Reducing Pessimism About Social Security’s Future Through Gerontological Education

A recent Pew Research Center poll found less than half of non-retired U.S. adults believe they will receive Social Security benefits when they retire. Pessimism about Social Security’s future is even stronger among people under 50, raising concerns about political support for the program. The current study examined to what extent education about how Social Security functions and strategies to address program funding shortfalls could increase optimism about Social Security’s future. In Fall 2020, twenty-two undergraduate students enrolled in an on-line aging and social policy course were asked how likely they would receive Social Security income when they retired. Consistent with national polling data, only 38% believed they would probably or definitely receive Social Security retirement income. Students were also asked to briefly explain why they answered the way they did. Common reasons given for pessimism about receiving Social Security retirement income included having heard Social Security will run out of money and believing only U.S. citizens are eligible for Social Security benefits. Over a two-week period, students completed asynchronous on-line activities covering Social Security retirement eligibility, worker and spousal benefits, current funding, and proposed changes to address funding shortfalls. Upon completion, 67% of students stated they would probably or definitely receive Social Security retirement income when they retired (p = .07). These preliminary results suggest that education about the program can reduce pessimism about Social Security’s future. Additional data will be collected from 45 students enrolled in the same course in Spring 2021.

Benefits and Costs of the USA Coal Research, Development, and Demonstration Program

This paper estimates the costs, impacts, and benefits of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) coal RD&D program, 1976 - 2019. We provide detailed estimates by technology (in 2019 dollars) of the DOE coal RD&D budget and find that program funding priorities have changed substantially over this period. We estimate that the benefits of the DOE coal RD&D program through 2019 - $236.7 billion (2019 dollars) - far exceed the costs -- $28.6 billion (2019 dollars). This implies a benefit-cost (B-C) ratio of greater than 8-to-1, which is impressive. The number of jobs created over the period 2000 – 2019 - 1.6 million - is large, and the local job impacts are especially relevant at present. Recommendations for further research are provided and include the proper methodology for evaluating RD&D programs and the necessity for comparing the results reported here with B-C estimates for other energy and related technologies.

Racial and Sexual Minority Scholar Positionality: Advancing Health Status and Life Opportunity Among Sexual Minority Men of Color

Black and Latino sexual minority men (BLSMM) scholars are well positioned to draw on their unique perspectives and expertise to address the health status and life opportunities (HSLO) of BLSMM. Increasingly, research related to the positionality of scholars of color suggests that the scholar’s stance in relation to the community being researched has important implications for the research. Despite growing recognition of the importance of scholar positionality, limited attention has been paid to the relationship between scholar-of-color positionality and improving HSLO trajectories of BLSMM. Furthermore, extant literature fails to specify the mechanisms by which scholar-of-color positionality can improve HSLO among BLSMM. This article seeks to fill this gap in research by arguing that an inadequate consideration of scholar positionality in health and life opportunity research has important implications for the HSLO of BLSMM. A multilevel, mediational model addressing factors at the micro-level (i.e., intrapersonal resources)—BLSMM scholars’ personal commitments to BLSMM communities, cultural knowledge and expertise, and shared life experiences; meso-level (i.e., scholar and affected community interactions)—historical membership, mutual interdependency and trust, and community and organizational gatekeeping; and macro-level (i.e., national policies and priorities regarding BLSMM)—national priorities regarding the health and social welfare of BLSMM, allocation of BLSMM research and program funding, societal sentiment, and national investment in the workforce development of BLSMM scholars and clinicians are detailed. In conclusion, we identify recommendations and strategies for advancing scientific, programmatic, and policy efforts, aimed at improving HSLO among communities of BLSMM.

Third Sector Restructuring and the New Contracting Regime: The Case of Immigrant Serving Agencies in Ontario

Many are aware of declining capacity in the NGO sector with respect to advocacy and community development, but to date there has been relatively little analysis of the causes and consequences of this alarming trend. As this paper will demonstrate, however, much more is at work in the service providing sector than simple “overload” due to expansion of service demands beyond available funding. We will document and analyse the ways that the NGO service sector in Canada, and with Ontario based immigrant serving agencies in particular, are being deliberately restructured through the shift from “core” to “program” funding, the de legitimization of community development work as a fundable service, and the imposition of complex and burdensome accountability schemes disguised as evaluation measures. We will also examine the consequences of this restructuring in terms of growing monopolisation within the sector and the consequent reduction of diversity of service alternatives, as well as reduced capacity for public education and community development. The paper will explore the paradox inherent in the fact that such restructuring is being imposed without public debate in the name of the public good, and propose potential solutions related to this crucial issue of Canadian public policy. As essential background to the analysis we will provide an overview of the growing and changing role of the “third sector” as the preferred delivery agent for human services within a downsized and globalized economy. Keywords: CVSS, Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Working Paper Series,TRSM, Ted Rogers School of Management Citation:

