A discussion of how understanding the child-rearing practices of the PacificNorthwestIndians and Alaskan Native Indians is important in providing the best welfare service to their children.
Abstract This paper discusses cultural competence within the context of the PacificNorthwestIndians and the Alaskan Native American. The paper describes family and community approaches to childwelfare practice and also looks at social and (to a lesser extent) racial constructs in these societies. Finally, the paper at various times touches upon the lessons that a careful study of PacificNorthwest culture can offer to a childwelfare agent eager to do the right thing.
From the Paper "About the Coeur d'Alene tribe somewhat less is known but it is known that kinship was bilaterally based and that the same terms were used to address a cousin from the mother's side of the family as from the father's side of the family (Frey, n.d.). Whether or not this sort of practice is still in place is hard to determine (the evidence is scant) but, to the extent that any members of the Coeur d'Alene still cling to the "old ways", it is advisable that child welfare representatives respect the fact that Coeur d'Alene families are extended and close-knit and that a child's well-being is everyone's concern."
Abstract This paper provides a brief history of the PacificNorthwest and the clashes of nations and cultures that dominated the history of the region in the 1800s. These clashes were mainly between American settlers and the Native American tribes who already lived in the area. It looks at the attempts of the settlers to change and dominate the native population and various treaties that were signed.
From the Paper "During and after the so-called ?Great Migration of 1843? which included settlers from all over the United States, it became abundantly clear to the native Indians of the Pacific Northwest that what is now Oregon and Washington State were destined to become strongholds of American culture and society. According to Secretary of State John Calhoun, more than one thousand Americans had relocated to Oregon by 1843 and that twice this number would arrive in 1844 (Fuller, 258); Calhoun also stated "the migration forces which had driven the tide of population in earlier days would drive it on with increasing power across the Rockies to the banks of the Columbia River which was destined to be peopled by us" (Fuller, 259). Thus, this migration of settlers proved to be a turning point in the history of the Pacific Northwest and was even eclipsed in 1845 when more than three thousand "immigrants" poured into Oregon which effectively doubled the white population. With this event, it is comparatively easy to understand how the native Indians of Oregon and Washington were affected, for the white settlers had obviously "expected certain American cultural traditions to be carried over to the Pacific Northwest" (Tisdale, 298), such as commerce, religion and other societal traits. In the end, the Pacific Northwest became part of the true American landscape and, like in so many other regions of the country, the native Indians were either "assimilated" or outright destroyed."
Tags: migration, settler, native, american, indian
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of the history of the PacificNorthwest. Specifically, it discusses how the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War impacted regional demographics in the PacificNorthwest.
From the Paper "Before the Great Depression in 1929, the Pacific Northwest had been growing significantly. By 1920, the area had grown by 254 percent from 1900 (Schwantes 365). However, the Great Depression put a stop to the growth and migration. By the time the Great Depression hit, the area was economically sound, but still rural in much of its' character. The Great Depression had a deep effect on the economy of the region, because so much of the area relied on agriculture, timber, and mining for their livelihood, and these industries suffered as the nation suffered. Historian Schwantes writes, "The Pacific Northwest as a whole experienced mortgage foreclosures, delinquent taxes, and sharply rising unemployment. A sense of desperation led to protests and in some cases to direct action and other forms of self-help by angry farmers and industrial workers" (Schwantes 382). To make matters worse, arrivals from the Midwest Dust Bowl arrived in the area looking for work, but there was none. They simply added to the problem of unemployment and public assistance that was facing the entire area."
Abstract This paper discusses the role natural resources played in the peopling of the PacificNorthwest, including the natural resources that became commodities and how the commercialization of those resources affected interactions between various groups. It looks at what impact the exploitation of natural resources had on the region's environment. The PacificNorthwest is a diverse area full of natural resources that helped it grow and prosper as the population moved west. The writer concludes that many of these resources have been exploited for years at the expense of the area and its people.
