Partner Agencies Research Articles

Abstract WP93: Providing Stroke Reports to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agencies Improves Data Quality in Michigan's Statewide EMS Data Repository

Intro: The Michigan Stroke Program (MiSP) monitors statewide EMS stroke care performance and data quality. Starting in 2018, quarterly performance and outcome benchmark data were shared with EMS agency partners to support prehospital quality improvement (QI) for stroke patients. Objective: To improve EMS data quality and prehospital stroke care performance. Methods: This is a retrospective before and after study of the impact of tailored QI interventions to improve EMS compliance with three prehospital stroke quality metrics selected by MiSP EMS partners: (prehospital stroke scale documentation, last known well documentation, and prehospital notification). Five MiSP EMS partners participated in the intervention which consisted of provision of quarterly performance reports generated from linked data from Michigan’s EMS Information System and the Michigan Stroke Registry. The MiSP team reviewed agency performance with EMS leadership to select the target measures for intervention and then assisted in development of a QI plan to improve agency performance. Measure compliance was compared from three months prior to and six months after data quality solutions were implemented. Results: Through data sharing and communication with EMS agencies and EMS software data vendors, common themes were identified related to poor data quality beginning in January 2020. A sample of agencies and resolutions to address these issues are displayed in the Table. Compliance with the targeted metric improved significantly at each agency at three and six months following intervention. Conclusions: Analysis of EMS data and sharing performance data directly with EMS agency partners identified correctable data quality issues negatively impacting EMS quality measures. Correcting these issues led to dramatic and sustained improvement in EMS quality metric compliance. This approach may serve as a model for improving the accuracy of EMS performance data in state-level EMS registries.

Evaluating emergency service response to COVID-19: A scoping review.

The issue of how emergency services (police, fire, ambulance, local authorities) respond to pandemics has received greater research focus recently in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak, which saw agencies going beyond usual roles to support communities for prolonged periods. A critical appraisal is needed of this published evidence to take stock of what is known about the effectiveness of emergency service response to Covid-19. A scoping review of scientific and grey literature identified 17 qualitative (N=9), quantitative (N=6), or mixed methods (N=2) studies from across the UK and internationally that focus on the effectiveness of emergency service response to the Covid-19 outbreak. A narrative review was conducted using an interpretive approach. Papers were read, summarised, and then sorted into inductive themes that addressed some aspect of the review question. Eight critical themes emerged from the narrative review. Across countries, emergency services were required to quickly adapt working practices to reduce spread of infection, support partner agencies facing unprecedented demands, and make effective use of limited resources. Use of technology, access to timely, accurate and relevant information, strong leadership, prior experience, and emergency training were critical to this. However, most research is descriptive rather than evaluative. Overall, findings highlight the need for further research that examines what mechanisms facilitate and hinder emergency response to pandemics. This scoping review provides a knowledge framework for informing future research that can support emergency services in preparing for events of national and international significance.

Equity of overdose education and naloxone distribution provided in the Kentucky HEALing Communities Study

BackgroundOpioid overdoses differentially affect demographic groups. Strategies to reduce overdose deaths, specifically overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND), are not consistently delivered equitably. MethodsThe HEALing Communities StudySM (HCS) is a cluster-randomized trial designed to implement evidence-based practices, including OEND, to reduce overdose deaths across communities. Individuals receiving OEND in eight Kentucky counties between January 2020 and June 2022 provided demographics and overdose history. Recipient characteristics were compared to opioid overdose decedent characteristics to evaluate whether OEND was equitably delivered to the target population. Recipient characteristics were also analyzed based on whether OEND was delivered in criminal justice, behavioral health, or health care facilities. ResultsA total of 26,273 demographic records were analyzed from 137 partner agencies. Most agencies were in behavioral health (85.6 %) or criminal justice sectors (10.4 %). About half of OEND recipients were male (50.6 %), which was significantly lower than the 70.3 % of overdose decedents who were male, (p<0.001). OEND recipients tended to be younger than overdose decedents, but there were not significant differences in race/ethnicity between OEND recipients and overdose decedents. Over 40 % of OEND recipients had overdosed, and 68.9 % had witnessed a prior overdose. There were notable differences across facility types, as males and Black individuals accounted for fewer OEND recipients in addiction treatment facilities compared to jails. ConclusionAlthough OEND recipients’ demographics resembled those of decedents, specific attention should be paid to ensuring equitable OEND access. Variation in OEND uptake by facility type may reflect biases and barriers to care.