Third Sector Restructuring and the New Contracting Regime: The Case of Immigrant Serving Agencies in Ontario

Many are aware of declining capacity in the NGO sector with respect to advocacy and community development, but to date there has been relatively little analysis of the causes and consequences of this alarming trend. As this paper will demonstrate, however, much more is at work in the service providing sector than simple “overload” due to expansion of service demands beyond available funding. We will document and analyse the ways that the NGO service sector in Canada, and with Ontario based immigrant serving agencies in particular, are being deliberately restructured through the shift from “core” to “program” funding, the de legitimization of community development work as a fundable service, and the imposition of complex and burdensome accountability schemes disguised as evaluation measures. We will also examine the consequences of this restructuring in terms of growing monopolisation within the sector and the consequent reduction of diversity of service alternatives, as well as reduced capacity for public education and community development. The paper will explore the paradox inherent in the fact that such restructuring is being imposed without public debate in the name of the public good, and propose potential solutions related to this crucial issue of Canadian public policy. As essential background to the analysis we will provide an overview of the growing and changing role of the “third sector” as the preferred delivery agent for human services within a downsized and globalized economy. Keywords: CVSS, Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Working Paper Series,TRSM, Ted Rogers School of Management Citation:

A Plan-Do-Study-Act Approach to the Development, Implementation and Evaluation of a Patient Navigation Program to Reduce Breast Cancer Screening Disparities in Un- and Under-Insured, Racially and Ethnically Diverse Urban Women

Introduction: For the over 28 million Americans without health insurance, there is a great need to develop programs that help meet the health needs of the uninsured population.Materials and Methods: We applied the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement framework to the development, implementation, and evaluation of a breast cancer screening navigation program for un- and under-insured women.Results: Six critical steps emerged: (1) obtain program funding; (2) navigator training; (3) establish a referral base network of community partners that serve the un- and under-insured women; (4) implement a process to address the barriers to accessing mammography; (5) develop a language- and culturally-tailored messaging and media campaign; and (6) develop measures and process evaluation to optimize and expand the program's reach.Discussion: A Plan-Do-Study-Act approach allowed identification of the key elements for successful development, implementation and optimization of a breast cancer screening navigation program aimed at reaching and screening un- and underinsured women.

Predicting the Existence and Prevalence of the US Water Quality Trading Markets

Water quality trading (WQT) programs aim to efficiently reduce pollution through market-based incentives. However, WQT performance is uneven; while several programs have found frequent use, many experience operational barriers and low trading activity. What factors are associated with WQT existence, prevalence, and operational stage? In this paper, we present and analyze the most complete database of WQT programs in the United States (147 programs/policies), detailing market designs, trading mechanisms, traded pollutants, and segmented geographies in 355 distinct markets. We use hurdle models (joint binary and count regressions) to evaluate markets in concert with demographic, political, and environmental covariates. We find that only one half of markets become operational, new market establishment has declined since 2013, and market existence and prevalence has nuanced relationships with local political ideology, urban infrastructure, waterway and waterbody extents, regulated environmental impacts, and historic waterway impairment. Our findings suggest opportunities for better projecting program need and targeting program funding.

Technology and Media Use in Preschool Classrooms: Prevalence, Purposes, and Contexts

Although the amount of time that preschoolers spend with screen media at home is continuing to increase, less is known about the types of media experiences children are having in preschool settings. Furthermore, little research has investigated the purposes for which preschool teachers use technology and media in the classroom and the contexts in which such use occurs. The current study addresses that gap by providing a nuanced picture of technology and media use in preschool classrooms. Lead teachers were recruited via email lists of educators who participated in previous studies or expressed interest in receiving communication from our research group. Participants (N = 312, 98.6% female; Mage = 43.9 years) all taught preschool-age children. Participants were first asked to check which of four devices they used with children in their classroom (tablet, smartphone, computer, television). If participants responded that they used each device, they were asked how often. Survey items also assessed (1) Purposes: how often teachers used each device for instructional purposes (e.g., teaching new material, practicing material) and non-instructional purposes (e.g., entertainment, as a reward), and (2) Context: how often teachers used devices for both teacher-supported and non-teacher-supported activities. Results indicated that tablet and computer use were most common, whereas smartphone and television use were less prevalent. Teachers reported most frequently using tablets, computers, and smartphones for instructional purposes. Television was most frequently used for entertainment. Tablets and smartphones were most frequently used in teacher-supported individual contexts, whereas computers were most frequently used in teacher-supported whole group contexts. Latent class analysis showed five classes of classroom technology and media use: tablet and computer users, tablet only users, low technology users, computer for teacher-supported instruction users, and television only users. Finally, we determined that these classes were predicted by program funding (publicly- or privately-funded), teacher experience, and teacher education.