Maryland State Department Research Articles

P088 A Feasibility Trial of an Asynchronous Web-based Infant Feeding Course for Child and Adult Care Food Program Providers

<h3>Background</h3> The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides meals and snacks to children at eligible, participating locations. Previous nutrition interventions for providers presented improved knowledge of CACFP nutrition standards, behavioral intentions, and confidence about feeding practice. However, few studies focusing on infant feeding for providers have been reported. <h3>Objective</h3> To describe the development and implementation of an asynchronous virtual training course aiming to improve infant feeding practices of providers and report program outcomes. <h3>Study Design, Settings, Participants</h3> This study was a single group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. A three-module course was developed and implemented through a partnership between the State Department of Education and an Extension system. Each module consisted of 2-3 sessions and was offered through the Canvas platform. Providers completed pre-survey (n = 51) and/or post-survey (n = 57), respectively. Participants (n = 32) who completed both were included for analysis. <h3>Measurable Outcome/Analysis</h3> Self-confidence and knowledge related to infant feeding were measured. Recommended changes were assessed qualitatively. Descriptive statistics and a marginal homogeneity test were used for analysis. <h3>Results</h3> Approximately 37% of participants were teachers and 24% were center directors or owners. After the course, participants' self-confidence significantly improved (<i>P</i> <0.001). In particular, they became very confident in describing breast milk storage (<i>P =</i> 0.001), when a child should switch from a bottle to a cup (<i>P =</i> < 0.001), and when a baby is ready to start eating solid foods (<i>P =</i> < 0.001). Also, participants significantly improved knowledge of infant feeding (<i>P</i> < 0.001). Qualitative responses emphasized the importance of educating staff to feed in response to hunger cues, rather than at set times. The participants mentioned that providing refresher training, and posting signage about breast milk and formula feeding and storage guidelines in classrooms would be beneficial. Constant communication with families was perceived to be important as well. <h3>Conclusions</h3> An asynchronous virtual training course implemented through an Extension was feasible and effective for improving self-efficacy and knowledge related to infant feeding. It also has potential for program sustainability. <h3>Funding</h3> USDA; US Department of Agriculture Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Service Training Grant through the Maryland State Department of Education.

Serving Summer Meals During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of 2 Summer Food Service Program Sponsors in Maryland.

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDThe Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free and nutritious meals to children under age 18 during out‐of‐school times. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, Maryland sponsors served over 9.5 million meals to children through an expanded version of the SFSP. This study aimed to explore and compare the factors that enabled 2 SFSP sponsors in Maryland to dramatically increase meals distribution during the pandemic.METHODSSponsors were selected based on their responses in the larger study and demographic characteristics of the area in which they served. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted over Zoom—4 interviews with Sponsor A (3 interviews with the sponsor, 1 interview with their vendor) and 1 interview with Sponsor B. Qualitative data were analyzed inductively and deductively. Participation data from 2019 and 2020 were obtained from the Maryland State Department of Education and analyzed.RESULTSDespite their differences in organization type and geographic region, they identified similar facilitators to their success—communication with the community and utilization of the United States Department of Agriculture‐issued waivers.CONCLUSIONSStrengthening community communication networks and permanently integrating more flexibility into regulation of the SFSP may increase meals participation during future out‐of‐school times.

Responding & rebuilding amidst dual pandemics: an interview with state fine arts coordinators Alysia Lee & Dale Schmid

This paper examines the response and rebuilding efforts of two state fine arts coordinators amidst dual pandemics: COVID-19 and systemic racial injustice. In March 2021, Ms. Alysia Lee, Education Program Supervisor for Fine Arts Education for the Maryland State Department of Education and Dr. Dale Schmid, recently retired Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator for the New Jersey State Department of Education, outlined the scope of their work at the onset, and throughout, both pandemics. Ms. Lee and Mr. Schmid provided reflections regarding their state organization’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting an expressed need for resources, professional learning, and community support. While the interview was originally conceived to gain Ms. Lee’s and Mr. Schmid’s reflections on their state arts organization’s initial responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conversation ultimately centered their dedication to issues of racial and social justice in arts education. Portions of the interview wherein issues of equity, access, and anti-racist and justice-based practice are discussed are included in full. The paper concludes by centering Ms. Lee’s and Mr. Schmid’s voices in offering possibilities for future policy and practice.

