Irwin Epstein

Neither a cautionary tale nor a polemic, Men as Friends is about a variety of male friendships and a variety of men. A "coming-of-old-age story," it speaks to an audience of men who love or have loved other men but are too embarrassed to say so, opening the reader to the deep sadness of loss as well as the joy of its acknowledgment.

Neither a cautionary tale nor a polemic, Men as Friends is about a variety of male friendships and a variety of men. A "coming-of-old-age story," it speaks to an audience of men who love or have loved other men but are too embarrassed to say so, opening the reader to the deep sadness of loss as well as the joy of its acknowledgment.

Relationship-based research is founded on the idea that human relationships are of paramount importance and should be central to social work research and practice. Drawing on psychodynamic and systemic understandings of research and practice, this book offers practitioners and academics an insight into what constitutes relationship-based approaches to research. These ideas are brought to life by illustrative case studies of research projects carried out in England and Finland, where the concept originated. The authors clearly demonstrate how this approach can be applied across the social work sector and provide a model for practice. This will be a key reference for social work students, practitioners on post-qualifying courses, research students, and consultant and senior practitioner social workers promoting research-informed practice.

This unique textbook explores practice-based research (PBR), using numerous practice examples to actively encourage and engage students and practitioners to embrace research as a meaningful support for their practice. Whilst evidence-based practice gives practitioners access to information about "universal" best practices, it does not prioritize practitioner-generated knowledge or promote new research-based interventions relevant to their own practice circumstances as PBR does. This book discusses the evolution of PBR as a distinct social work research approach, describes its principles and methods and presents a range of exemplars illustrating the application of PBR within different practice methods in different practice settings. The chapters cover:Identifying the research question in a PBR model Designing a study and identifying a methodology Sampling Literature reviews Gathering data Ethics Analyzing data and interpreting results Putting research into practice Viewing the practitioner as central to the research process, and research as a necessary component of practice, this invaluable book emphasizes the seamless integration of practice and research. It is about research in social work practice rather than research on social work practice. Each chapter includes an overview, an introduction, and a key concepts summary. Practice-Based Research in Social Work is a very accessible text suitable for social work students, particularly MSW students, and practitioners.

This unique textbook explores practice-based research (PBR), using numerous practice examples to actively encourage and engage students and practitioners to embrace research as a meaningful support for their practice. Whilst evidence-based practice gives practitioners access to information about "universal" best practices, it does not prioritize practitioner-generated knowledge or promote new research-based interventions relevant to their own practice circumstances as PBR does. This book discusses the evolution of PBR as a distinct social work research approach, describes its principles and methods and presents a range of exemplars illustrating the application of PBR within different practice methods in different practice settings. The chapters cover:Identifying the research question in a PBR model Designing a study and identifying a methodology Sampling Literature reviews Gathering data Ethics Analyzing data and interpreting results Putting research into practice Viewing the practitioner as central to the research process, and research as a necessary component of practice, this invaluable book emphasizes the seamless integration of practice and research. It is about research in social work practice rather than research on social work practice. Each chapter includes an overview, an introduction, and a key concepts summary. Practice-Based Research in Social Work is a very accessible text suitable for social work students, particularly MSW students, and practitioners.

Clinical Data-Mining (CDM) involves the conceptualization, extraction, analysis, and interpretation of available clinical data for practice knowledge-building, clinical decision-making and practitioner reflection. Depending upon the type of data mined, CDM can be qualitative or quantitative; it is generally retrospective, but may be meaningfully combined with original data collection. Any research method that relies on the contents of case records or information systems data inevitably has limitations, but with proper safeguards these can be minimized. Among CDM's strengths however, are that it is unobtrusive, inexpensive, presents little risk to research subjects, and is ethically compatible with practitioner value commitments. When conducted by practitioners, CDM yields conceptual as well as data-driven insight into their own practice- and program-generated questions. This pocket guide, from a seasoned practice-based researcher, covers all the basics of conducting practitioner-initiated CDM studies or CDM doctoral dissertations, drawing extensively on published CDM studies and completed CDM dissertations from multiple social work settings in the United States, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. In addition, it describes consulting principles for researchers interested in forging collaborative university-agency CDM partnerships, making it a practical tool for novice practitioner-researchers and veteran academic-researchers alike. As such, this book is an exceptional guide both for professionals conducting practice-based research as well as for social work faculty seeking an evidence-informed approach to practice-research integration.

This volume has long been an invaluable resource for students and practitioners of social work. It thoroughly and clearly presents research concepts and skills, uniquely organizing them according to assessment and treatment formulation, treatment implementation and monitoring, and evaluation. Also, numerous practice cases and detailed exercises offer a complete grasp of crucial concepts and techniques. This new edition reflects contemporary developments in practice research, such as an emphasis on empirical or evidence-based practice; the importance of evaluation within the managed-care environment; the role of social work ethics in practice research; the value of qualitative research methodology for particular aspects of monitoring and evaluation; and the role of computer technology and the use of the Internet.

