Despite initial “kicking and screaming” unstably housed persons report high satisfaction with representative payee program

Guardianship and the Representative Payee Program

The purpose of this study was to examine how the client–case manager working alliance in strengths model case management (SMCM) mediates the relationship between fidelity to the SMCM intervention and clients’ quality of life, hope, and community functioning. In total, 311 people with severe mental illness, served at seven community mental health agencies in Canada, participated in the study. They were new to SMCM and participated in five structured interviews every 4.5 months for 18 months to measure the quality of the client–case manager working alliance and clients’ quality of life, hope, and community functioning. The team-level SMCM fidelity scale was administered six times over 3 years. Ordinary least-squares path analysis was used to test simple mediation models. Higher fidelity to SMCM was associated with better client outcomes indirectly through the working alliance. Higher SMCM fidelity predicted a stronger working alliance, which in turn predicted greater improvements in client quality of life (at 9 months and 18 months), hope (at 18 months), and community functioning (at 9 months). The results support the view that SMCM is an effective intervention. When the intervention was implemented as planned, it fostered stronger working alliances between clients and case managers and contributed to greater improvements in the quality of life, hope, and functioning of people with severe mental illness. The findings of this study highlight the value of ongoing monitoring of implementation fidelity to achieve high-fidelity interventions that may lead to positive client outcomes.

The growing numbers of terminally ill and dying in prison has high economic and moral costs as global correctional systems and the society at large. However, to date little is known about the extent to which palliative and end-of-life care is infused within global prison health care systems. The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature by reviewing and critically appraising the methods and major findings of the international peer-reviewed literature on palliative and end-of-life care in prison, identify the common elements of promising palliative and end-of-life services in prison, and what factors facilitate or create barrier to implementation. A content analysis was conducted of the existing peer-reviewed literature on palliative and end-of-life care in prison. English-language articles were located through a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed journals, such as Academic Search Premier Literature databases using differing combinations of key word search terms, "prison," "palliative care," and "end-of-life care." A total of 49 studies published between 1991 and 2013 met criteria for sample inclusion. Deductive and inductive analysis techniques were used to generate frequency counts and common themes related to the methods and major findings. The majority (n=39) of studies were published between 2001-2013 in the USA (n=40) and the UK (n=7). Most were about US prison hospice programs (n=16) or barriers to providing palliative and end of life care in prisons (n=10). The results of the inductive analysis identified common elements of promising practices, which included the use of peer volunteers, multi-disciplinary teams, staff training, and partnerships with community hospices. Obstacles identified for infusing palliative and end-of-life care in prison included ethical dilemmas based on custody vs care, mistrust between staff and prisoners, safety concerns, concern over prisoners' potential misuse of pain medication, and institutional, staff, and public apathy toward terminally ill prisoners and their human rights to health in the form of compassionate and palliative care, including the use of compassionate release laws. Implications for future research that foster human rights and public awareness of the economic and moral costs of housing the sick and dying in prisons. More research is needed to document human rights violations as well as best practices and evidence-based practices in palliative and end-of-life care in prisons. Future studies should incorporate data from the terminally ill in prison, peer supports, and family members. Future studies also should employ more rigorous research designs to evaluate human rights violations, staff and public attitudes, laws and policies, and best practices. Quantitative studies that use experimental designs, longitudinal data, and multiple informants are needed. Qualitative data would allow for thick descriptions of key stakeholders experiences, especially of the facilitators and barriers for implementing policy reform efforts and palliative care in prisons. Practical implications - This review provides a foundation on which to build on about what is known thus far about the human right to health, especially parole policy reform and infusing palliative and end-of-life care for the terminally ill and dying in prisons. This information can be used to develop or improve a new generation research, practice, policy, and advocacy efforts for that target terminally ill and dying in prison and their families and communities. There are significant social implications to this review. From a human rights perspective, the right to freedom from torture and cruel and unusual punishment is a fundamental human right along with prisoners' rights for an appropriate level of health care. These rights should be guaranteed regardless of the nature of their crime or whether they are in a prison placement. The information provided in this review can be used to educate and possible transform individual's and society's views toward the terminally ill and dying who are involved in the criminal justice system. This paper extends the extant literature by using both quantitative and qualitative analysis methods to organize, summarize, and critically analyze the international literature on palliative care and end of life care in prison. This review is designed to increase awareness among the international community of the pain and suffering of the terminally ill in prison and the facilitators and barriers to providing them compassionate care while in custody.