Utilization of the Multi-Pathogen Approach in an Online Program for Prehospital Responders in High Consequence Infectious Diseases

Introduction:The prehospital disaster and emergency medical services community stands on the front-line in the response to events such as novel influenza, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, and other high consequence diseases such as the Ebola Virus Disease.Aim:To address provider and community safety, we developed an online educational program utilizing a Multi-Pathogen Approach to infectious disease personal protective equipment (PPE) deployment by prehospital providers. Such vigilance starts with syndromic recognition and quickly transcends to include operational issues, clinical interventions, and public health integration.Methods:The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Maryland, USA), Department of Emergency Health Services partnered with the Maryland State Department of Health (USA), to develop an online educational curriculum. The curriculum was developed through an expert panel consensus group including prehospital providers and is hybrid in design and includes awareness level training and procedural guidance.Results:Currently deployed online, this educational content demonstrating the use of the Multi-Pathogen Approach is accessible open-access via YouTube worldwide on computers, tablets, and smartphones. This curriculum is also accessible for continuing medical education to over 50,000 prehospital, hospital, and clinic personnel throughout Maryland and the National Capital Region of the United States. The curriculum consists of twelve modules of didactic and live videotaped demonstrations.Discussion:The development of the Multi-Pathogen Approach for the deployment of PPE and the use of online education modules has given prehospital providers an easily accessible open-access tool for high consequence disease management. The development of educational efforts such as these can help ensure better patient care and prehospital EMS system readiness.

&lt;p&gt;Computer Science and Technology and Engineering Education: A Content Analysis of Standards and Curricular Resources&lt;/p&gt;

Recently there has been overwhelming political and financial support to include computer science (CS) in K-12 school curricula across the United States. With such strong support for CS it has been questioned where the subject would be best situated in already crowded K-12 curricula. Some have proposed integrating it within secondary level technology and engineering (T&amp;E) courses (Ernst &amp; Clark, 2007, 2009; Wright, Rich, &amp; Leatham, 2012) or using CS courses in place of T&amp;E education classes (Maryland State Department of Education [MSDE], 2016). To better inform decisions regarding CS in T&amp;E education, this study used a multiple comparative case study (Yin, 2014) to analyze the alignment of subconcepts from the K-12 CS Framework with benchmarks from the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association’s (ITEEA) Standards for Technological Literacy (STL). Additionally, a content analysis was conducted to examine curricular resources that claimed to teach CS concepts while addressing components of the STL’s designed world. The purpose of the study was to investigate similarities and differences among both the CS and T&amp;E standards and to identify curricular resources that successfully addressed multiple STL while integrating CS concepts. The findings revealed that there was limited alignment between the computational thinking and programming-focused CS framework and the broader engineering design and technology systems-focused STL. However, some curricular resources successfully used CS concepts to address many standards from the designed world section of the STL. From these findings, implications and recommendations for integrating CS within T&amp;E education were provided.

A Web-based Tutorial for the Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation

The evidence shows that individuals who cannot see print and therefore must use printed materials that have been transcribed into braille experience great difficulty in achieving proficiency in mathematics, ultimately limiting their opportunities for gainful employment in our technological society. One of the major reasons for this situation is that many teachers of children who are blind and many vision rehabilitation therapists working with adults who are blind are not competent in the braille code for mathematics (DeMario, Lang, & Lian, 1998; DeMario & Lian, 2000; Kapperman, 1994; Kapperman & Sticken, 2003; Rosenblum & Amato, 2004; Wittenstein, 1993). The Research and Development Institute (RDI) has developed several tutorial products for the Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation (hereafter, Nemeth code) to serve as resources for teachers of students who are blind, rehabilitation therapists, and children and adults who are blind, beginning with the Computerized Nemeth Code Tutorial in 1997 (Kapperman, Henry, Cortesi, Heinze, & Sticken, 1997). This original version was purely visual and, therefore, was not accessible to people who are blind. In partnership with Freedom Scientific from 2001 to 2005, an accessible version of the tutorial was developed and made available exclusively for the BrailleLite braille notetaker (Kapperman & Sticken, 2001, 2002, 2005). In partnership with HumanWare, an updated and heavily revised version of the tutorial became available in 2007. This accessible product worked only on the BrailleNote braille notetaker (Kapperman & Sticken, 2007) and was subsequently determined (through a rigorous, scientific study) to be highly effective as a tool to improve Nemeth code proficiency (Kapperman, Sticken, & Smith, 2011, 2012). After determining that the tutorial model is, indeed, an effective resource for acquiring or improving knowledge of the Nemeth code, a new goal emerged: the authors began to search for a totally accessible platform that would be available to anyone interested in the Nemeth code anywhere, anytime, and without the requirement of purchasing specific hardware in order to use proprietary software. In 2011, in partnership with the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), and with funding through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education (Grant no. H133G110122), the web-based Nemeth Code Tutorial project was launched. Over a period of three years, the staff members of RDI developed the content of the tutorial while APH software engineers developed the software. This revolutionary tool is now available, at no charge, to anyone who has access to the Internet, from a Windows or Macintosh platform (including on devices such as the iPad, iPhone, and Android-based cellular phones), using any assistive technology software or hardware (including any screen reader or magnification program and any keyboard, including electronic refreshable braille devices). It resides on the APH website, . METHODS The content of the web-based Nemeth Code Tutorial was largely revamped to reflect the current sequence of symbol introduction used in mathematics instruction, based on grade-level expectations according to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) that have been adopted by 43 states and the District of Columbia to date (Ujifusa, 2015). Also reviewed as a guideline for creating the sequence of the chapters and lessons in the new tutorial was the Maryland Common Core State Curriculum Frameworks for Braille, which were released by the Maryland State Department of Education in 2012 (Maryland School Performance, 2014). This document outlines the sequence of literary and Nemeth code braille symbols which students should master at each grade level. Although significant revisions to the Nemeth Code Tutorial content and sequence have been made in this new version of the tutorial, the basic structure and function remain the same as in previous versions. …

Making STEM REAL: Real, Experiential, Active Learning: An Authentic Interdisciplinary Connection Between the “Schoolshed” and the Watershed

AbstractK-12 educators from Maryland's Eastern Shore traveled from the Chester River headwaters to the Chesapeake Bay aboard a research vessel analyzing sediment samples and using sonar to image its bottom and, incidentally, an 18th century shipwreck. Educators engaged in 10 Professional Development Modules where they participated in activities such as building observation buoys that collect water quality data and designing, building, and operating underwater robots. Additional program components included issues investigation, agro-ecology, bird identification, weather, and hands-on instruction to integrate the material into impact classroom content. The program strength lies in the cumulative knowledge gained by completing all of the components to get a holistic view of watershed exploration from the headwaters to the Bay. Consequently, the thread for this program is that all educators are from schools within the Chester River Watershed, herein termed a schoolshed. Data were plotted on a school-available website and are further supported by &lt;ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://www.crwo.org"&gt;http://www.crwo.org&lt;/ext-link&gt;. Shared resources were available for all of the teachers and delivered on demand so that the lessons could be implemented with classes on their school grounds. Independently contracted program evaluations were positive. All of the program's components are easily adapted to other watersheds and are presently being repackaged as the Canyons to the Oceans program for the Oxnard California School District as the Coastal California Watershed Observatory. Since 2013, the program has been supported by the Maryland State Department of Education and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Using Social Work Interns to Assist in Creating Integrated Pediatric Primary Care

Introduction and description: It is estimated that less than twenty-five percent of children in the United States with diagnosable mental health conditions are receiving treatment (1). Expanding services within the primary care office would provide early screening, identification, and treatment for mental health conditions. Maryland’s BHIPP program (a partnership between Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, and Salisbury University, with funding from Maryland’s Behavioral Health Administration and the Maryland State Department of Education) was established in 2012, and consists of a phone consultation line for pediatric medical providers, resource mapping, professional training, and the placement of co-located MSW social work interns. BHIPP Salisbury explores collaborative relationships with medical providers, student interns, and faculty field supervisors. Through the training, placement, and supervision of the social work student interns, the program increases early access to screenings, and increases care capacity in the pediatric medical office. Theory of change: BHIPP Salisbury utilizes Systems Theory to examine the patient and their family from an ecological context. This approach allows patients to receive coordinated services in primary care to address health, basic needs, and behavioral health concerns. The target populations are the children and families served within medical practices. Highlights: The innovative components of the Salisbury model include the selection, training, and supervision of master’s level social work student interns in screening and brief behavioral health intervention services in the primary care setting. Irregular contact between primary care and specialty care providers is a barrier to integrated care (2). BHIPP Salisbury addresses this barrier by providing consultation services in this host environment and serving on the inter-professional care team. As a member of this care team, the student interns support increased access to care, and increase the capacity of care provision in rural, underserved pediatric primary care medical offices.

