Cultural Competency Training for Physicians and Health Care Providers

Here is another article that outlines the evaluation of cultural competency training. This time, the article outlines the development and eventual evaluation of cultural competency training for physicians and health care providers. Click the link below and read the ENTIRE article. In addition, I would like you all to view this article with a critical eye . . . start thinking like the budding research evaluators I know you are. Remember, you evaluate things everyday. You evaluate storylines on your favorite tv shows. You evaluate new CD's by your favorite artists. You evaluate new menu items at your favorite restaurants. This task is no different . . . however, this time, you are being asked to evaluate information that could effect you professionally.

Let me know what you think.

Cultural Competency in Pharmacy Students

The following link will send you to an article evaluating the effectiveness of cultural competency training on 60 pharmacy students (from first year to fourth year). In this study, an 8 hour elective course was offered on cultural competency. At the conclusion of the course, a 12 item survey was given to evaluate the effectiveness of the class. Click the link to read the study, and let us know what you think. Give us a little critical evaluation!

Implementation and Evaluation of Cultural Competency Training with Pharmacy Students

Evaluation of a Mental Health Court

The folks over in Norfolk Virginia have posted an article about the evaluation of their Mental Health Court. They are reporting that the four year old program has reduced recidivism and saved approximatley 1.63 million dollars in tax player money. They have kept these indivdiuals out of Virginia jails, and instead, have utilized the services of social workers and probation officers, along with already estblished court programs, in an attempt to slowly stabilize these individuals. Click the link to read the article and let me know what you think about this program.

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/09/odu-study-touts-success-norfolks-mental-health-courts

Evaluating School Social Work

I am posting the link for a study which discusses school social work and it's outcomes in the state of Wisconsin. The researchers have not actually performed an evaluation study, but are proposing the best method for implementation. I would like for you all to read through the literature and review the suggestions the authors make for evaluating school social work. Are there suggestions plausible? Did they miss anything? Would their suggestions for evaluation result in the types of outcomes they desire? How might you do this type of evaluation differently?

Click the link to read the study.

As a result, now more than ever before, school social workers need to document positive outcomes for students related to the provision of their work. The challenge is to locally design a simple, valid evaluation system that addresses the priorities of the school district while not consuming inordinate amounts of time and resources. This paper 1) reviews available, relevant literature regarding outcome evaluation of school social work services, 2) includes salient passages from this literature which provide critical direction in designing outcome evaluation, 3) provides suggestions to help guide local design, and 4) outlines a process to develop an outcome evaluation plan using readily available data commonly gathered by school districts that reflects progress on school districts’ goals and is indicative of the positive impact of school social work services.

Evaluation Research: A New Take

So, I had a conversation with the Chair of my Dissertation Committee today (and yes, she does deserve capitalization!). She and I were discussing our evaluation research class, and the inclusion of the blog. We were looking at the blog and reviewing the objectives of the class, and an epiphany occurred . . . I have set this blog up all wrong . . . like any good Chair, she let me come to this conclusion myself . . . therefore, I have switched things around a bit.

Now, I will be posting articles and news stories that relate to evaluating evaluative research. If you guys look at the powerpoint on Evidence Based Practice, you will notice that one of the last steps in this process is a practitioner learning to evaluate reserach that is relevant to their practice. Therefore, I have switched some verbage in the blog, and now feel like I have a better grip on things.

Check back for updated posts upon which you can comment!

Welcome Budding Researchers!

So . . . if you are reading this blog, you are most likely enrolled in Evaluative Research in the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama . . . Or . . . you are one of the many people all over the planet who have subscribed and make this blog a part of your daily reading . . . :) Either way . . . Welcome to the wild, wild world of Social Work Research!

This blog will feature articles, news stories, etc. that will attempt to bring research off of the text book page and into real life. You see, those of you who are social work practitioners or quite frankly anyone who exists in day to day life, already utilize the skills we will discuss in this class . . . we're just going name these skills with researchy labels and discuss the research process.

We are going to try and bring this topic to life a bit by discussing research in terms of practical application and evidence based practice. If they are not already, these two concepts will be branded into your brain. The concepts of practical application and evidence based practice are key because they are what allow us to transform the academic experience of research into the real life experience of research.

So, check back in on a regular basis and I'll try to come up with creative ways to bring this stuff to life!

Oh, by the way, check the map and live feed to the right of the postings . . . that map will show you the people around the world that are viewing our site . . . TRANSLATION: People all over the world will be reading your comments . . . that's kind of cool !