Archives: Dr. Philip Breitenbucher

This summer, fans around the world have been captivated by the excitement, passion, and drama of the FIFA World Cup. As the tournament showcased the highest levels of athletic performance and national pride, it also reminded us that behind every great moment on the field is a person navigating pressure, expectations, relationships, setbacks, and personal growth. Now, as fall arrives, anticipation continues to build across the sports landscape. College campuses are welcoming the return of football, professional teams are beginning new seasons, and baseball fans are turning their attention toward the excitement of playoff races. For many athletes, coaches, and organizations, this transition marks another chapter filled with opportunities, challenges, and high expectations.

When most people think about sports, they picture competition, championships, and athletic achievement. What they may not see are the personal challenges athletes face behind the scenes: anxiety, injury recovery, identity development, family pressures, team conflict, academic stress, and the ongoing pursuit of mental well-being.

As sports organizations increasingly recognize the importance of supporting the whole person, a professional specialty has emerged at the intersection of athletics and helping professions: Sport Social Work. This growing field combines the values, knowledge, and skills of social work with the unique needs of athletes, teams, and athletic organizations. Sport social workers help athletes navigate life’s challenges, promote mental health and wellness, advocate for equitable and supportive environments, and strengthen communities through sport. From K-12 schools and community recreation programs to colleges, universities, and professional sports organizations, sport social workers are playing an increasingly important role in fostering healthy athletic cultures. 

At California Baptist University (CBU), faculty and students have been actively contributing to the growth of this emerging profession. Over the past several years, the Division of Social Work has intentionally expanded opportunities for students interested in working within athletic settings through specialized coursework, field education partnerships, and interdisciplinary collaboration. In 2025, CBU launched SWK 400: Sport Social Work, an undergraduate elective developed by Associate Professor Philip Breitenbucher in collaboration with Sport and Performance Psychology Professor Ed Garrett. The course introduces students to athlete well-being, sport social work theory, clinical interventions, advocacy, policy, and interdisciplinary practice while preparing them to address the unique challenges facing athletes and athletic communities. At the same time, CBU’s MSW program has been developing sport-focused practicum placements that allow students to gain hands-on experience in schools, colleges, and community-based athletic programs. 

This four-part blog series highlights the exciting development of sport social work at CBU while showcasing the experiences, opportunities, and lessons emerging from this growing area of practice. Whether during a World Cup match, a Friday night football game, a college rivalry, or a postseason baseball run, the stories we celebrate in sports are ultimately stories about people. Sport social work helps ensure those individuals are supported not only as athletes, but as whole people.

Part 1: Building the Future of Sport Social Work: Why Practicum Experiences Matter

The first article examines recent research exploring the practicum experiences of social work students in sport settings. Drawing on insights from professionals in the field, Breitenbucher, Beasley & Cox discuss how students find placements, the skills they develop, the barriers they encounter, and the critical role field education plays in preparing the next generation of sport social workers. Readers will gain a broader understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with building a workforce dedicated to athlete well-being.

Part 2: My Experience as a School-Based Sport Social Work Intern

In the second installment, MSW student Dominique Dennis shares a first-hand account of her internship experience working with student-athletes in a school setting. Through workshops, individual support sessions, and direct engagement at practices and competitions, she discovered the powerful connections between mental health, communication, emotional regulation, and athletic performance. Her reflections offer an authentic look at what sport social work looks like in practice and the meaningful impact it can have on young athletes. 

Part 3: Identity, Adversity, and Purpose: How Sport Shaped My Doctoral Journey

In the third installment, doctoral candidate Jonathean Reese shares how sport has influenced his personal identity, professional practice, and scholarly research. Reflecting on his experiences as an athlete, an injury that ended his basketball career, and his work in child welfare, Reese examines the powerful relationship between structure, resilience, and identity development. He also introduces the R.E.A.C.T. framework, an innovative sport and movement-based intervention designed to help foster youth build emotional regulation, stability, and well-being. His story demonstrates how lived experience and social work scholarship can come together to create meaningful solutions for vulnerable populations. 