The Impact of Single-Sex Education on African American Reading Achievement: An Analysis of an Urban Middle School’s Reform Effort

IntroductionThe academic underperformance of African American students continues to be a serious issue in American public schools. Despite the increased rhetoric surrounding the racial disparities in American public schools, evidence suggests that African American student achievement continues to lag (Schott Foundation, 2008). Most notably, African American male achievement continues to cause concern for communities, school systems, and policymakers. According to Few (2004), by the time they reach high school 42% of African American boys have failed at least one grade level. Furthermore, African American males are overrepresented in special education and remedial courses, grossly underrepresented in gifted and talented programs, and disciplined at disproportionately high rates (Schott Foundation, 2008). As a consequence, African American males attending urban public schools continue to be represented at the bottom rung of virtually every measure of student achievement (Polite & Davis, 1999; Schott Foundation, 2008). Consequently, African American males are among the most at-risk subgroups being educated in American public schools.According to Kunjufu (2002) and Porter (1998), the academic underperformance of African American males is nothing less than an epidemic that continues to limit the academic and career opportunities for millions of African American males. Nationally, less than 50% of African American males graduate from high school, and less than 8% of African American males earn college degrees (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2006; Schott Foundation, 2008). These rates of school completion for African American males correlate with high rates of incarceration, high rates of unemployment, poor health, and a limited overall quality of life (Gibbs, 1998; Lips, 2008). The Kaiser Foundation (2006) supported Harrison's and Beck's findings when it presented data showing that by 2005 more than 10% of African American males between the ages of 18 and 29 were incarcerated. In terms of unemployment rates, in 2006 the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that 19.5% of African American males were jobless. This rate of unemployment was more than double the unemployment rate for White and Hispanic males. These data lend support to Kunjufii's notion that the American public schools have been ineffective in meeting the academic needs of African American males (Kunjuiu, 2002). All of these facts underscore a troubling reality for African American males during their time as public school students and thereafter.Reemergence of Single-Sex SchoolsIn 2006, President George W. Bush and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings enacted legislation that would permit single-sex education as a public school option. The intent of this legislation was to provide increased flexibility in which schools could better address the needs of a rapidly changing and diverse student population. In other words, a concept that single-sex education can better serve the needs of urban, African American students was posed (Aranti, 2007; Hubbard & Datnow, 2005; Maryland State Department of Education, 2006). Consequently, single-sex education as a public schooling option is a topic that continues to draw interest and a great deal of debate among school officials, policymakers, parents, and researchers.Single-Sex Education as an Urban School ReformAmerican public schools are in dire need of reforms that better account for the very distinct and complex needs of African American male students. Single-sex education is among the newest and most intriguing reform efforts being implemented in schools where low academic achievement for African American students persists. Notable urban school districts including Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. are among the many school districts that are now offering gender-specific education. However, research on single-sex education in public schools, especially in urban districts, remains limited (Datnow, Hubbard, & Woody, 2001). …

BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOLS USE MICROCOMPUTERS TO TEACH WRITING

Many school systems in the U.S. are attempting to use limited resources effectively. In a large urban school system, the problem is compounded by a large number of students and a steadily declining budget. Despite this reality, school systems are continuing to find creative ways to use computers and other technological advances to raise the achievement level of their students. Several innovative programs in the Baltimore City Public Schools are described in this article. A joint project with a local college, a federally funded project for disadvantaged pupils, a partnership with a national organization, and a joint venture with the Maryland State Department of Education, all involving the use of computers, are described. These projects suggest that there is a distinct advantage in using computers to teach students to write better. In the case of the severe problem writer, word processing may be the preferable way to help them in a school setting.

&lt;em&gt;Challenges to Success in Higher Education: An Examination of Educational Challenges from the Voices of College-Bound Black Males&lt;/em&gt;

