Browsing by Author "Wahler, Elizabeth A."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Chronic Care, Integrated Care & Mental Health: Moving the Needle Now
    (Taylor & Francis, 2017) Sullivan, W. Patrick; Wahler, Elizabeth A.; School of Social Work
    Healthcare reform is currently a hot topic in the United States, and the Chronic Care Model has frequently been cited as the foundation of recent attempts to integrate mental health and physical health care. However, challenges exist to fully integrated care that have delayed adequately meeting the multiple needs of mental health service recipients. This article highlights multiple changes that can be incorporated into mental health care now, derived from the Chronic Care Model, to better meet clients’ physical and mental health needs. These changes include focusing on population-level data and incorporating technology and multidisciplinary teams in treatment and prevention efforts.
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    Improving Graduation Rates in Drug Court Through Employment and Schooling Opportunities and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
    (Taylor & Francis, 2018) Gallagher, John Robert; Wahler, Elizabeth A.; Lefebvre, Elyse; Paiano, Tara; Carlton, Jesse; Woodward Miller, Jane; School of Social Work
    Drug courts have been a key part of the criminal justice system since 1989, and this study contributes to the existing body of research by identifying which participants (n = 248) were most likely to graduate from a drug court in Indiana (United States). Three variables emerged as significant predictors of graduation. First, participants who were employed or were students at the time of admission were nearly 2.5 times more likely to graduate than participants who were not. Second, participants who were using opiates as their primary drug of choice were over 80% less likely to graduate than participants who were using non-opiates as their primary drug of choice. Third, participants who had violations in the first 30 days of the program were nearly 50% less likely to graduate than participants who did not violate in the first 30 days. Offering medication-assisted treatment (MAT), such as methadone, Suboxone, or Vivitrol, to participants who have an opiate use disorder may improve graduation rates for this population. Additionally, graduation rates may also improve by offering more resources to assist participants in gaining and maintaining employment or schooling, and this seems to be especially important within the first month of the program.
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    Learning to Thrive in a Binary World: Understanding the Gendered Experiences of Nonbinary Individuals and Ways to Bolster Wellbeing
    (2021-08) Kinney, M. Killian; Victor, Bryan G.; Fortenberry, J. Dennis; Thigpen, Jeffry W.; Wahler, Elizabeth A.
    Traditionally, gender has been viewed through an essentialist lens with fixed biology-based traits or polarized gender norms between women and men. As awareness of gender diversity grows, increasingly more people identify as nonbinary – or not exclusively a man or woman. Despite a growing literature on the experiences of binary transgender individuals, little has been explored regarding experiences unique to nonbinary individuals. The research that does include nonbinary individuals focuses primarily on adverse risks and outcomes. As such, a dearth of empirical research exists to understand the unique experiences of nonbinary people and how they relate to wellbeing. A qualitative participatory action study using PhotoVoice was conducted virtually to address the identified gaps in the literature on nonbinary individuals concerning gendered experiences and wellbeing. Prevailing theories of wellbeing informed the study along with minority stress theory and the resilience literature to account for environmental factors of oppression and individual and community resilience. A sample of 17 nonbinary adults in the Midwestern United States was recruited using convenience sampling and participated in online group discussions and individual interviews. The findings were reported in sections corresponding with the three study aims: 1) Explore core dimensions of wellbeing as defined by nonbinary individuals, 2) Identify promotive and corrosive factors of that wellbeing, and 3) Provide recommendations to bolster nonbinary wellbeing. The findings provided a thorough description of how nonbinary individuals perceive their wellbeing concerning their gender and as part of a marginalized population. Thematic analysis identified nine wellbeing themes for how participants conceptualized their wellbeing (e.g., Exploring gender identity and expression, Being connected to community, etc.), seven themes of promotive and corrosive factors of wellbeing (e.g., Positive, accurate, and nuanced representation, Coping skills to manage minority stressors, etc.), and three themes of recommendations (e.g., personal, interpersonal, and professional) with eighteen strategies to bolster wellbeing among nonbinary individuals and communities. The significance of the findings to social work was discussed, including practice application and advocacy. This study contributes to PhotoVoice methodology, wellbeing literature, and trans literature.