This volume has long been an invaluable resource for students and practitioners of social work. It thoroughly and clearly presents research concepts and skills, uniquely organizing them according to assessment and treatment formulation, treatment implementation and monitoring, and evaluation. Also, numerous practice cases and detailed exercises offer a complete grasp of crucial concepts and techniques. This new edition reflects contemporary developments in practice research, such as an emphasis on empirical or evidence-based practice; the importance of evaluation within the managed-care environment; the role of social work ethics in practice research; the value of qualitative research methodology for particular aspects of monitoring and evaluation; and the role of computer technology and the use of the Internet.

Learn how to better clinically serve risky adolescentsfrom the clients themselves! Clinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About explores the research on adolescent behavior culled from the answers to a clinician-designed intake questionnaire given to adolescent clients asking how they view their own risks, what they worry about, and what they wish to talk about. Respected authorities discuss the enlightening findings and present ways to reshape services, taking into account customer preference, risk and worry, and youth development (YD) perspectives while presenting practical clinical strategies to engage at-risk adolescents in mental health treatment. Clinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About provides conceptual models that practitioners and organizations can use to develop reflective practices and to understand better how to engage adolescent clients in treatment. The book includes three case studies that illustrate an organization’s experience in developing ways for organizational learning, including the clinicians’ own accounts of their experience in conducting practice-based research. Two chapters describe the development and the clinical uses of the intake questionnaire and offer guidelines for other practitioners to develop their own. The book discusses specific findings about adolescent risk, worries, and desire to talk across a wide range of psychosocial domains such as education and work, sex and sexuality, safety, substance abuse, and family and friends. Other research examines adolescent risk and vulnerability profiles of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, as well as the impact of racism. Finally, the book builds upon this empirical analysis to address the clinical challenge of engaging risky adolescents in counseling. Clinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About analyzes: adolescent risks, worries, and coping adolescent help seeking and desire to talk in counseling youth development (YD) and adolescent vulnerability urban adolescents’ health and mental health concerns effectively engaging adolescents in counseling collaborative strategies for clinicians and managers reflectivity and learning in human service organizationsClinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About presents essential information for social workers, mental health professionals who work with adolescents, adolescent researchers, pediatricians and adolescent medicine practitioners, teachers, students, and youth workers.

Learn how to better clinically serve risky adolescentsfrom the clients themselves! Clinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About explores the research on adolescent behavior culled from the answers to a clinician-designed intake questionnaire given to adolescent clients asking how they view their own risks, what they worry about, and what they wish to talk about. Respected authorities discuss the enlightening findings and present ways to reshape services, taking into account customer preference, risk and worry, and youth development (YD) perspectives while presenting practical clinical strategies to engage at-risk adolescents in mental health treatment. Clinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About provides conceptual models that practitioners and organizations can use to develop reflective practices and to understand better how to engage adolescent clients in treatment. The book includes three case studies that illustrate an organization’s experience in developing ways for organizational learning, including the clinicians’ own accounts of their experience in conducting practice-based research. Two chapters describe the development and the clinical uses of the intake questionnaire and offer guidelines for other practitioners to develop their own. The book discusses specific findings about adolescent risk, worries, and desire to talk across a wide range of psychosocial domains such as education and work, sex and sexuality, safety, substance abuse, and family and friends. Other research examines adolescent risk and vulnerability profiles of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, as well as the impact of racism. Finally, the book builds upon this empirical analysis to address the clinical challenge of engaging risky adolescents in counseling. Clinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About analyzes: adolescent risks, worries, and coping adolescent help seeking and desire to talk in counseling youth development (YD) and adolescent vulnerability urban adolescents’ health and mental health concerns effectively engaging adolescents in counseling collaborative strategies for clinicians and managers reflectivity and learning in human service organizationsClinical and Research Uses of an Adolescent Mental Health Intake Questionnaire: What Kids Need to Talk About presents essential information for social workers, mental health professionals who work with adolescents, adolescent researchers, pediatricians and adolescent medicine practitioners, teachers, students, and youth workers.

Design more effective social work programs with research data from your clinical files! A well-planned research program helps social workers provide consistent, effective services to their clients, but stretched budgets and tight schedules make it difficult to find the resources for data gathering. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research shows how you can use the existing records already kept by every health-care institution as your primary data source. By analyzing documented clinical information, you can do groundbreaking research and custom-tailor programs to fit the specific needs of your department. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research draws from the experiences of members of the Mount Sinai Department of Social Work staff. By analyzing case data, these professionals were able to identify biopsychosocial factors that affected social-health outcomes. These practice-based research strategies helped social work professionals see their own work more clearly and helped improve the quality of direct services, interventions, new programs, and case evaluations. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research shows the benefits of practice-based research, including: enhancing clinical and administrative functions encouraging direct-service workers to become more reflective fostering cooperation between social workers and other staff members designing earlier, easier, and more effective interventions contributing to continuing education for staff members improving patient care and satisfactionThe detailed discussions in this book will help you apply these techniques toward improving your own service. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research offers fresh and exciting ideas that can be applied in small health-care agencies or giant medical centers. It will become a trusted reference for administrators, social workers, researchers, and educators in the field.