In recent years, researchers have devoted much discussion to finding ways to increase the academic success of Black males in K-12 and higher education. Despite this emphasis, Black male enrollment in higher education stands at 4.5%, which is the same as it was in 1976. One factor noted by researchers for the stagnation among Black male college enrollment is their disproportionate departure from high school. Therefore, this qualitative study of college-bound high school seniors discusses four critical factors that contribute to Black males premature departure from high school. Implications for practice andfuture research are discussed.Keywords: education, college access, retentionThere is a great deal of evidence to demonstrate that all children are not valued equally, that some children are clearly valued more than other children, and finally that, African-American male children are valued least of all. It is not likely that schools, as they are currently structured, will ever look on the majority of children they serve as having unlimited potential-Governor's Commission on Black Males. (Maryland State Department of Education, 2007)INTRODUCTIONAs the quote posits, the educational plight of the Black male is often associated with underachievement and underrepresentation (Carter, 2005, Scott, 2012). Although negative in context, the association offers a profound need to understand and address why such is the case. Researchers discussed the lack of scholarship on Black males who overcame their environmental obstacles, and became successful in graduating from high school and college (Harper, 2005; Palmer, Davis & Hilton, 2009; Parson & Kritsonis, 2006). Therefore, identifying challenges that Black males face could serve as a catalyst for developing support structures that deter high school departure (dropouts) and encourage college attendance.Much of the research on Black male achievement presents troublesome statistics and often negative stories about their chances of academic success. The plethora of negative findings is alarming and often neglects the insight of students themselves and potential solutions for these obstacles. For example, Tatum (2006) highlighted self-concept and identity as two major internalized factors that influence the academic success for Black students. His findings posit that Black male students sometimes respond by disassociating themselves from school and acting-out in negative ways as coping mechanisms-for a lack of self-concept and identity. Additionally, several scholars discussed external factors that impede Black male student achievement. In some cases, these male students are disproportionately placed in special education classes (Nickson, Kritsonis, & Herrington, 2006), where they are provided with instruction that fails to prepare them for higher education (Bailey & Moore, 2004; Hopkins, 1997). Moreover, Anthony, Kritsonis, and Herrington (2007) emphasized that a high percentage of Black males are taught by White females. Suggesting that in most educational settings, the Black male presence is custodial staff or sports instructors. Furthermore, Black adolescent males are constantly bombarded with stereotypical depictions of older Blacks as incompetent or lazy (Irving & Hudley, 2008).Verj' few positive depictions are highlighted in the literature about Black males. Research from Irving and Hudley (2008) indicated a relationship between cultural mistrust and academic achievement, noting that an increase in mistrust facilitates negative academic outcome among Black males. Therefore, Brown (2009) and others (e.g., Bailey & Moore, 2004; Hopkins, 1997) urge the need for Black male role models in and outside of the classroom. However, it should be clear that a model that employs a one-size-fits-aH approach contradicts the very essence of the issue (Brown, 2009). This study seeks to take into consideration the voices of high school graduates on this topic, in order to proffer potential solutions to augment the challenges that are faced by Black male students. …

The Importance Of Technology Usage In The Classroom, Does Gender Gaps Exist

The Importance Of Technology Usage In The Classroom, Does Gender Gaps Exist

A State-Wide Partnership to Promote Safe and Supportive Schools: The PBIS Maryland Initiative

Schools continue to be an important context for preventive interventions targeting a range of behavioral and mental health problems. Yet competing demands on teachers and shifting priorities in response to federal legislation have posed some unique challenges to prevention researchers working in school settings. This paper summarizes an approach to prevention partnerships developed over a decade and centered on the three-tiered Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model. A state-wide initiative was formed and led through a partnership between the Maryland State Department of Education, Sheppard Pratt Health System, and Johns Hopkins University, which focused on implementing evidence-based practices and conducting prevention research in Maryland public schools. Drawing on a community-based participatory research framework for developing research partnerships, we highlight the importance of forming and sustaining authentic relationships to support school-based prevention research and implementation of evidence-based programs. We also discuss how these relationships have been used to disseminate PBIS and rigorously test its effectiveness. We describe some lessons learned from the partnership and identify potential areas for future research on the prevention partnership model. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for both researchers and community partners engaged in translational research in school settings.

A Study of the Effectiveness of Supplemental Educational Services for Title I Students in Baltimore City Public Schools