BackgroundThe objectives of this community-based study were to examine the overall and changing (1990–2007) frequency and impact on 30-day and 1-year death rates from multiple cardiovascular comorbidities in adults from a large central New England metropolitan area hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).MethodsThe study population consisted of 9581 patients hospitalized with AMI at all 11 medical centers in the metropolitan area of Worcester, MA, during 10 annual periods between 1990 and 2007. The comorbidities examined included atrial fibrillation, diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, and stroke.ResultsThirty-five percent of participants had a single diagnosed cardiovascular comorbidity, 25% had two, 12% had three, and 5% had four or more comorbidities. Between 1990 and 2007, the proportion of patients without any of these comorbidities decreased significantly, while the proportion of patients with multiple comorbidities increased significantly during the years under study. An increasing number of comorbidities was associated with higher 30-day and 1-year postadmission death rates in patients hospitalized with AMI.ConclusionPatients hospitalized with AMI carry a significant burden of comorbid cardiovascular disease that adversely impacts their 30-day and longer-term survival. Increased attention to the management of AMI patients with multiple cardiovascular comorbidities is warranted.

Purpose – This study investigates the principal determinants of women’s employment in the manufacturing sector of Bangladesh using a firm-level panel data from the World Bank’s ‘Enterprise Survey’ for the years 2007, 2011 and 2013. The paper sheds light on the demand-side factors, mainly firm-level characteristics, which also influence this decision. Design/methodology/approach - We estimate a fractional logit model to model a dependent variable that is limited by zero from below and one from above. Findings - The results indicate that firm size, whether medium or large, and firms’ export-oriented activities, have an important impact on women’s employment in the manufacturing sector in Bangladesh. Moreover, we find that women are significantly more likely to work in unskilled-labour intensive industries within the manufacturing sector. Research limitations/implications – The research is limited to Bangladesh; however, much of the evidence presented here has implications that are relevant to policymakers in other developing countries. Practical implications – The study identifies factors that affect female employment, that is, where the main constraints to increase female labour force participation. The study focuses on the demand-side factors, which has been somewhat neglected in recent years. As such, it has practical policy implications. Social implications – Focusing on female employment in Bangladesh also sheds light on the nexus between labour market opportunities and social change within a country that is characterised by extreme patriarchy, which has wide-reaching implications.

Purpose – This paper explains the structured framework for integrating marketing strategies with public policy to support sustainable agricultural development in Tamil Nadu, India. Design/methodology/approach – The research adopts a qualitative case study approach to examine selected initiatives such as the National Agricultural Market (e-NAM), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and climate-resilient seed distribution programs. Both primary and secondary data were collected through semi-structured interviews and surveys with 50 farmers across three districts in Tamil Nadu. The methodology is designed to uncover both the practical impacts and the systemic gaps within these interventions. Findings – The findings reveal that coordinated marketing and policy efforts have contributed significantly to improving farmers’ market connectivity, ensuring better price realization, and encouraging the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Initiatives like e-NAM have reduced the dependence on middlemen, while FPOs have empowered smallholder farmers through collective bargaining. Practical implications – The paper identifies key action areas, including the need to strengthen public-private partnerships, enhance digital platforms for market access, and ensure localized support systems tailored to farmer needs. Social implications – By enabling farmers to participate more actively in value chains and decision-making processes, these integrated efforts contribute to rural empowerment, environmental conservation, and regional economic development. Originality/value – The paper contributes a unique lens to the discourse on agricultural development by combining marketing and policy analysis in a single framework. The study bridges a gap in existing literature by emphasizing practical field-level outcomes and policy implications specific to Tamil Nadu.