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    MSW Student Concerns about Addressing Clients’ Substance Use and Misuse
    (Informa UK Limited, 2022) McCarthy, Katherine M.; Mariscal, E. Susana; Wahler, Elizabeth A.; School of Social Work
    Social work educators must prioritize effective preparation of MSW students for the pivotal roles they will play in supporting clients struggling with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Understanding what concerns MSW students have about working in the substance use field can highlight student training needs and inform learner-centered curricula. This qualitative study explored anticipated concerns held by MSW students in the mental health and addiction focus area of a Midwest university. Thirty-four MSW students beginning their final year of training answered an open-ended survey question regarding their concerns about addressing substance use in their future careers. Findings indicated that students were largely concerned about having sufficient competence, knowledge, and skills to effectively assist clients, particularly considering client self-determination. Students recognized the emotional demands of the work, especially for those who have had personal substance use experiences, and the need for self-care. Students were also concerned about demands specific to these clients and systemic barriers in the substance use field. Recommendations are presented for preparing students to manage these challenges.
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    Racial Disparities in Drug Court Graduation Rates: The Role of Recovery Support Groups and Environments
    (Taylor & Francis, 2018) Gallagher, John Robert; Wahler, Elizabeth A.; School of Social Work
    There are more than 3,000 drug courts in the United States, and research has demonstrated that, in some drug courts, African American participants are less likely to graduate than their White counterparts. Quantitative studies have documented the problem, but qualitative studies are needed to develop an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon through participants’ experiences. This qualitative study asked African American participants (n = 31) about their lived experiences in drug court to develop insight into the factors that might contribute to racial disparities in drug court outcomes. African Americans had favorable views toward both mandated and natural recovery support groups, and they felt that participating in these support groups increased their likelihood of graduating drug court. Conversely, African Americans felt that a barrier to graduating drug court was their environments, mainly risk factors posed by family, neighborhoods, and peers. Implications for drug court practice are discussed.
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    Telebehavioral practice basics for social worker educators and clinicians responding to COVID-19
    (Taylor and Francis, 2020-11-16) Wilkerson, David A.; Wolfe-Taylor, Samantha N.; Deck, Christian K.; Wahler, Elizabeth A.; Davis, Tamara S.
    Social Work’s Grand Challenge to Harness Technology for Social Good calls for educators to reevaluate their role and its significance for the future of social work. Information and communication technology (ICT)-mediated practice methods like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, gamification, and big data, among others, represent a new arena for social work practice. However, educators have been mostly inactive in developing curricula that support student knowledge, training, and decision-making on the adoption of technology for practice. In the United States, the Council on Social Work Education Futures Task Force highlighted this inaction as a matter of critical uncertainty for the field’s future. In contrast, this paper describes how a school of social work rapidly deployed a free, CE training program on the basics of telebehavioral health practice to the social work community to aid their response to COVID-19. The rapid deployment of that training has been distilled as ‘lessons learned’ for those wanting to join in efforts to address the field’s critical uncertainty regarding the adoption of technology. Information is presented about the reach of this training and includes feedback from participants. Additionally, the authors discuss whether COVID-19 can influence social work’s future rate of technology adoption.
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    Treating Opioid Use Disorders in Drug Court: Participants’ Views on Using Medication-Assisted Treatments (MATs) to Support Recovery
    (Sage, 2019-09) Gallagher, John R.; Wahler, Elizabeth A.; Minasian, Raychel M.; Edwards, Abigail; School of Social Work
    Drug courts began in 1989 in Miami-Dade County, FL. Due to their success in treating substance use disorders and reducing criminal recidivism, they have expanded globally and are currently operating in countries such as Australia, Canada, and Scotland, to name a few. Drug courts can be a key intervention in addressing the opioid epidemic. This is the first known qualitative study to ask drug court participants (n = 38) who have opioid use disorders questions related to their lived experiences in drug court, as well as direct questions related to the use of medication-assisted treatments (MATs) in drug court. Overall, drug court participants felt that MATs were helpful for treating their opioid use disorders; however, some participants reported using other drugs while on MATs and they viewed their recovery through a harm reduction lens. Additionally, participants emphasized the importance of using MATs in combination with counseling that used cognitive and behavioral therapies. Implications for drug court practice and future research are discussed.