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Item Rural Hospice Caregivers and the Social Workers Who Support Them: A Mixed Methods Study(2024-12) Curd, Jessica Lind Ann; Pierce, Barbara; Hong, Michin; Lee, Jessica; Nguyen, Thu Suong ThiThis study aimed to explore the experiences of rural caregivers for dying individuals and the hospice social workers who support them, with a focus on the Covid- 19 pandemic and its recovery phases. This study also investigated stress, secondary trauma, anticipatory grief, social support, and health disparities among home informal caregivers of dying persons, as well as stress and secondary trauma among hospice social workers. This study employed a mixed method approach to explore the factors affecting rural caregivers and hospice social workers. This allowed for a comprehensive understanding of their experiences. Initial analysis of means revealed moderate to high levels of anticipatory grief, secondary trauma, and caregiver stress among end-of-life caregivers. To explore the interactions between these variables, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted using data from 107 caregivers. Each regression model (Caregiver Stress, Secondary Trauma, and Anticipatory Grief) was statistically significant. Results indicated that anticipatory grief, secondary traumatic stress, and caregiver stress co-vary and are influenced by perceived social support. Qualitative findings from caregiver interviews supported the quantitative results. Seven themes emerged: "no time to grieve but I am grieving," "feeling alone," "structure and routine help," "meaning making," "building a 'new normal'," "going into their world," and "impact ofCovid-19 pandemic." Interviews with 19 hospice social workers revealed moderate to high levels of anticipatory grief and secondary traumatic stress. Six themes emerged: "feeling disconnected and less effective," "grief regarding loss of no1malcy," "no longer 'heroes'," "false sense of security," "closer with peers and distanced from leaders," and "systemic barriers." Overall, this study sheds light on the specific stressors and emotional challenges faced by rural end-of-life caregivers and social workers. It highlights their resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. The findings underscore the need for targeted support systems and interventions to address the mental health and well-being of these essential yet often overlooked members of the healthcare community. Additionally, the research contributes valuable insights to the broader discourse on the importance of social support in mitigating the effects of stress and trauma in caregiving professions.Item Sense(making) & Sensibility: Reflections on an Interpretivist Inquiry of Critical Service Learning(University of Georgia, 2023-04) Weaver, Laura; Warren-Gordon, Kiesha; Crisafulli, Susan; Kuban, Adam J.; Lee, Jessica E.; Santamaría Graff, Cristina; School of EducationCritical service learning, as outlined by Mitchell (2008), highlights the importance of shifting from the charity- and project-based model to a social-change model of service learning. Her call for greater attention to social change, redistribution of power, the development of authentic relationships, and, more recently with Latta (2020), futurity as the central strategies to enacting “community-based pedagogy” has received significant attention. However, little research has occurred on how to measure the effectiveness of these components. This reflective article expands upon and calls into question the ways in which critical service learning can be assessed. Utilizing focus groups, we ask the following questions: How do engaged scholar–practitioners operationalize Mitchell’s (2008) three tenets of critical service learning? What are ways to measure the outcomes and impacts of Mitchell’s three tenets of critical service learning?Item Sense(making) & Sensibility: Reflections on an Interpretivist Inquiry of Critical Service Learning(University of Georgia, 2023) Weaver, Laura; Warren-Gordon, Kiesha; Crisafulli, Susan; Kuban, Adam J.; Lee, Jessica E.; Santamaría Graff, CristinaCritical service learning, as outlined by Mitchell (2008), highlights the importance of shifting from the charity- and project-based model to a social-change model of service learning. Her call for greater attention to social change, redistribution of power, the development of authentic relationships, and, more recently with Latta (2020), futurity as the central strategies to enacting “community-based pedagogy” has received significant attention. However, little research has occurred on how to measure the effectiveness of these components. This reflective article expands upon and calls into question the ways in which critical service learning can be assessed. Utilizing focus groups, we ask the following questions: How do engaged scholar–practitioners operationalize Mitchell’s (2008) three tenets of critical service learning? What are ways to measure the outcomes and impacts of Mitchell’s three tenets of critical service learning?Item Visualizing structural competency: moving beyond cultural competence/ humility toward eliminating racism(Taylor & Francis, 2022) Kyere, Eric; Boddie, Stephanie; Lee, Jessica Euna; School of Social WorkIn this article, the authors argue that in the United States, structural racism set the stage that increased persons of color’s vulnerabilities and risks to COVID-19 compared to Whites, while simultaneously killing Blacks through racialized policing. They draw on structural violence as a theoretical framework to ground their argument and add to the discussion on the need for social work to explicitly build structural competency to effectively respond to structural racism. Most importantly, the authors contend that, structural racism entails a network of interdependent institutions and organizations that interact with individuals in a complex way to affect health and well-being. Therefore, eliminating racism needs to move beyond a single institution and organization to interdependent relationships among institutions and the mechanized paths through which their effects are translated at the community and individual levels. In this regard, instead of simplifying the complexities surrounding structural racism, we should embrace them and build knowledge system and tools that are complexity sensitive toward eliminating racism. The authors extend the emerging discussion on a renewed focus for structural competency in social work education and respond to the Grand Challenge to Eliminate Racism by presenting a “structuragram” as a heuristic to assess, analyze, and intervene at the structural level factors that influence the individual and community’s realities. We conclude with a case example and recommendations for structural competency-based practice.Item The Experience of Burmese Refugee Students in Higher Education: Blooming out of Concrete(2022-09) Lim, Minyoung; Adamek, Margaret E.; Pierce, Barbara; Lee, Jessica E.; Huber, LesaThe United States is the world’s top resettlement country for refugees and the third largest community of Burmese refugees lives in the state of Indiana. Many refugee families look to their college-age youth to enhance their well-being. This study explored the lived experiences of Burmese refugee college students’ resettlement and the role that social support plays in that approach. In order to explore the refugee students’ resettlement experiences and the role of social support, social support theory and conservation of resources theory were used to explain the importance of social support for refugee students’ successful resettlement. A qualitative study using thematic analysis was conducted using 32 in-depth individual interviews with Burmese refugee students in higher education. Through an indepth examination of the lived experiences of Burmese refugee college students’ resettlement, four main themes were identified: challenges of resettlement, resettlement needs, the resources of social support, and resettlement experiences. Refugee students actively cultivated their life and showed aspirations of being successful members of this new environment. Even though they faced many challenges and needs identified through interviews, the participants overcame these barriers including a different culture and language and prosper in their lives in the host country. The social support from the coethnic community and people in the host country both affected the participants’ successful resettlement. Co-ethnic community also plays an important role to pursue higher education. The study findings will be used by social work practice, programs, and policies to improve the success of Burmese refugee students' resettlement. This study would serve as a foundation for enhancing refugee students’ resettlement and understanding the critical role of social support resources during the resettlement period. Burmese refugee students would be an important avenue to develop international relations and achieve social justice. In spite of a variety of barriers and prejudices, Burmese refugee students bloom and flourish in their new environment in the United States. They are beneficiaries but also currently benefactors. The perspectives on refugees need to change and move from victims to the citizens of the world.