Purpose – The aim of this study was to investigate the factors which define and predict the satisfaction of first-time residential clients of architects in Nigeria using Lagos as a case study. Design/methodology/approach – The study was based on the notion that satisfaction of first-time residential clients with architectural services is a combination of satisfaction with service, design and relationship qualities as well as reputation of the architect. A cross-sectional survey of randomly selected first-time residential clients of architects in the study area was conducted using pre-tested questionnaire as the principal data gathering instrument. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor and regression analyses. Findings – Of the seven factors identified, the factors which best define the satisfaction of the first-time residential clients were personalization of service, reliability of, confidence inspired by and personality of the architect. The best predictors of the satisfaction of the first-time residential clients of architects in Nigeria varied with the nature of service. However, it was observed that the experience of the architect cut across all service types as a significant predictor of client satisfaction. Research limitation/implication – Only residential clients were considered in the study. Other categories of clients may be considered in further studies. Practical implications – There is need for architects to consider the nature of services provided in their quest to satisfy their first-time residential clients. Originality/value – Previous studies have focused on experienced and mostly public sector clients. This study provides empirical data on the factors that influence the satisfaction of first-time private clients who engaged the services of architects for their personal homes.

Successful performance measurement criteria cannot be limited to meeting just the three traditional criteria. Satisfaction is a subjective and critical measurement for the stakeholder performance, but it has rarely been used as a criterion for the performance measurement of project stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to establish the client and customer satisfaction criteria as the two key stakeholders in construction project for the issue of performance measurement based on the reviewed data. The methodology of this study is based on comprehensive literature review of performance measurements for client and customer whereby the data were analyzed, using the metrics which are the aggregate number of each customer and client-satisfaction criteria occurring in previous study. From the metric analysis, the common factors for customer and client satisfaction were ranked. From the analysis, it can be concluded that expectation and perception are the two common critical satisfaction criteria for client and customer that must be considered where the satisfaction is required. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000183. © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Purpose – This paper aims to explore in depth some of the main criminal elements involved in trade-based money laundering (TBML) and outlines the gaps in banking risk assessment as a result of this. The focus is on new and emerging risks due to criminal manipulation of the anti-money laundering (AML) risk assessment processes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses secondary data to provide the current context in which TBML risk assessment is being carried out and how criminals have responded to this; it concludes the empirical section by surmising the emerging risks that AML risk assessment need to consider. The paper then introduces the basic components that future theoretical frameworks looking at banking AML risk assessment would need to consider. This includes a more in-depth understanding of how criminals are bypassing AML risk assessment so that countermeasures can be put in place and AML frameworks strengthened and updated. Findings – The main findings are that sophisticated criminal processes exist that can be used to bypass and divert current banking risk assessment techniques. An overdependence on traditional customer due diligence and transaction monitoring can easily be thwarted, and banks need to develop a stronger AML assessment framework. Research limitations/implications – The research focused primarily on client documentation; however, another area of research would be needed to cover criminal manipulation of trade documents and other components of TBML transactions. Practical implications – The implications from the research affect any financial organization undertaking AML risk analysis or compliance. It applies to the banking, insurance and auditing professions, as well as is of interest to academics working on TBML projects. Social implications – The social implications are that non-criminal clients within banks could be faced with tougher requirements for documentation and ID proof, which could reduce efficiency and, if not handled properly, even alienate further some sectors of society who are already struggling to access the main banking and financial services sectors. Originality/value – The originality of this paper is the inclusion of criminal responses to TBML risk assessment and a review of flaws and gaps in AML risk assessment procedures. Dynamic risk assessment needs to be continuously updated and new emerging market risks appropriately addressed. This paper highlights some of the current and emerging AML risks for the banking and financial services sector.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to shed light on India's performance in sanitation over the last decade as it strives to meet the Millennium Development Goal target. Design/methodology/approach – In doing so, both qualitative and quantitative analyses are employed. The latter method includes a regression analysis. Income and income inequality variables have been included in the analysis. Findings – Whilst India has made progress towards achieving access to sanitation for its people, the nation continues to perform relatively poorly to its neighbours and on a comparative global basis. At the national level, substantial rural-urban and income disparities are linked to a reduced level of sanitation access. Both forms of analysis support the view that income inequality in India is directly related to a lack of sanitation facilities. Research limitations/implications – The study is based on secondary data gathered from WHO and UNICEF sources. These are national data gathered by these agencies in two periods. These are aggregated data. Practical implications – The study has major practical implications in policy formation in the area of sanitation access to both rural and urban India. The state level data analysed by the study will also be useful to make policies at disaggregated level. India, indeed, needs to improve the conditions on an urgent basis. Even in South Asia standard, this nation is behind from almost all other nations of the region. Social implications – The social implications are to make people particularly poor aware about the sanitation issue lack of which contributes to health hazards and gestro condition for children and old. The sanitation related diseases contribute to huge loss of working hours in both rural and urban communities. Originality/value – The study contributes original ideas and demonstrates with a simple regression analysis how sanitation depends on income and income inequality of the poor.