Changes in Homelessness Among US Veterans After Implementation of the Ending Veteran Homelessness Initiative

Homelessness is a persistent and growing problem. What role health systems should play and how that role is incorporated into larger strategic efforts are not well-defined. To compare homelessness among veterans with that in the general population during a 16-year study period before and after implementation of the Ending Veteran Homelessness Initiative, a program to rehouse veterans experiencing homelessness. This national retrospective cohort study using a mixed-methods approach examined annualized administrative (January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2022) and population data prior to (2007-2009) and during (2010-2022) the Ending Veteran Homelessness initiative. Participants included unhoused adults in the US between 2007 and 2022. Enrollment in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Homeless Program Office components providing housing, case management, and wrap-around clinical and supportive services. Point-in-time (PIT) count data for unhoused veterans and nonveterans during the study period, number of Section 8 housing vouchers provided by Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Administration Supportive Housing, number of community grants awarded by Supportive Services for Veterans and Families, and total number of veterans housed each year. Semistructured interviews with VHA leadership were performed to gain insight into the strategy. In 2022, 33 129 veterans were identified in the PIT count. They were predominantly male (88.7%), and 40.9% were unsheltered. During the active years of the Ending Veteran Homelessness initiative, veteran homelessness decreased 55.3% compared with 8.6% for the general population. The proportion of veterans in this cohort also declined from 11.6% to 5.3%. This change occurred during a shift to "housing first" as agency policy to create low-barrier housing availability. It was also coupled with substantial growth in housing vouchers, grants to community partner agencies, and growth in VHA clinical and social programming to provide homeless-tailored wrap-around services and support once participants were housed. Key respondent interviews consistently cited the shift to housing first, the engagement with community partners, and use of real-time data as critical. In this cohort study of the federal Ending Veteran Homelessness initiative, after program implementation, there was a substantially greater decrease in homelessness among veterans than in the general population. These findings suggest an important role for health systems in addressing complex social determinants of health. While some conditions unique to the VHA facilitated the change in homelessness, lessons learned here are applicable to other health systems.

Sharia Property Business Development Strategy (Case Study: Tasnim Property)

Abstract. The Sharia property industry in Indonesia has increased exponentially in recent years. Many Association of Sharia Property Developers (ADPS) members have recorded significant home sales. However, it is different with Tasnim Property, which has experienced a decline in home sales. This research aims to analyze consumer behaviour in making home purchase decisions, analyze internal factors, analyze micro and macro external factors, formulate alternative strategies and formulate strategic priorities that can be applied to Tasnim Property's business development strategy. This research was conducted from November 2022 to September 2023 with quantitative and qualitative approaches. In consumer behaviour analysis, the sampling technique used voluntary sampling through an online survey involving 75 respondents, and data analysis used SEM-PLS to determine the direct effect of product, price, place and promotion variables on home purchase decisions. In the strategic management analysis, the sampling technique used purposive sampling involving 6 respondents. Data analysis used the IFE matrix, Porter's Five Forces, PESTLE, EFE matrix, IE matrix, SWOT and QSPM matrix. The results showed that the product and promotion variables significantly affected home purchasing decisions. In contrast, the price and place variables did not significantly affect home purchasing decisions. There are 8 alternative strategies that have been formulated, namely: (1) increasing cooperation with a large number of Sharia Property Agency partners, (2) a home sales strategy with a unit booking system through Virtual Reality technology, (3) increasing marketing activities through B2G, B2B and B2C cooperation offers, (4) recruiting professional and experienced CEOs in the property sector, (5) introducing Tasnim products by enlarging marketing areas, (6) implementing simplified licensing procedures through the OSS (Online Single Submission) application, related agencies in local governments and online PBG, (7) a strategy to buy materials directly from factories/distributors, and (8) establishing a research &amp; development division. The priority strategy that can be recommended for Tasnim Property is to increase cooperation with many Sharia Property Agency partners. This strategy is essential for the company to increase the market share of Sharia property with more massive and vigorous marketing efforts. Keywords: Business development strategy, sharia property, strategy formulation, consumer behaviour, purchase decision