Design more effective social work programs with research data from your clinical files! A well-planned research program helps social workers provide consistent, effective services to their clients, but stretched budgets and tight schedules make it difficult to find the resources for data gathering. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research shows how you can use the existing records already kept by every health-care institution as your primary data source. By analyzing documented clinical information, you can do groundbreaking research and custom-tailor programs to fit the specific needs of your department. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research draws from the experiences of members of the Mount Sinai Department of Social Work staff. By analyzing case data, these professionals were able to identify biopsychosocial factors that affected social-health outcomes. These practice-based research strategies helped social work professionals see their own work more clearly and helped improve the quality of direct services, interventions, new programs, and case evaluations. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research shows the benefits of practice-based research, including: enhancing clinical and administrative functions encouraging direct-service workers to become more reflective fostering cooperation between social workers and other staff members designing earlier, easier, and more effective interventions contributing to continuing education for staff members improving patient care and satisfactionThe detailed discussions in this book will help you apply these techniques toward improving your own service. Clinical Data-Mining in Practice-Based Research offers fresh and exciting ideas that can be applied in small health-care agencies or giant medical centers. It will become a trusted reference for administrators, social workers, researchers, and educators in the field.

This book has emerged in response to social service workers' vivid descriptions of changes in the practice of their craft during the past 15 years and to the scanty literature that addressed their concerns. Few works have attempted to explore the interplay between the recent broader changes affecting the welfare state (fiscal crisis, cost containment, privatization, etc) and the restructuring of social service work. Yet, it is clear that the fiscal decisions of the 1980s profoundly affected both the context and content of social service practice. "The Welfare State Crisis and the Transformation of Social Service Work" explores how these larger forces have created significant changes for the line practitioner. The greater push for caseload volume in the face of resource scarcity is redefining service encounters in ways that are more likely to meet the fiscal needs of the agency rather than the service needs of clients and the professional concerns of the worker. In short, the fiscal crisis of the past two decades has placed the enterprise of social services at risk. After empirically documenting the seriousness of the risk, "The Welfare State Crisis and the Transformation of Social Service Work" concludes with an exploration of new social service practice strategies that have the potential to integrate the individual, organization, communal, and social changes necessary for effective service interventions.

This book has emerged in response to social service workers' vivid descriptions of changes in the practice of their craft during the past 15 years and to the scanty literature that addressed their concerns. Few works have attempted to explore the interplay between the recent broader changes affecting the welfare state (fiscal crisis, cost containment, privatization, etc) and the restructuring of social service work. Yet, it is clear that the fiscal decisions of the 1980s profoundly affected both the context and content of social service practice. "The Welfare State Crisis and the Transformation of Social Service Work" explores how these larger forces have created significant changes for the line practitioner. The greater push for caseload volume in the face of resource scarcity is redefining service encounters in ways that are more likely to meet the fiscal needs of the agency rather than the service needs of clients and the professional concerns of the worker. In short, the fiscal crisis of the past two decades has placed the enterprise of social services at risk. After empirically documenting the seriousness of the risk, "The Welfare State Crisis and the Transformation of Social Service Work" concludes with an exploration of new social service practice strategies that have the potential to integrate the individual, organization, communal, and social changes necessary for effective service interventions.

Program administrators and planners face increasing pressure from funding sources, professional groups, and recipients of service to provide and to make use of systematic data. Until recently, administrators could rely on research consultants to assist them in performing these research tasks, but with increased costs and reduced funds, many administrators and planners have had to utilize research concepts and techniques themselves in developing, maintaining, and modifying social programs. "Research Techniques for Program Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation" is designed to provide research skills that will assist administrators directly in making program decisions. The book offers administrators of health, education, and social welfare programs, as well as students of social work and public administration, a wide range of research techniques for increasing the quality and effectiveness of administrative practice, lessening at the same time their dependence on costly research consultation. "Research Techniques" contains three major sections: program planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Each section begins with a description of the administrative function to which it is devoted, followed by a set of selected research techniques, each illustrated with a hypothetical case and an exercise for the reader in applying the technique to an existing social program or agency. Planning for a new agency program requires valid and reliable information about the needs of the target population, the existing programs to meet these needs, effective intervention stratifies, and the skills of the members of the agency staff. Professors Epstein and Tripodi suggest valuable guidelines for collecting these data. In addition, they outline the specific decisions that must be made so that realistic objectives can be set for relating client demand to the available supply of services. Among the research techniques for the program planning which they explore are questionnaires, interviews, research literature already available, and observational techniques. Monitoring measures the actual program performance against its planning objectives, enabling administrators to modify a program operation or report its success to sponsors. With program monitoring, an administrator can decide whether to reallocate staff, to ask for an increase in budget, or to realign policies in compliance with legal requirements. Separate chapters are devoted to sampling techniques for asserting staff performance as well as to the principles of data analysis. Program evaluation takes effectiveness and efficiency into account in assembling the achievement of program goals. Emphasizing administrative self-evaluation, "Research Techniques" explains the interrupted time series design, the replicated cross-sectional survey design, comparative designs, and the crossover design in terms the nonstatistician will find easy to understand. "Research Techniques for Program Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation" is an indispensable guide, offering administrators and planners sound professional advice on more responsible administrative decision making.