This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview o... more This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview of the magnitude of the problem and discusses the “residual” approach to social welfare which has had a major impact on the way in which child maltreatment has been defined and handled in the United States. Recommendations at the program and policy levels are made. An
Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative's hom... more Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative's home were followed up to learn about patient's posthospital needs; sources of help they received and how well they met these needs; and the extent to which hospital social work targets these needs in the discharge planning process. The patients, who were mostly elderly, had substantial needs for care. The family was the major care provider. Although service provision was limited, the social worker had a pivotal role in linking the patient to community services. This exploratory study points to gaps in the hospital screening and discharge planning process.
A study of 129 families in one New Jersey county who had been terminated from public assistance a... more A study of 129 families in one New Jersey county who had been terminated from public assistance as a result of federal cutbacks in 1981 revealed severe hardships in such basic areas as food, clothing, housing and medical care. The study found that within this disadvantaged group, Hispanic and black families were the most deprived. The results of the study bring into serious question the validity of the premise on which the welfare regulations of 1981 were based, that is, that the elimination of the grant would motivate the affected families to become fully self-sufficient.
This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview o... more This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview of the magnitude of the problem and discusses the “residual” approach to social welfare which has had a major impact on the way in which child maltreatment has been defined and handled in the United States. Recommendations at the program and policy levels are made. An innovative approach which encompasses broad community collaboration in identifying and intervening in child maltreatment is discussed as well as the need to make structural changes which move us closer to an “institutional” model of social welfare.
Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative&a... more Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative's home were followed up to learn about patient's posthospital needs; sources of help they received and how well they met these needs; and the extent to which hospital social work targets these needs in the discharge planning process. The patients, who were mostly elderly, had substantial needs
A traditional two-year and accelerated sixteen-month MSW program were evaluated by comparing the ... more A traditional two-year and accelerated sixteen-month MSW program were evaluated by comparing the performance of students on cognitive, skill, and value measures at the midpoint and end of the program. A comparison of score changes and test results at graduation failed to show a meaningful pattern of significant differences between the two groups. The authors concluded that the accelerated program was as effective as the traditional program in producing the desired educational outcomes. Implications of findings are considered in the context of other research in social work education and professional education in other fields.
Tins study addresses two interrelated problems affecUng the resource capacity of child protective... more Tins study addresses two interrelated problems affecUng the resource capacity of child protective services--the high rate of repeated reports and unsubstantiated cases. The reports of 238 farmhes were tracked from the time of their first report through June 1996. General patterns of reports and the impact of case characteristics on numbers of reports and rates of reports were examined. The aventge family was reported just over four tnnes over an almost five-year pznod and shghtly more than a thud of a farmly's reports were substantmted. Type of report, presence of injuries, placement of a cluld and professional status of reporter aff~zled nnml~'r of reports and rates of substantiation Drawing upon interview and cue record reviews of an earlier study, the nupa~ of a set of seven family risk factors on number of subsequent reports and submntmtion status was also examined Poorer family functioning, perental substance abuse, rec~pt of AFDC and number of children were predictors of the nmnber of subsequent reports; poorer family funcUoning, parental substance abuse and number of children predicted substantiauon status of a report Prated comparisons of the three groups revealed significant differences on family risk factors only between those that had no further reports and those with substanuated re.reports No sigmficant dtfferences were found between those with unsubstantiated and substanttated re-reports, suggesting that the two types of fan~es are more ahke than chfferent m terms of detrimental
This longitudinal study of child abuse and neglect cases closed after investigation examined the ... more This longitudinal study of child abuse and neglect cases closed after investigation examined the impact of parental substance abuse on family functioning and on subsequent referrals to child protective services. The findings support the hypothesis that parental substance abuse would have a negative impact on family functioning, which, in turn, would result in a higher rate of re-repoits. As expected, substance abuse also had a direct impact on re-reports. It is critical that the child welfare system recognize and respond to parental substance abuse problems in these families through expanded and improved voluntary, and perhaps, mandatory services.
... In order to identify factors associated with child maltreatment among poverty families, 380 w... more ... In order to identify factors associated with child maltreatment among poverty families, 380 welfare ... in northern New Jersey receiving protective services from the public child-welfare agency ... The results support the centrality of material and social deprivation as factors leading to ...
A comparison of selected New Jersey hospitals in 1975 and 1981 suggests that despite intensive at... more A comparison of selected New Jersey hospitals in 1975 and 1981 suggests that despite intensive attention to cost control, hospital social work departments have continued to expand and assume an increasingly important role in the hospital. The departments have sustained or enhanced their position with respect to the professionalization of the department, staff size, involvement in patient care, and participation in hospital decision-making. Losses were observed in such areas as hours of coverage and services to discharged patients.
Child maltreatment is analyzed utilizing a "social problem" framework. Although... more Child maltreatment is analyzed utilizing a "social problem" framework. Although data reveal that child neglect is more prevalent and its consequences as serious as child abuse, it has received far less attention than has abuse. Historical factors and the relationship between child neglect and poverty are viewed as the major reasons for the deemphasis of neglect relative to abuse.