Integrated Health and Social Care In A Woman's Shelter and Multi-Service Agency

Introduction: Evidence exists demonstrating that integrated health and social care (IHSC) can support enhanced care for highly vulnerable and marginalized population groups. One such group are homeless women. Street Haven (SH) is a multi-service women’s agency that serves homeless women who suffers from the intersection of critical health, social and financial disadvantages living in one of the poorest urban neighbourhoods in Toronto, Canada. SH provides shelter, supported housing, addictions treatment and training support services. Over the past ten years, client acuity has increased the health and social care needs of vulnerable women. The pandemic has exacerbated this. Clients have experienced chronic homelessness which is connected to trauma. They also suffer from mental illness conditions, and chronic diseases including respiratory illnesses, and gastro-intestinal illness, and diabetes. Street Haven has engaged in integrated health and social care (IHSC) to ensure that more comprehensive care can respond to the increasing client care complexity. &#x0D; Approach: IHSC coordination with community partners have been undertaken in order to address unmet health and social care. Within the SH shelter services, partnerships with primary health care partners, hospital services and community-based crisis and mental health teams have been established. As a result, a primary care physician and psychiatrist can be accessed once weekly on site by clients. Homeless women are then attached to a physician and psychiatrist while accessing SH services. In addition, when clients experience crisis, community-based outreach mental health and crisis teams are dispatched by other organizations to SH locations. The SH addiction treatment residence services also integrate with psychiatry services with a community clinical services agency and with the community crisis team to introduce crisis and psychiatric supports for addiction service clients. Lastly, SH works with community policing to ensure that women who exhibit behaviours stemming from crisis, may have benefit of community policing services that provide SH and client with protection while offering crisis supports at the same time. They help to divert clients from hospital and correctional services.&#x0D; Results: IHSC enables SH to better meet the needs of its highly complex client base within its premises. Several benefits of the IHSC include the identification of unmet health and social care needs of our clients including psychiatric and mental health needs and management of chronic diseases and medication prescription needs; enhanced client community engagement through the referral and coordination of services with community health and social care partner agencies; minimization of crisis events on SH premise sites; and minimizing utilization of acute car and correctional services. The competencies that are absent in the organization are available due to IHSC.&#x0D; Lessons Learned: IHSC can act as a lever for women’s shelter and addiction treatment services to provide more comprehensive health and social care services. IHSC is crucial considering the austerity in government program funding in Toronto and Ontario. IHSC is another means to better serve marginalized, homeless and impoverished women to ensure that they have more equitable access to health and social care services especially where there is a gender-bias against women’s services in Toronto. &#x0D;

Whose confidence? Regional leaders’ perspectives on building confidence in a reconfigured probation service

The idea that the institutions of criminal justice should command the confidence of the public and other stakeholders is a taken for granted ‘good’, but one which has rarely been considered from the perspectives of operational leaders within those institutions. We also know little about what happens at times of crisis, when claims are made about the erosion of confidence and leaders are charged with rebuilding it. In this article, we seek to engage critically with the idea of confidence in one criminal justice institution – the Probation Service in England &amp; Wales – at just such a time. Drawing on original empirical research with the 12 leaders of the recently unified service, this article focuses on the question of whose confidence matters and considers some of the challenges associated with confidence-building work from the perspectives of these leaders. Our research revealed that the stakeholder groups whose confidence most concerned them were sentencers and other partner agencies; government ministers; and their own staff within the unified service. We introduce the idea of ‘domains of confidence’ to highlight the importance of understanding perspectives on confidence (and efforts to strengthen or rebuild it) in a relational space in which the particular positionality of actors in the criminal justice field must be understood.