The authors of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 anticipated that a majority of school districts or schools would not be able to attain state and national achievement standards without assistance. Consequently, the Act created a major tenet known as Supplemental Educational Services (SES) programs to improve the learning outcomes of students placed 'at-risk' and to hold public schools accountable for increasing the proficiency levels of students in reading and mathematics. This study examined whether provision of supplemental educational services significantly improved academic achievement of students in Baltimore City Public Schools after they received supplemental services. A quasi-experimental research design was utilized in this study to compare SES participants and non-participants. Keywords: supplemental educational services, adequate yearly progress, Maryland State Assessment School districts have attempted to meet the terms of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB, 2001). The mandate requires that districts provide Supplemental Educational Services (SES) to improve academic performance and close the achievement gap for low income minority children. This is especially important for minority students living in urban communities and enrolled in Title I schools. The authors of NCLB anticipated that a majority of school districts or schools would not be able to attain state and national achievement standards without assistance. Consequently, the Act created SES programs to improve the learning outcomes of at-risk students and to hold public schools accountable for improving the proficiency of students in reading and mathematics. Those SES programs refer to tutoring outside of the regular school day for low-income and minority children that are in Title I schools. Tutoring normally begins in December and usually last for three months. However, some students are wait listed and may not receive SES until after the state examination. Although SES programs exist in virtually every school district in the U.S., policymakers and school districts are apprehensive about using SES programs to close the achievement gap. This is especially important for the nation's 48 million children from high-poverty school districts in Title I Schools (U.S. Department of Education, 2003). Lacking hard data, officials are skeptical about SES programs improving the academic proficiency of students and reducing the number of poor-performing schools not meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP) as required by NCLB. Similar to other urban school districts, the Baltimore City Public Schools System (BCPS) faced challenges more extreme than most school districts. For example, the school district experienced high leadership turnover; there have been three superintendents since 2003. Of the 91,738 students in BCPS in 2003, 90% were minority students who consistently scored low on standardized tests (MD State Department of Education, MSDE, 2003). 2003, BCPS was the first complete school district in Maryland classified as In Corrective Action (White, 2003a, 2003b). the same year, BCPS had the highest percentage of schools in Maryland that failed to make AYP: Eighty-four of 183 schools were identified as chronically low-performing (Grasmick, 2003). Simultaneously, BCPS faced a $58 million deficit, a $52 million cash-flow shortfall, and a mandate to relinquish financial control in order to receive a $42 million advance from the governor (Donovan & White, 2004; Olesker, 2004). Additionally, BCPS was charged with mismanaging federal Title I funds that were targeted to improve the academic performance of students enrolled in high-poverty schools. Subsequently, under NCLB guidelines, BCPS developed and implemented plans to eliminate Maryland State Department of Education sanctions. Plans included the full implementation of SES. For the next five years, BCPS delivered SES to approximately 10,000 minority students who were not meeting criteria in schools that failed to achieve AYP. …

Abel Wolman (1892-1989): Sanitary Engineer of the World

Abel Wolman was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1892, the fourth of six children of Polish-Jewish immigrant parents.1 He graduated from a local public high school and then attended the Johns Hopkins University. When the university opened an engineering school in 1913, Wolman joined the first civil engineering class and graduated in 1915. He spent a year in the US Public Health Service studying the water quality of the Potomac River and then joined the Maryland State Department of Health as a sanitary engineer. His job required the inspection of all water and wastewater treatment plants, but Wolman was also actively involved in research and publication. In 1919, together with a chemist, Linn Enslow, he published an article describing a test for chlorine absorption, which established a controlled method of chlorination of municipal water supplies.2 This process transformed water treatment and would later bring safe water supplies to much of the world. In Baltimore, Wolman was the architect of the city's expanded water supply and sewage treatment plants built in the 1930s. He projected the city's future water needs and arranged for dams and reservoirs. Later, as an international consultant, he brought his extensive and impressive knowledge of sanitary engineering to many countries: first to Israel, then to over 50 countries across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. As a member of the first United States delegation to the World Assembly of the World Health Organization, he cajoled and bullied the other members into making water and sanitation a top priority. Subsequently, he made frequent trips to Geneva, Switzerland, as a consultant to the World Health Organization. In 1921, Wolman began lecturing on sanitary engineering at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. His energy, wit, and lively intellect delighted the students and immensely increased the popularity of the courses in sanitary engineering.3 Wolman saw himself primarily as a practicing engineer, however, and resisted the idea of full-time teaching. When he was repeatedly urged to become professor of civil and sanitary engineering, he submitted what he thought would be an unreasonable list of requirements before he would accept the position.4 To his dismay, the university immediately accepted his conditions, and he became professor and chairman of departments in both the School of Arts and Sciences and of the School of Hygiene and Public Health. With an amazing capacity for hard work, Wolman also became associate editor of the American Journal of Public Health, editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Water Works Association, editor of the Manual of Water Works Practice, and editor-in-chief of Municipal Sanitation. He published hundreds of articles throughout his long career, including the one excerpted here. Some of these were gathered into a book, Water, Health and Society.5 In his later years, Wolman became involved in the public health issues surrounding the development of atomic energy resources and insisted on extensive research into the geologic, hydrologic, and demographic conditions for any proposed location of a nuclear power plant.1 Spritely and professionally active until the very end, Abel Wolman died at home in 1989 at the age of 96 years. n