This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview o... more This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview of the magnitude of the problem and discusses the “residual” approach to social welfare which has had a major impact on the way in which child maltreatment has been defined and handled in the United States. Recommendations at the program and policy levels are made. An
Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative's hom... more Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative's home were followed up to learn about patient's posthospital needs; sources of help they received and how well they met these needs; and the extent to which hospital social work targets these needs in the discharge planning process. The patients, who were mostly elderly, had substantial needs for care. The family was the major care provider. Although service provision was limited, the social worker had a pivotal role in linking the patient to community services. This exploratory study points to gaps in the hospital screening and discharge planning process.
A study of 129 families in one New Jersey county who had been terminated from public assistance a... more A study of 129 families in one New Jersey county who had been terminated from public assistance as a result of federal cutbacks in 1981 revealed severe hardships in such basic areas as food, clothing, housing and medical care. The study found that within this disadvantaged group, Hispanic and black families were the most deprived. The results of the study bring into serious question the validity of the premise on which the welfare regulations of 1981 were based, that is, that the elimination of the grant would motivate the affected families to become fully self-sufficient.
This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview o... more This paper critically examines child maltreatment in the United States. It presents an overview of the magnitude of the problem and discusses the “residual” approach to social welfare which has had a major impact on the way in which child maltreatment has been defined and handled in the United States. Recommendations at the program and policy levels are made. An innovative approach which encompasses broad community collaboration in identifying and intervening in child maltreatment is discussed as well as the need to make structural changes which move us closer to an “institutional” model of social welfare.
Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative&a... more Sixty-nine patients hospitalized for a seriuos illness and discharged to their own relative's home were followed up to learn about patient's posthospital needs; sources of help they received and how well they met these needs; and the extent to which hospital social work targets these needs in the discharge planning process. The patients, who were mostly elderly, had substantial needs
A traditional two-year and accelerated sixteen-month MSW program were evaluated by comparing the ... more A traditional two-year and accelerated sixteen-month MSW program were evaluated by comparing the performance of students on cognitive, skill, and value measures at the midpoint and end of the program. A comparison of score changes and test results at graduation failed to show a meaningful pattern of significant differences between the two groups. The authors concluded that the accelerated program was as effective as the traditional program in producing the desired educational outcomes. Implications of findings are considered in the context of other research in social work education and professional education in other fields.
Tins study addresses two interrelated problems affecUng the resource capacity of child protective... more Tins study addresses two interrelated problems affecUng the resource capacity of child protective services--the high rate of repeated reports and unsubstantiated cases. The reports of 238 farmhes were tracked from the time of their first report through June 1996. General patterns of reports and the impact of case characteristics on numbers of reports and rates of reports were examined. The aventge family was reported just over four tnnes over an almost five-year pznod and shghtly more than a thud of a farmly's reports were substantmted. Type of report, presence of injuries, placement of a cluld and professional status of reporter aff~zled nnml~'r of reports and rates of substantiation Drawing upon interview and cue record reviews of an earlier study, the nupa~ of a set of seven family risk factors on number of subsequent reports and submntmtion status was also examined Poorer family functioning, perental substance abuse, rec~pt of AFDC and number of children were predictors of the nmnber of subsequent reports; poorer family funcUoning, parental substance abuse and number of children predicted substantiauon status of a report Prated comparisons of the three groups revealed significant differences on family risk factors only between those that had no further reports and those with substanuated re.reports No sigmficant dtfferences were found between those with unsubstantiated and substanttated re-reports, suggesting that the two types of fan~es are more ahke than chfferent m terms of detrimental
This longitudinal study of child abuse and neglect cases closed after investigation examined the ... more This longitudinal study of child abuse and neglect cases closed after investigation examined the impact of parental substance abuse on family functioning and on subsequent referrals to child protective services. The findings support the hypothesis that parental substance abuse would have a negative impact on family functioning, which, in turn, would result in a higher rate of re-repoits. As expected, substance abuse also had a direct impact on re-reports. It is critical that the child welfare system recognize and respond to parental substance abuse problems in these families through expanded and improved voluntary, and perhaps, mandatory services.
... In order to identify factors associated with child maltreatment among poverty families, 380 w... more ... In order to identify factors associated with child maltreatment among poverty families, 380 welfare ... in northern New Jersey receiving protective services from the public child-welfare agency ... The results support the centrality of material and social deprivation as factors leading to ...
A comparison of selected New Jersey hospitals in 1975 and 1981 suggests that despite intensive at... more A comparison of selected New Jersey hospitals in 1975 and 1981 suggests that despite intensive attention to cost control, hospital social work departments have continued to expand and assume an increasingly important role in the hospital. The departments have sustained or enhanced their position with respect to the professionalization of the department, staff size, involvement in patient care, and participation in hospital decision-making. Losses were observed in such areas as hours of coverage and services to discharged patients.
Child maltreatment is analyzed utilizing a "social problem" framework. Although... more Child maltreatment is analyzed utilizing a "social problem" framework. Although data reveal that child neglect is more prevalent and its consequences as serious as child abuse, it has received far less attention than has abuse. Historical factors and the relationship between child neglect and poverty are viewed as the major reasons for the deemphasis of neglect relative to abuse.
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Papers by Isabel Wolock