SAN ANTONIO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING SYSTEM: MAPPING INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY AND COORDINATION

Abstract Ride Connect Texas and its partnering agencies seek to develop an expanded senior mobility management system supported by a One Call One Click transportation planning system. Its purpose is to enhance on-demand transportation system coordination and the application of technology, providing consumers, service providers, and mobility managers with direct access to comprehensive transportation information. GIS mapping is used to help develop a spatial awareness of the transportation challenges among older people and individuals with a disability and the current system capacity. Interviews with transit, non-transit, and health and human service agencies will reveal factors that influence coordination among providers and opportunities for capacity expansion. Surveys and focus groups of older adults and individuals with disability will show differentiating characteristics of riders and transportation needs and challenges. GIS mapping will allow us to geocode these findings relative to the user’s street address and zip code, illustrating variations in specialized client needs, service availability, travel behavior, and available amenities for basic daily living. Mapping will identify gaps in transportation services, hot zones revealing high user demand and low system capacity, and the ability to reduce fragmentation of service through seamless technology-based coordination. The mapping element informs the measurement of a community’s transportation system capacity for this user group. The value proposition of this tool is its ability to help any community measure its readiness toward developing a comprehensive implementation strategy for coordinated demand response transportation, including resource mobilization strategies, capacity augmentation, phasing of the system, and implementation timeline.

Examining the Impact of Dedicated Missing Person Teams on the Multiagency Response to Missing Children

Some police forces are investing resources into dedicated missing person teams (MPTs) to improve risk assessment and responsibility sharing across partner agencies. This study used police records and interviews with representatives from police and partner agencies in one UK region to provide the first systematic evaluation of the impact of implementing a dedicated MPT on the response to missing children. Results revealed a reduction in reports and change in risk assessment practices post implementation, along with suggestions that the MPT brought about more of a child-centred approach, a pushing back of responsibility to care providers, and greater personalised communication with children and care providers. However, improvements needed to be made to intra- and inter-agency communication, and consideration of resources across shift patterns. Findings pose important implications for informing decisions regarding allocation of finite resources and improving multiagency response to missing children.

Creating an alliance for diversity in brain health for central Ohio community

AbstractBackgroundBlack, Indigenous, and other people of color are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). These individuals are less likely than non‐Hispanic whites to have access to ADRD‐ related resources, thus promoting health disparities.MethodIn 2022, the Alliance for Diversity in Brain Health for the Central Ohio Community (ADHOC) was created to fill this gap. Through grass roots efforts from the College of Nursing, the African American Alzheimer’s and Wellness Association teamed up with the Central Ohio Alzheimer’s Association. With leadership support from the National Alzheimer’s Association, we identified strengths, opportunities for collaboration, and long and short‐term goals to meet the needs of the Central Ohio ADRD community. Monthly meetings were held with a core group of four members to establish a community‐driven agenda for education, support, and research.ResultTo date, ADHOC results included a) grant‐funded, inaugural Annual Brain Health Fair with 14 local partnering agencies, b) five ADRD education presentations in five minoritized communities, and c) six research collaborations.ConclusionOur alliance provides a template that can scaled for use in communities globally to build bridges and promote health equity in ADRD communities through education, support and research.

Coordinating external assistance forUHC: Pakistan's early experience ofthe SDG3 GAP.

Pakistan is a lower middle-income setting. External assistance for health and development partners play an important role in health sector development. The federal system and health care delivery as a devolved provincial subject warrant regular and effective coordination among federating units and partners. Pakistan was selected as a priority country in 2019 for the implementation of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All (SDG3 GAP). Given the ongoing universal health coverage (UHC) reforms, the country prioritized two SDG3 GAP accelerators, related to primary health care (PHC) and sustainable financing for health (SFH). Eight partner agencies representing PHC and SFH accelerators jointly planned and conducted a 'PHC for UHC mission' to Pakistan in 2021. This mission paved the way for setting up an SDG3 GAP Coordination Committee and a 'PHC Service Delivery and Financing working group', which have been regularly coming together through in-person and virtual meetings; the latter was relatively uncommon previously and this new way of working provided a chance to build rapport, share workplans, identify duplications in technical assistance and jointly gauge governments' priorities. This has shifted the focus of reforms deliberations from 'what' to 'how', enabling joint strategic planning and implementation. The joint work by SDG3 GAP partners with the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation & Coordination linked discussions on health financing and service delivery reforms for the first time, and has contributed to advocacy, analysis, strategic policy dialogue, institutional strengthening and implementation of UHC reforms, with a focus on PHC. Even though joint work by SDG3 GAP partners undoubtedly shows the potential for better alignment and collaboration, translation of the commitment to better collaboration into concrete impact has been the result of committed and engaged staff members, rather than institutionalized change, which will require strong incentives for collaboration.

Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences as a Potential CURE-All for Applied Research Training and Real-World Knowledge Acquisition

Calls have been made for higher education to offer students hands-on and experiential learning opportunities. This paper explores the development and implementation of an advanced undergraduate research methods course offered in fall 2020 and 2022. After initially conducting research on its first offering in 2020, the instructor navigated changes based on self-reflective, student, and community partner feedback. Students, agency partners, and the instructor-of-record participated in mid and end-of-semester evaluations, focus groups, interviews, and follow-up surveys during both iterations of the course with new data offering insights into course perceptions, pitfalls, and impact. Findings suggested that students had generally positive experiences in the class. The course’s applicability and relevance additionally contributed to increased student engagement and motivation. While prior literature identifies the utility of experiential learning in gaining real-world research skills, the applied criminal justice research course additionally highlights motivation and investment as defining characteristics.

Modeling climate-smart forest management and wood use for climate mitigation potential in Maryland and Pennsylvania

State and local governments are increasingly interested in understanding the role forests and harvested wood products play in regional carbon sinks and storage, their potential contributions to state-level greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, and the interactions between GHG reduction goals and potential economic opportunities. We used empirically driven process-based forest carbon dynamics and harvested wood product models in a systems-based approach to project the carbon impacts of various forest management and wood utilization activities in Maryland and Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2100. To quantify state-wide forest carbon dynamics, we integrated forest inventory data, harvest and management activity data, and remotely-sensed metrics of land-use change and natural forest disturbances within a participatory modeling approach. We accounted for net GHG emissions across (1) forest ecosystems (2) harvested wood products, (3) substitution benefits from wood product utilization, and (4) leakage associated with reduced in-state harvesting activities. Based on state agency partner input, a total of 15 management scenarios were modeled for Maryland and 13 for Pennsylvania, along with two climate change impact scenarios and two bioenergy scenarios for each state. Our findings show that both strategic forest management and wood utilization can provide substantial climate change mitigation potential relative to business-as-usual practices, increasing the forest C sink by 29% in Maryland and 38% in Pennsylvania by 2030 without disrupting timber supplies. Key climate-smart forest management activities include maintaining and increasing forest extent, fostering forest resiliency and natural regeneration, encouraging sustainable harvest practices, balancing timber supply and wood utilization with tree growth, and preparing for future climate impacts. This study adds to a growing body of work that quantifies the relationships between forest growth, forest disturbance, and harvested wood product utilization, along with their collective influence on carbon stocks and fluxes, to identify pathways to enhance forest carbon sinks in support of state-level net-zero emission targets.

The effectiveness of sexual assault referral centres with regard to mental health and substance use: a national mixed-methods study - the MiMoS Study.

Sexual assault referral centres have been established to provide an integrated service that includes forensic examination, health interventions and emotional support. However, it is unclear how the mental health and substance use needs are being addressed. To identify what works for whom under what circumstances for people with mental health or substance use issues who attend sexual assault referral centres. Staff and adult survivors in English sexual assault referral centres and partner agency staff. A mixed-method multistage study using realist methodology comprising five work packages. This consisted of a systematic review and realist synthesis (work package 1); a national audit of sexual assault referral centres (work package 2); a cross-sectional prevalence study of mental health and drug and alcohol needs (work package 3); case studies in six sexual assault referral centre settings (work package 4), partner agencies and survivors; and secondary data analysis of outcomes of therapy for sexual assault survivors (work package 5). There is a paucity of evidence identified in the review to support specific ways of addressing mental health and substance use. There is limited mental health expertise in sexual assault referral centres and limited use of screening tools based on the audit. In the prevalence study, participants (n = 78) reported high levels of psychological distress one to six weeks after sexual assault referral centre attendance (94% of people had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder). From work package 4 qualitative analysis, survivors identified how trauma-informed care potentially reduced risk of re-traumatisation. Sexual assault referral centre staff found having someone with mental health expertise in the team helpful not only in helping plan onward referrals but also in supporting staff. Both sexual assault referral centre staff and survivors highlighted challenges in onward referral, particularly to NHS mental health care, including gaps in provision and long waiting times. Work package 5 analysis demonstrated that people with recorded sexual assault had higher levels of baseline psychological distress and received more therapy but their average change scores at end point were similar to those without sexual trauma. The study was adversely affected by the pandemic. The data were collected during successive lockdowns when services were not operating as usual, as well as the overlay of anxiety and isolation due to the pandemic. People who attend sexual assault centres have significant mental health and substance use needs. However, sexual assault referral centres vary in how they address these issues. Access to follow-up support from mental health services needs to be improved (especially for those deemed to have 'complex' needs) and there is some indication that co-located psychological therapies provision improves the survivor experience. Routine data analysis demonstrated that those with sexual assault can benefit from therapy but require more intensity than those without sexual assault. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of providing co-located psychological therapy in the sexual assault referral centres, as well as evaluating the long-term needs and outcomes of people who attend these centres. This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (16/117/03) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 11, No. 21. This trial is registered as PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018119706 and ISRCTN 18208347.