A Clinical Supervision Model for Nontraditional Graduate Students in Training

Abstract With the increasing critical shortage of qualified speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the schools, graduate programs are charged with thinking beyond traditional programs in order to train committed candidates to serve school-aged populations in a cost-effective manner. The Department of Speech Pathology at Loyola College engaged in a partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education whereby students would be provided a scholarship for their degree, and in return would complete five years of employment upon graduation. A critical component of this program stipulated that students be employed and supervised in a local education agency. After experimenting with numerous models for clinical supervision in the school, one model emerged as effective. The college, student, and school perspective regarding effectiveness is presented.

Long-Term Effectiveness of Diagnosing and Treating Latent Tuberculosis Infection in a Cohort of HIV-Infected and At-Risk Injection Drug Users

Between 1990 and 1998, tuberculin skin tests (TST) and isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) were provided to injection drug users participating in the AIDS Linked to the Intravenous Experiences cohort. A registry match was conducted with the AIDS Linked to the Intravenous Experiences cohort database and the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene tuberculosis registry. Of 2010 participants, 1753 (74%) had a TST placed and read; 536 (31%) were positive. TST positivity was 16% in HIV positives; 39% in HIV negatives (P<0.01). Overall, 299 (56%) TST reactors started IPT; 165 (55%) completed 6 months. Three tuberculosis (TB) cases were diagnosed among HIV negatives (incidence rate=0.16/1000 person-years); 19 among HIV positives (1.94/1000 person-years; incidence rate ratio=12.3 (3.61-64.70). Within the entire cohort, TB rates were 0.81 per 1000 person-years for those not receiving IPT, 0.48 per 1000 person-years for those receiving any IPT, 0.29 per 1000 person-years for those completing at least 30 days, and 0 per 1000 person-years for completers. Ten cases of TB occurred in HIV-infected individuals with negative TSTs. IPT was associated with protection against TB, but uptake was modest. Although it is likely that TB incidence would have increased, especially in HIV-positive subjects, if the IPT program had not occurred, more significant declines in TB incidence in this population will require improved methods for ensuring uptake and completion of IPT and preventing disease in TST-negative individuals.

State of the States in 2008

State of the States in 2008

Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes

This study examined the relationship between attaining a job congruent with the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) vocational rehabilitation goal and vocational rehabilitation outcomes. Study participants were 171 vocational rehabilitation clients served by the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) who were successfully rehabilitated and closed (Status 26) in 2002. Results generally supported the relationship between Holland's person—environment congruence construct and employment outcomes for this population. The IPE goal and employment outcome congruency was found to have a significant effect on participants' wages. In addition, educational attainment and disability category were also found to affect vocational rehabilitation employment outcomes. However, person—environment congruence did not increase participants' vocational satisfaction.

Infection control program disparities between acute and long-term care facilities in Maryland

In January 2003, the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) surveyed, for the first time, all acute care hospitals (ACHs), long-term care facilities (LTCFs), and specialty hospital (acute rehabilitation and behavioral health) facilities in the state to determine the current state of infection control resources and practices in Maryland. Federal health care facilities in Maryland were not surveyed. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to all 40 ACHs, 247 LTCFs, and 20 specialty hospitals in the state. The senior infection control professional (ICP) in the facility completed the questionnaire. The response rates were 85% for ACHs, 39% for LTCFs, and 95% for specialty hospitals. Data were analyzed separately for each type of facility. The ICPs in acute care reported 1.2 full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) for each 200 acute care beds, whereas ICPs in LTCFs reported 0.3 FTEs per 200 LTCF beds. Ninety percent of acute care ICPs reported taking some type of basic infection control course, whereas only 3% of long-term care ICPs reported taking a basic infection control course. In this survey of ICPs in Maryland, striking differences were noted between ACHs and LTCFs in the ratio of ICP FTEs to beds and in basic infection control educational preparation for ICPs. These findings suggest that Maryland LTCFs could benefit from basic infection control training and from regulatory actions addressing staff-to-resident ratios.