Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), Franklin University, 2020, Health Programs

Mental illness is a growing concern among families in the United States, as one in five children between the ages of 13 and 18 suffer from a severe mental illness (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2013). That means that 20% of children in the country are suffering from an illness whose treatment is difficult to access. Unfortunately, one-fourth of families report problems finding and initiating services for their children, with wait lists that typically start at three months (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2013). Even more troubling is the fact that 80% of children with mental illness do not receive any treatment at all (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2013). However, to improve access to treatment, organizations need to feel confident that they can open safe, financially sustainable mental health units. The Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in California recently opened an 18-bed inpatient psychiatric unit that services children ages 3-17 (Perkes, 2016). Many months of thoughtful consideration occurred to develop this elite and cutting-edge model of care. This researcher developed a specific model to approach pediatric mental healthcare through a different lens, called The Core Value Driven Care Model. The model of care is centered around three pillars of focus firmly built on the groundwork of core values. The pillars are representative of People, Place, and Practice, and are anchored in a foundation of empathy, compassion, trust, integrity, dignity, respect, sincerity, unity, honesty, and open-mindedness, as well as trauma-informed thinking. Implementing the Core Value Driven Care Model in a pediatric mental health unit directly impacts the perception of safety and quality of care being provided. The purpose of this study will be to assess the impact the 11 foundational core values have on employee perception of employee safety, patient safety, and quality of care.

Committee: David Meckstroth (Committee Chair); Alyncia Bowen (Committee Member); Jesse Florang (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Care; Health Care Management; Management; Mental Health; Occupational Health; Occupational Safety; Psychology; Systems Design

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2018, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Mental health issues among school-aged children are a growing concern and subject of intervention and prevention studies nationwide. While several implementation and service delivery models exist for school-based mental health services (SBMHS) they are often localized, population or program specific, and do not adequately address the issues related to stigma. Building on Cook and Kilmer's 2012 article integrating community psychology principles and systems of care values, a review of the literature is conducted to identify issues and barriers from stigma in current school-based and mental health service delivery. Key guidelines and specific considerations are presented to address identified limitations and augment the current implementation models for collaborative SBMHS through the practical application of community psychology principles. The creation and function of a coalition in the spirit of collaboration uniquely provided by partnering systems of care & community psychology principles is a central component. While the main focus and application of these objectives is at the micro and exosystem levels for change, the local community and school, school district and state, they can also be integrated at the macrosystem level for initiatives, legislation, and policy changes.

Committee: Jane Harmon-Jacobs Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Mark Russell Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member); Jamila Brown Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology; School Counseling

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2024, Social Welfare

Each year in the United States, approximately 15.5 million children are exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV), and 7.1 million children fall victim to child maltreatment, in their homes. Not only are these childhood violence exposures serious concerns alone, but they often co-occur, with child maltreatment happening in approximately 30-60% of households where IPV is taking place. Among several of their deleterious outcomes, both violence exposures have been linked with adolescent dating violence (ADV). However, despite the significance of these issues, several gaps exist in the literature, including inconsistent measurement IPV exposure and ADV research, with varying results specific to ADV perpetration, limited child maltreatment and ADV studies, and no existing studies assessing the impact of IPV exposure and child maltreatment co-occurrence on ADV. These limitations are exacerbated by a lack of theoretically grounded studies, particularly examining mechanisms explaining the relations between childhood IPV exposure, child maltreatment, and ADV. To address these gaps, this dissertation comprises three distinct yet connected studies within the fields of childhood IPV exposure, child maltreatment, and ADV. In studies one and two, theoretically driven conceptual models were tested using moderated mediation structural equation modeling with data from the National Survey of Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence (STRiV) to identify potential points of prevention and intervention in the relations between childhood IPV exposure, child maltreatment, co-occurrence of both, and ADV perpetration. In study three, a systematic review and evaluation of existing measurement approaches in the field of IPV exposure and ADV was conducted, resulting in recommendations for the field moving forward. In studies one and two, one theoretically driven, potential point of intervention was identified: youth mental health quality. Study three identified several recommendations for the (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Laura Voith (Committee Chair); Christopher Burant (Committee Member); Marjorie Edguer (Committee Member); Megan Holmes (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Work

PHD, Kent State University, 2018, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

This study utilized Q methodology to explore the hopes of parents in an Appalachian County in Ohio in relation to the mental health counseling treatment provided to their children. Twenty-six parents whose children received mental health counseling services in the identified county sorted 31 statements. The sorts were analyzed using and unrotated principle components analysis solution. Sorts loading on more than one factor were manually deflagged from the analysis resulting in three viewpoints being identified. Statements were also collected from parent participants during the sorting process. Analysis suggests parents in this Appalachian County have varied hopes for their children in mental health counseling services. These hopes simultaneously challenge and support some traditional beliefs about Appalachian residents highlight the continued need for mental health counseling professionals to invest effort in understanding the hopes of area parents. Implications for counselors and future research are discussed.

Committee: Jane Cox Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Jason McGlothlin Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Steven Brown Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology