Browsing by Author "Commodore-Mensah, Miriam"

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    Child Saftey Forward Indiana: Final Report
    (2023-07) Mariscal, E. Susana; Victor, Bryan G.; Smith, Jamie K.; Elliott, Jenna M.; Commodore-Mensah, Miriam; Lown, Mallory; Chase, Kacie; Ashby, Pam; Liang, Sophia; Houston, Allie; Martin, Gretchen
    This report is the culmination of an in-depth evaluation of the Child Safety Forward – Indiana (CSF) project carried out from October 2019 through June 2023. Here we detail the findings from 127 child fatality reviews conducted during the project period, along with documentation of the multiple ways that the CSF Indiana team has secured improvements to the child fatality review process in the State (See Appendix 2). We also provide a set of recommendations based on the evaluation that is intended to further enhance the capacity of Indiana communities to prevent child fatalities due to external injury (See Overview of findings). We hope that the report is useful to community members, prevention workers, and policymakers working hard each day to keep children safe.
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    Experiences of Mental Health Professionals in the Rapid Pivot to Telehealth: Implications for Social Work Practice
    (IU School of Social Work, 2023-08-16) Sullivan, W. Patrick; Hostetter, Carol; Commodore-Mensah, Miriam; School of Social Work
    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of telehealth in behavioral healthcare was rapidly accepted. This article reflects one component of a larger qualitative study that sought to understand the personal and professional experiences of front-line workers and their supervisors during the pivot to virtual services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current article is focused on the question, what were mental health workers’ reactions, both personal and professional, to the rapid adoption of technology in their community mental health center practice? Thirty-six mental health professionals, ranging from front line workers to supervisors, participated in telephone and Zoom interviews between late August and mid-November 2020. Respondents spoke of their organization’s rapid response, the switch to telehealth for many services, the impact of this switch on professional practice, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of virtual services. They also shared their thoughts about the future of telehealth. The rapid changes, necessary for clients and the organization alike, brought an opportunity to reimagine service delivery. As social work is a profession that heavily emphasizes ethics and advocacy, and is the predominant professional group in community mental health, the final section examines implications for social work practice including practice ethics, consideration of factors on a micro, macro, and environmental level, the need to balance protection of the individual with the rights of many, and the necessity to take care of those doing the work as well.