Involving consumer-providers in mental health teams results in psychosocial, mental health symptom and service use outcomes for clients that were no better or worse than those achieved by professionals employed in similar roles, particularly for case management services.There is low quality evidence that involving consumer-providers in mental health teams results in a small reduction in clients' use of crisis or emergency services. The nature of the consumer-providers' involvement differs compared to professionals, as do the resources required to support their involvement. The overall quality of the evidence is moderate to low. There is no evidence of harm associated with involving consumer-providers in mental health teams.Future randomised controlled trials of consumer-providers in mental health services should minimise bias through the use of adequate randomisation and concealment of allocation, blinding of outcome assessment where possible, the comprehensive reporting of outcome data, and the avoidance of contamination between treatment groups. Researchers should adhere to SPIRIT and CONSORT reporting standards for clinical trials.Future trials should further evaluate standardised measures of clients' mental health, adverse outcomes for clients, the potential benefits and harms to the consumer-providers themselves (including need to return to treatment), and the financial costs of the intervention. They should utilise consistent, validated measurement tools and include a clear description of the consumer-provider role (eg specific tasks, responsibilities and expected deliverables of the role) and relevant training for the role so that it can be readily implemented. The weight of evidence being strongly based in the United States, future research should be located in diverse settings including in low- and middle-income countries.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a delivery model for embedding Functional Skills in a prison environment, i.e. HMP Oakwood, to promote Functional Skills (FS) on vocational courses, i.e. Maths and Plumbing at Level 1, establish a research culture in a brand new organisation and raise standards in teaching, learning and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – The design/methodology of this research included the implementation of a qualitative approach based on classroom research, a focus group with seven students on the Level 1 Plumbing course, joint Practice Development meetings with FS and vocational staff, the development of key principles for creating an embedded model for vocational courses, the creation of lesson plan/bespoke resource developments, lesson observations of the new model followed by teacher and learner evaluation, a practical task (fitting a bathroom suite) undertaken by learners, initial maths exercises drawn from practical task which were vocationally relevant, associations made with real jobs and work, use of IT/video for added interest, highlighting of transferable skills and users undertook dedicated functional maths exercises. Findings – A delivery model/logical sequence was agreed that worked for the teacher and learners – practical task/contextualised maths/transferable skills focus/situated maths. Targeted questions generated interest – will a litre of bath water hold if you use four in joists? The study allowed learners to reflect on maths elements from the practical task. The delivery model is implemented by vocational, not FS tutors. IT/video was used to introduce further maths for transferability to other related plumbing areas, i.e. fitting an outside garage tap. Constant links with use of maths for real job activity need to be made/reinforce relevance. Good tutor subject knowledge in maths is strongly recommended. Learners are ready to do dedicated/situated maths once they have built up their confidence. Research limitations/implications – This delivery model can be used across all other vocational courses at HMP Oakwood, i.e. bricklaying, multi-skills, painting and decorating, site carpentry, horticulture, industrial cleaning, catering, horticulture, etc. A framework/pedagogical guide can be developed for vocational tutors to implement this delivery model in their own subject areas as a basis for continued research. Bespoke CPD sessions for vocational staff can be run to share good practice in session plans and resources relevant to the delivery model. Peer observations can be arranged across the vocational department and the impact of the model on lesson observation grades and success rates can be analysed. Practical implications – Practical implications can include the development of a two-year Learning and Skills Research Strategy with a focus on embedded pedagogy. A senior team leader in FS can become the research lead for the Education Department, and an extensive embedded learning audit across 35 courses can be undertaken by July 2013. Social implications – Further pedagogical research into embedded learning across the whole department including employability/PSD/IT/business courses can be conducted. Originality/value – This study offers a simple, practical and ready to use delivery model which will help particularly non-specialist FS maths and English tutors working in vocational areas (i.e. construction, catering, etc.) to embed the teaching of maths and English in their subject areas.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore what attracts individuals to live in a South East Asian city. It uses a boundaryless career approach that is interested in how people cross-traditional career boundaries, including those related to country and location barriers. Going beyond an individual and organizational view, a more extensive model of location decisions is developed that incorporates broad macro-factor career drivers.Design/methodology/approach– A large-scale qualitative study explored individual, organizational, political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, ecological, legal, natural and general drivers to live in the city. The authors interviewed 43 individuals who had moved to the city from abroad, were born in the city and still lived there or who were born in the city but had moved to another foreign city.Findings– Many macro-contextual factors – i.e. day-to-day regulatory stability and transparency, economic growth, friendliness and meritocracy, safety and a good, clean environment – were seen as attractive by all three groups. People who had left the city raised some specific criticism regarding the vibrancy, freedom and creativity of thought.Research limitations/implications– The study focused on highly skilled individuals who most often had experience in living in different cities to get more reflective views. However, this restricted the generalizability. The findings nuance the understanding of boundaryless careers.Practical implications– The research expands the normally used attraction factors and develops a broader framework of city attractiveness drivers. The emerging picture can be used by the city administration to manage its global attractiveness while increasing non-regulatory “stickiness” to retain talent.Social implications– The research has social implications with respect to cross-border boundaryless careers and talent acquisition, management and retention strategies.Originality/value– The research expands the macro-contextual discussion and goes beyond the dominant focus on individuals and organizations when investigating boundaryless careers. The study uses an innovative method as it does not only interview foreign expatriates but also two further, more neglected groups: local citizens and individuals who had left the city. It develops an extended model of boundaryless location drivers and develops some exemplary propositions.