From the Paper "Comprising the areas of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Canada's British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest is an area known primarily for its natural resources and relationship to the environment. The area is primarily broken into two parts by the ridge of the Cascade Mountains. To the west lies the humid and lush western coast, and to the east lies the drier, arid eastern plains. These environmental areas can be broken down into smaller, more detailed regions that relate to their own specific resources. One Northwest historian notes, "Principal resources include: soils, grasslands, minerals, fisheries, water for power and irrigation, forests, wildlife, and scenic attractions" (Freeman and Martin 119). From the explorations of Lewis and Clark to the first trappers who visited the area, it was quite clear it was an area rich in resources and wildlife, and abundant potential."
Abstract This paper analyzes Indianchildwelfare in Oregon in the United States. It particularly discusses the 1978 IndianChildWelfare Act (ICWA), which regulates placement proceedings involving Native-American children. It looks at the benefits of the law, as well as the problems associated with it, such as the lack of proper enforcement. The paper then discusses how these problems can be remedied.
From the Paper "In conclusion, the Indian Child Welfare Act was passed into law in 1978 because the federal government recognized that it was necessary to reestablish tribal authority in Oregon and other states in cases involving the adoption or removal of Native American children from their homes. The ICWA was considered necessary because a very high percentage of Indian families had been broken up by non-tribal agencies because state officials did not understand or accept Indian culture."
"In order to remedy this, the ICWA established minimum standards for the removal of Native American children from their homes and assured tribal participation in court proceedings. But in Oregon and many other states, establishing clearer guidelines is necessary so caseworkers can formulate plans that conform to federal ICWA standards and thus ensure that the intent of the federal Act is fulfilled, and the rights of Native American children and their families are protected."
Tags: native, adoption, culture, Oregon, government
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of the history of the PacificNorthwest. Specifically, it discusses how the lives of Mary Arkwright Hutton, Annie Pike Greenwood, and Teiko Tomita, are representative when considering the racial and class tensions of the twentieth century.
From the Paper "Mary Arkwright Hutton was a union supporter and organizer early in the history of the area. She worked in the mining towns of Idaho, and became an avid union supporter and organizer of the men who labored in the mines. Many politicians and mine owners found her abrasive and difficult, but the men loved her, and listened to her impassioned words about fairness and justness for the mineworkers. After their small mine, The Hercules, made them wealthy, she and her husband moved to a mansion in Spokane, where she continued to work for social causes such as women's suffrage, orphanages, and day-care centers (Schwantes 324). Her social status may have changed from boarding house matron to society matron, but her work continued to champion the disadvantaged and poor. More importantly, her work crossed political boundaries."
Abstract This paper presents a welfare professional's insights into the childwelfare system (CWS). The paper explains that the welfare professional was a foster child herself and then goes on to describe three areas that call for attention in terms of revision within CWS: These issues concern systems thinking and the interrelatedness of all CWS decisions, cultural issues in CWS dealings relating to both structural inequality and diversity theories and organizational structure issues, which are relevant in both leadership and change theories and organizational change theories.
From the Paper "Finally, changes in the organizational structure and overall running protocol of CWS agencies will allow improvements in the system. Expecting and fostering accountability will create an environment of strength and security, greatly improving the chances of success for CWS clients. Additional collaboration with outside and connected organizations will provide support and insight while maintaining that accountability through open expectations and goal sharing with those agencies. Most importantly, these changes must occur while moving CWS toward a flat organizational structure. This will address current structural and bureaucratic problems while increasing inter-agency communication. Reducing levels of management will also allow management to work more closely with "front line" staff and improve quality of care."
Abstract This paper examines the "Temporary Assistance to Needy Families" (TANF) package most often referred to as "welfare," which provides cash assistance and work support for low-income families with children. It discusses the effect of these new economic and social conditions on family reunification and preservation and examines the impact on the poor and needy. It also looks at the role of a childwelfare worker and how it is conceivably different in 2001 than it was prior to welfare reform.
