Msw Sarah Carnochan Jd

Bio: Msw Sarah Carnochan Jd is an academic researcher from University of California, Berkeley. The author has contributed to research in topics: Welfare reform & Welfare. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 4 publications receiving 87 citations.

Implementing Welfare Reform and Guiding Organizational Change

Abstract: Federal welfare reform has provided the impetus for profound changes at the level of county public social service agencies as they respond to mandatory work requirements and time limits for their clients. At the forefront of this change are the directors of these agencies, who are leading a process of cultural, systemic and community change. This study looks at qualitative data drawn from interviews and ongoing consultation with ten county social service directors as they reflected on the first two years of welfare reform implementation. The key findings include: (1) identification of major organizational challenges; (2) the core values guiding the directors' leadership of the change process; and (3) lessons emerging from reflection while engaged in the change process. The learning organization principles outlined by Senge (1990) form the framework for interpreting the findings.

Child Welfare and the Courts

Abstract: This exploratory study focuses on the relationships between professionals working in the juvenile dependency system, including judicial officers, attorneys, social workers, and court-appointed special advocates. It includes an examination of the quality of professional relationships, factors contributing to tensions, the consequences of difficult relationships, and strategies for improving relationships. It utilizes interviews and focus groups with professionals and focus groups with clients involved in the juvenile dependency system. The major findings address: (a) the nature and quality of professional relationships, (b) the structural and operational factors contributing to tension in those relationships, (c) client perceptions of professional relationships, and (d) respondent recommendations for improving professional relationships. This study is a contribution to the small but growing literature on the complexity of the interface between public child welfare services and the court system.

Assessing the Initial Impact of Welfare Reform: A Synthesis of Research Studies (1998–2002)

Abstract: The research examining welfare programs and populations has increased substantially since the enactment and implementation of the Personal Opportunity and Work Responsibility Act (PRWORA), the most...

Assessing the Initial Impact of Welfare Reform

Abstract: The research examining welfare programs and populations has increased substantially since the enactment and implementation of the Personal Opportunity and Work Responsibility Act (PRWORA), the most substantial change in welfare policy since 1935. This literature review examines studies conducted between 1997 and 2002. It captures the major findings in four principle areas of inquiry: (1) barriers to employment, (2) population characteristics, (3) welfare to work service programs and the impact on service delivery organizations, and (4) outcomes of welfare reform with regard to family well-being and family formation. The review concludes with a research agenda that can guide the next phase of research in a post-welfare reform environment that continues to await federal reauthorization.

Motivation and Leadership in Social Work Management: A Review of Theories and Related Studies

Abstract: Social work managers are confronted with the responsibilities of leading employees and motivating them to succeed. Managers may yield better results when they couple their practice wisdom with a theoretical foundation. This conceptual paper may help social work administrators and educators by providing an overview of relevant theories of motivation and leadership and how they apply to social work. The theories that are introduced include Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Herzberg's two-factor or motivator-hygiene theory, McClelland's trichotomy of needs, McGregor's Theory X – Theory Y, Likert's System 1 – System 4, Blake and Mouton's managerial grid, Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership, and Atwater and Bass's transformational leadership.

The Changing Relationship Between Nonprofit Organizations and Public Social Service Agencies in the Era of Welfare Reform

Abstract: The implementation of welfare reform in the United States provides another opportunity to assess the relationship between nonprofits and public social service agencies. The primary goal of this analysis is to identify the major forces affecting the county social services agencies as they sought to implement welfare reform and how these forces can affect the agency’s relationship with community-based nonprofit service providers. The internal and external dimensions of the organizational change process are assessed in terms of the central concepts of devolution, privatization, and community building.

Developmental social work in South Africa: Translating policy into practice

Abstract: Developmental social work is receiving increasing international recognition and much may be learnt from its application in different societal contexts. The article draws on empirical data from a South African study and provides valuable insight into how social workers conceptualize and translate developmental social work into practice.