Purpose – This paper aims to offer a brief personal reflection upon, and celebrates, the 10th anniversary of Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management (QRAM). More specifically, the author highlights the journal's contributions towards advancing qualitative management accounting research over the last decade, and the author suggests possible future avenues. Design/methodology/approach – This short paper mainly constitutes a review of qualitative management accounting articles published in the first ten years of QRAM's publishing life, plus some personal reflection and suggestions for future directions. Findings – The author celebrates the impressive achievements of QRAM's founding editors, and the author is encouraged to offer the personal views on how the journal might excel further in years to come. Research limitations/implications – Although the piece is primarily personal reflection, there is hopefully some food for thought with regard to fruitful directions in tomorrow's qualitative management accounting research. In particular, arguments are made for more undertaking of processual qualitative research and also for more targeted focus on the connections between management accounting and other relevant disciplines such as management and organisation studies. Practical implications – The paper offers no practical implications as such, but does discuss, and in fact heeds some caution against, the apparent trend of (possibly too uncritically) seeking to tease out practical implications from qualitative management accounting research. Social implications – Again, while this paper offers no specific discussion on its social implications, the author would add that any qualitative management accounting research paper inherently carries at least some implications for society; management accounting and the wider society are continually intertwined through time. Originality/value – The author would not claim that there is much that is original in this short piece – most of what is offered simply gathers others' past contributions. But hopefully there will be some values in the ideas offered with regard to the exciting future ahead for qualitative management accounting research in QRAM.

Purpose – In this paper, the Scottish Government's approach to improving outcomes for patients and service users by integrating health and social care planning and provision is described. The Scottish Parliament passed primary legislation in February 2014, which places requirements on Health Boards and Local Authorities to work together more closely than ever before. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This paper sets out the Scottish Government's legislative approach to integrating health and social care, based on previous experience of encouraging better partnership between health and social care working without legislative compulsion. Findings – The Scottish Government has concluded that legislation is required to create the integrated environment necessary for health and social care provision to meet the changing needs of Scotland's ageing population. Research limitations/implications – The paper is confined to experience in Scotland. Practical implications – Legislation is now complete, and implementation of the new arrangements is starting. Evaluation of their impact will be ongoing. Social implications – The new integrated arrangements in Scotland are intended to achieve a significant shift in the balance of care in favour of community-based support rather than institutional care in hospitals and care homes. Its social implications will be to support greater wellbeing, particularly for people with multimorbidities within communities. Originality/value – Scotland is taking a unique approach to integrating health and social care, focusing on legislative duties on Health Boards and Local Authorities to work together, rather than focusing on structural change alone. The scale of planned integration is also significant, with planning for, at least, all of adult social care and primary health care, and a proportion of acute hospital care, included in the new integrated arrangements.