From the Paper "In 2001, cash assistance is no longer an entitlement to low income parents raising children. Cash grants are now time-limited, and parents in need of financial help must meet a number of performance requirements. In the early to mid-1990s, prior to the passage of PRWORA, many states obtained waivers from the federal government that permitted them to put into action reforms to their welfare programs. With these state waivers and changes to the federal laws, the welfare system in the United States has undergone a dramatic alteration."
Tags: U.S., economic, social, conditions, jobs, hunger, health
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that identifying important factors and relationships in the educational and social progress of children is important for policy formation. To accurately inform the development of welfare legislation variables like income, parents' education levels and other variables, policy variables should be considered and the weight of those variables' effects on children should be measured. The writer points out that in some instances, locating a policy variable that intervenes in the relationship between variables like income and children's welfare outcomes can reveal less obvious determinants of important childwelfare outcomes. This paper analyzes data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health to assess how a mother's education is involved in the relationship between family income and indexes of children's educational and health welfare. The objective of this analysis is to aid policy recommendations in identifying important influences and obstacles faced by impoverished children. The paper includes an appendix with four tables.
Outline:
Introduction
Hypothesis
Alternative
Theory
Methods
Results
Recommendation
Appendix
From the Paper "The positive effect of mother's education on child educational welfare and its intervention in the positive relationship between income and education achievement suggest maternal schooling may be a point of interest in child welfare policy formation. Recommended policies could range from more sex education for girls in high school and college or new programs specially designed to help women in school who get pregnant continue their education. Programs to assist pregnant women in school could provide funds to relieve the burdens of tuition and necessary medical care or provide other forms of assistance such as student tax relief to encourage mothers and future mothers to finish their educations.
"With respect to the alternative hypothesis, the negative effect of income on the health index is possibly a result of wealthier children responding low to number of times exercised per week."
Abstract This paper examines the importance of improvements in cultural sensitivity in the childwelfare system of the United States. It discusses the reasons for these requirements and how it would help to make the organization an effective entity within society. It also looks at the role of the leadership within the childwelfare system in supporting and promoting this cultural sensitivity.
From the Paper "The research supports the concept that child welfare agencies would benefit from developing culturally sensitive environments. This is evidenced through systems approaches that acknowledge that all elements within a system, or culture, should be considered as a means of understanding the system. Additionally, culturally sensitive environments can be impacted by the workers that support the organization and the leadership styles that inspire workers to meet new objectives and visions for a culturally sensitive workplace."
Abstract The paper compares essays written by experts in the field of childwelfare which examine the problems of the system and the solutions they offer. The paper discusses Duncan Lindsey's article "The Changing Welfare of Children" which involves the changing needs of children since the family structure has changed so dramatically over the last fifty years. The paper then examines Catharyn Baird's article "Conversations about Distributive Justice" which challenges people to seek equal distributive justice.
From the Paper "This essay first started by exposing the problem of child poverty. First, it pointed out that the United States is the wealthiest nation in the world with the highest rate of child poverty. Lindsey then explained the problem that developed due in part to mothers joining the workforce and the lack of childcare that stemmed from it. Lindsey gives many quotes that are difficult to read and require more analyzation to process. The essay is meant for concerned individuals. The charts and statistics give an insight into the problem of child poverty. The essay appeals to the reason individuals and their emotions toward children."
Abstract This paper presents the personal statement of the writer who graduated from St. John's University in January 2007 with a Bachelors degree in Human Services. It describes experiences from her life and the life of her family to explain the factors that led to her personal growth and maturity. It then explains why the writer decided to pursue a career in childwelfare.
From the Paper "Getting Counseling helped Jennifer become stable, and understand the situation. I could not believe what a difference it makes talking for just one hour in an individual's life. I strongly believe that this experience lead me into my current career as you can never judge a book by it's cover. As this man seemed to be kind , but ended up being very cruel. Being objective is something I have learned through these experiences and helps me provide better assistance to my clients. In the year 2000 I started to work as a receptionist at Western Queens Recovery Services. This agency helps people to stay sober, and learn to live without using addictive substances. Here I would see how some people changed their living style. They will tell me they were glad to be able to stop drinking, because of the therapist help. Clients would tell me that the counselor would help them boost their self-esteem. Counselors were proud of their work, and they knew that most of the time they will be able to make a difference in a client's life no matter how small that difference may be. Being part of this environment made me decide what road to follow."