A Thematic Analysis of the Effectiveness of The Assisting Rehabilitation through Collaboration (ARC) Programme

This paper evaluates the perceptions of effectiveness, from those working within ARC (Assisting Rehabilitation through Collaboration); the National Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Programme in Lincolnshire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 professionals from either the ARC core team, partner agencies, or police inspectors external to ARC. The data was analysed using Thematic Analysis. Participants identified six key themes relating to the perceived effectiveness of ARC; the ARC Cohort; ARC staff; barriers; outcomes; partnerships; and the wider policing staff. The barriers faced by the ARC implementation are also faced by other IOM programmes. The core features identified to strengthen IOM implementation are better access to housing and improving mental health provision.

Neighbors' Perspective on the Evaluation of Services Offered by Northern Illinois Food Bank and Its Agency Partners

Neighbors' Perspective on the Evaluation of Services Offered by Northern Illinois Food Bank and Its Agency Partners

Social Norms and Gender Disparities with a Focus on Female Labor Force Participation in South Asia

Abstract Despite decades of economic growth, gender disparities in South Asia remain remarkably high. Although not the only one, social norms are a crucial driver of various gender outcomes, including differential economic participation. Using repeated cross-sectional data from nationally representative surveys, this study explores long-term trends across gender outcomes and social norms (contrasting attitudes and social normative expectations towards gender roles) in South Asia. The results corroborate the evidence that there has been almost no progress in gender disparities in South Asia over the past half-century. There has been little progress in female labor force participation, age at first birth, agency, and intimate partner violence, while (basic) education is an important exception. The lack of progress is apparent among all layers of society, including women who live in urban areas, are educated, and have higher incomes. Gender attitudes also remain unchanged, while for some issues, they have become more conservative and have a negative relationship with gender outcomes. This negative relationship is even stronger when social normative expectations are considered. More data on social norms and a better understanding of their constraining role may be critical for achieving gender equality in the region.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on United States Intimate Partner Violence Organizations: Administrator Perspectives.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased challenges to intimate partner violence (IPV) service provision. This study aimed to explore administrative perspectives on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on United States regional and national IPV service organizations. We interviewed 35 administrators working within state, regional, or national organizations addressing IPV. Interview domains included (1) organizational response to COVID-19, including communication and supporting employees and partner agencies, (2) impact on marginalized communities, and (3) resource needs. We used a hybrid deductive-inductive approach and thematic analysis for coding and analysis. We identified four key themes: (1) COVID-19 worsened pre-existing challenges and created new challenges at multiple levels within IPV service organizations; (2) IPV service organizations initiated multi-level initiatives to support IPV survivors, their staff, their organization, and their member/partner agencies; (3) Organizations identified changes that should continue beyond the pandemic; and (4) Systemic racism compounded the impact of COVID-19 on IPV survivors and IPV service agencies. Findings suggest that (1) multi-level responses are needed for robust support of IPV survivors during and beyond the pandemic and (2) a syndemic model that addresses underlying structural inequities may strengthen efforts to support IPV survivors during a pandemic or other large-scale disaster.

Inclusion in Quebec childcare centers: financial support, adaptation, and training

BackgroundInclusion in childcare centers involves a support system that includes funding policies, inclusive practices and access to ongoing training. The province of Quebec (Canada) benefits from a network of subsidized childcare services for children from birth to 5 years old. Although two financial measures support educational childcare centers welcoming children with disabilities, there is a lack of knowledge about how these measures are used.Research questionsThe research questions are: (1) How do childcare centers use financial measures to support inclusion? (2) What adaptations are made in childcare centers? and (3) What is the ongoing training of educators to support inclusion?MethodThis research presents the results of an online survey completed by 94 childcare management staff and 154 childcare educators. The survey was developed using a two-way process involving the researchers along with representatives from government ministries and agencies and childcare management staff.ResultsResults reveal that just over half of management staff request financial measures for all children with special needs and does so mainly to hire additional and specialized human resources and replace staff in meetings with specialized services. The financial measures are perceived to meet material adaptation needs better than those for human resources. Adaptations made by educators relate to instructions, individual interventions, equipment, group activities, physical environment, and schedule and routines. Over half the educators report that adaptations involving group activities and schedules and routines are the most difficult to implement. Less than half the managers and educators had received ongoing training on inclusive practices. Issues addressed during such training include commonly recognized interventions based on diagnoses, collaboration with parents, collaboration with partner agencies or institutions, instructions, individual interventions, group activities, equipment, physical environment, and schedules and routines.DiscussionResults are discussed in terms of (1) needs met and funding model, and (2) dimensions of quality inclusive practices such as leadership of childcare management staff, training and professional development, collaboration with health and specialized social services, learning environments and partnership with families.

Preface

The extreme weather event due to climate change is a major threat to agriculture including the coconut sector. Typical impacts of climate change including floods, longer droughts, landslides, increased pest populations and disease severity can lead to yield losses and therefore pose challenges for coconut farmers and other stakeholders. Several studies have reported that climate change could reduce crop yields by 1-2 % per decade over the past century, and the adverse impacts are predicted to increase in the future if there are no effective adaptation and mitigation strategies in place.There is a need to realize the magnitude and potential irreversibility of climate change and the threats and dynamics of extreme climate change impacts. It is also crucial to identify the causes of the vulnerability and points of resilience as well as to identify adaptation and mitigation management interventions, comprehensive standards and policy tools that may assist and accelerate resilience to climate change. The vulnerability of agriculture including the coconut sector to the impacts of climate change and the potential contribution of coconut sector in mitigating the impacts has prompted the International Coconut Community (ICC) to promote “Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy for a Resilient and Sustainable Coconut Agroindustry” as the theme of the 50th COCOTECH conference and Exhibition.ICC glad to acknowledge the Honorable State Ministers and elected leaders from ICC member countries, Heads of Missions, Delegations of Senior Government Officials, Eminent Resource Persons, UN Bodies Representatives, International Partner Agencies, Private Sector Industry Stakeholders, Distinguished Participants and Friends of Coconut. International COCOTECH is officially mandated as the Technical Panel for the coconut community at which important knowledge, information, innovative technologies, appropriate recommendation and policy are gathered, shared, exchanged and applied throughout the global coconut industry to ensure the sustainability of the coconut sector.Special appreciation was given to the host facilities for this conference is provided by the Government of Malaysia through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia from 7-11 November 2022.We acknowledge and appreciate the participation of various stakeholders in the coconut value chain around the world comprising policymakers, senior government officials, researchers, extensionists, traders, product processors, machinery manufacturers, exporters, importers, farmers, and the friends of coconut. The Community is indebted to the high caliber of eminent resource persons that include experts in the fields of agriculture, industry, commerce, biotechnology, chemistry, clinical science, and much more, who willingly accepted to sacrifice time from their heavy work commitments and schedules to be here to provide invaluable inputs to this Conference. Diverse, appropriate, and useful information, knowledge, and technologies would be imparted from these resource persons with a great wealth of experience as well as their respective levels of expertise. The subjects covered during the Conference would assist in preparing farming communities to counter the challenges and maximize benefits from the opportunities that are presented.List of COCOTECH Scientific Committee Members are available in this pdf.