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Customer Information

Directives 2015/849 and 2018/843 on money laundering require continuous adaptations of the legal framework to respond to threats of the use of new technologies in money laundering. Directive 2018/843 extends the scope of Directive 2015/849 to ‘providers engaged in exchange services between virtual currencies and fiat currencies, as well as custodian wallet providers’. Undoubtedly, the new payment systems facilitate money launderers’ criminal activity. These systems are better than cash for moving large sums of money, non-face to face business relationships favour the use of straw buyers and false identities, the absence of credit risk, as there is usually a prepaid option, discourages service providers from obtaining complete and accurate customer information, and the nature of the trade and the speed of transactions make it difficult to control property or freezing. However, the development of technologies, including the Internet, has unquestionable advantages involved and even provides, through online resources, verification of identity or other duty of surveillance for the prevention of money laundering. In addition, the reform of June 22, 2010 introduced in Spain the criminal liability of legal persons and incorporated money laundering, together with other crimes, to this innovative model of criminal responsibility. Soon after, Organic Law 1/2015, of March 30, modified the hitherto barely applied regulation. In conclusion, the use of dummy corporations for money laundering is frequent, as is evidenced by the judgements of the Supreme Court of June 26, 2012 and February 4, 2015, but until recently the accessory consequences and the doctrine of piercing the corporate veil were sufficient.

scholarly journals Older Adults and Substance-Related Disorders: Trends and Associated Costs

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Rosen ◽  
Emily Heberlein ◽  
Rafael J. Engel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Related Disorder ◽  
Substance Abuse Services ◽  
Eastern State

Purpose. The aim of this study is to examine the changing service profile of older adults receiving substance abuse services over the past decade and the increased costs of treating this population. Design and Methods. Medicaid claims for mental health and substance abuse services data from a medium sized county in an eastern state were analyzed for individuals aged 50 years and older in calendar year 2000 or 2009. Univariate statistics are presented to describe the substance abuse and mental health services used by older adults in these two years. Results. The number of low-income older adults who accessed services for treatment and who had a substance-related diagnosis grew from 545 individuals in 2000 to 1,653 individuals in 2009. Costs for services utilized by older adults with a substance-related diagnosis rose by 358% from $2.1 million in 2000 to $9.5 million in 2009. Implications. The increase in the number of low-income older adults with a substance-related disorder and the concomitant rise in total spending for Medicaid reimbursed services indicate that local and state social service providers need to prepare for an older adult population who will need appropriate substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.

Psychopathology 8½ Years Post Parasuicide

Crisis ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Curran ◽  
Michael Fitzgerald ◽  
Vincent T Greene
Keyword(s):  
Rating Scales ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Parental Bonding ◽  
Social Maladjustment ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Long Term Follow Up

There are few long-term follow-up studies of parasuicides incorporating face-to-face interviews. To date no study has evaluated the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity at long-term follow-up of parasuicides using diagnostic rating scales, nor has any study examined parental bonding issues in this population. We attempted a prospective follow-up of 85 parasuicide cases an average of 8½ years later. Psychiatric morbidity, social functioning, and recollections of the parenting style of their parents were assessed using the Clinical Interview Schedule, the Social Maladjustment Scale, and the Parental Bonding Instrument, respectively. Thirty-nine persons in total were interviewed, 19 of whom were well and 20 of whom had psychiatric morbidity. Five had died during the follow-up period, 3 by suicide. Migration, refusals, and untraceability were common. Parasuicide was associated with parental overprotection during childhood. Long-term outcome is poor, especially among those who engaged in repeated parasuicides.

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