This paper discusses a case study about the policy development and implementation in an effort to resolve to the battle between the supports of the PacificNorthwest old-growth forests, the spotted owl and the timber and paper industries.
Abstract This paper explains that while the 1994 President's Northwest Forest Plan remained controversial, a number of benefits have emerged from the ongoing efforts associated with the old-growth and spotted owl controversy. The paper points out that the spotted owl was most definitely protected and workers were retrained with aid from the government, which was a part of the 1994 bill. The author relates that new methods have been acquired in forest management; there has been an increased recognition that public lands represent something more than just producers of commodities.
Table of Contents
Overview of the Problem
Key Stakeholders
Policy Initiatives
Conclusion
From the Paper "In spite of this victory for the environmentalists, the battle over the Northwest old-growth forest continued to rage between the two groups. While the northern spotted owl became a symbol for the ongoing struggles between the two groups and what became known later as the "owl-recovery-plan", it failed to end the problems at the center of the debate. As one Oregon state official is said to have remarked in relation to the spotted owl: "People have loaded so much baggage on the shoulders of this 15-inch bird?. This baggage represented the ongoing need for further efforts to develop and implement public policy aimed at resolving the problem."
Abstract The paper discusses the litigation directed toward the childwelfare system that has been the subject of much controversy. The paper contends that if arbitration or mediation can resolve problems and conflicts faster, and still promote the welfare of children, they should be initiated. The paper describes the litigation process resulting in the Colorado ChildWelfare Agreement (CCWA) and is of the opinion that rather than sue the government needlessly, citizens should collaborate to make programs better rather than simply complain about them.
Outline:
Introduction
Analysis of Issue
Conclusion
From the Paper "Large lawsuits involving litigation can result in very large and "systemic" change for child welfare, however the expense and time involved in these lawsuits could be solved through simpler measures including arbitration, which would save precious time and money, money needed to ensure the rights of children are supported (Stein, 1998; Kosanovich & Joseph, 2005). Other instances apart from class action lawsuits where litigation has occurred include litigation that required services including medical and dental care were offered to children and provisions that addressed parental issues including adoption (Kosanovich & Joseph, 2005)."
This paper is a research proposal, including an extensive literature review, which explores the relative importance of non-economic factors in predicting the level of difficulty unwed mothers will experience in moving from welfare to work.
Abstract This paper is a proposal for a research project that evaluates the non economic factors faced by unwed mothers as they go to work: Personal health limitations, personal mental health problems, health and behavioral problems of dependent children, substance abuse, childwelfare, domestic violence, housing instability, inadequate transportation and very low social skills. This paper includes a literature review that covers many areas such as economic issues of mal-distribution and political issues of welfare legislation especially the Welfare-to-Work Partnership. The author plans to collect data through the administration of survey questionnaires to both subjects? case workers and to the subjects themselves. Includes questionnaires.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction to the Proposed Research
Description of the Issue
Research Questions
Significance of the Study
Definitions of Major Concepts
Overview of the Study
Review of Literature
Introduction
Conceptual Framework
Relevant Literature
Welfare State Concept
Welfare Reform
Employment and Welfare Reform
Welfare Reform Outcomes
Other Non-Economic Factors and Work
The Conclusions Relevant to the Study
Problem and Statement of Hypotheses
Methodology
Introduction
Research Design
Population and Sample
Data Collection
Instrumentation
Case Workers
Subjects
Subject Confidentiality
Data Analysis
From the Paper "Past social legislation guaranteed all American citizens entitlements to food, shelter, and other basic necessities. This social contract, which prevented the need for triage, was the foundation of the American state for fifty years. In the name of personal responsibility, welfare reform has destroyed the entitlements of dependent populations. According to the welfare reform scenario, Americans would survive only by taking responsibility for themselves?the shiftless and irresponsible would lose their life-support system and sink or swim on their own."