Part 4: Decide Who You Are Beyond the Game: A Journey into Social Work, and Social Innovation

The final article features doctoral candidate and social worker Kristie Allison, who explores one of the most important questions many athletes eventually face: Who am I beyond my sport? Drawing on her experiences as a foster family social worker, parent, researcher, and founder of the Sports Social Work Network (SSWN), Allison examines athletic identity, career development, mentorship, and the challenges athletes from under-resourced communities face. She shares how her doctoral research inspired the creation of innovative programs designed to help athletes discover their strengths, purpose, and opportunities beyond competition, reminding readers that an athlete’s greatest potential extends far beyond the final whistle. [

Looking Forward

Sport has always had the power to shape lives. As this series demonstrates, social work is helping ensure that those lives are supported not only as athletes but as whole people. Through education, advocacy, research, and direct practice, California Baptist University is helping prepare a new generation of professionals ready to make a difference wherever sports and human well-being intersect. 

Looking ahead, the future of sport social work is filled with opportunity. As awareness of athlete mental health, well-being, identity development, and social support continues to grow, so too does the need for professionally trained social workers who understand the unique realities of athletic environments. Schools, colleges, community sport organizations, and professional teams are increasingly recognizing that excellence in sport depends not only on physical performance but also on creating cultures that foster resilience, belonging, and holistic well-being.

For California Baptist University, this presents exciting opportunities to further expand sport-focused practicum placements for MSW students. By strengthening partnerships with K-12 school districts, collegiate athletic departments, community recreation programs, and sport-based nonprofit organizations, CBU can continue creating meaningful field education experiences that allow students to apply social work knowledge and skills in innovative settings. These placements not only enhance student learning but also help address the growing demand for mental health and support services within athletic communities. 

The continued growth of the profession also depends on collaboration. Organizations such as the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports have emerged as important leaders in advancing professional standards, networking opportunities, interdisciplinary partnerships, and advocacy efforts. By partnering with the Alliance, universities, practitioners, and students can contribute to a broader movement dedicated to expanding the visibility and impact of sport social work while creating pathways for future professionals to enter the field.

Equally important is the development of a strong body of scholarship that advances evidence-informed practice. As more practitioners and researchers explore topics such as athlete mental health, sport culture, social justice in athletics, injury recovery, career transitions, and community impact, there is a growing need for outlets that elevate and disseminate this work. The Sport Social Work Journal provides an important platform for fostering scholarly dialogue, sharing innovative practices, and building the knowledge base that will guide the profession for years to come. Through faculty and student research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community-engaged scholarship, CBU is well-positioned to contribute to this expanding conversation.

Ultimately, the future of sport social work will be shaped by educators, students, researchers, practitioners, and athletic leaders who share a common belief: that supporting athletes means supporting the whole person. By investing in field education, professional partnerships, and scholarly inquiry, we can continue building a profession that enhances athletic experiences, strengthens communities, and promotes human well-being far beyond the final whistle.

Part 1 By Bianca Sanchez

            Networking is a valuable tool for scholars to help them navigate the path of creating opportunities for themselves. Building professional relationships with professors and educators provides numerous opportunities, such as getting letters of recommendation, academic growth, and access to professional development opportunities. These opportunities can include working hand in hand with your professors and, like me, becoming a Graduate Research Assistant. All of these opportunities are made possible through networking. Shaffer (2021) mentions that you never know who you will meet and who will influence your career and life. You want to expand your professional network to pursue opportunities outside your degree, ultimately making connections that can lead to future jobs and opportunities. 

Let me take you on my networking journey with my professors in the Master of Social Work program at California Baptist University. I am Bianca Sanchez, and I am completing my final year of the MSW program. As I entered my second year, I challenged myself to take the opportunity to network with my professors and engage in professional and academic growth. The MSW stresses the importance of networking, so I sought networking opportunities, seizing every chance that crossed my path, and when asked to be a Research Assistant, I leaped. Beginning with Dr. Flores-Carter, I gained research experience by cleaning interview transcripts and conducting a literature review on cultural humility in the healthcare system, specifically focusing on working with black pregnant women. Working hand in hand with Dr. Flores-Carter and gaining experience in research helped me build up my resume while earning a letter of recommendation.

Fast forwarding to the Fall semester, I enrolled in a Program Evaluation course with Dr. Breitenbucher. I set up a Zoom meeting with him, introduced myself, and told him I wanted to learn more about his presentation on addressing the fentanyl crisis in school-based settings. During my introduction, I mentioned to Dr. Breitenbucher that I have been working with Dr. Flores-Carter on some of her research and have experience working on transcripts. Dr. Breitenbucher mentioned he is a researcher and is working on a qualitative project with Dr. Gaona, an Assistant Professor of Social Work. They had just completed a series of interviews and were ready to begin the process of cleaning and organizing transcripts from the interviews. I was offered the opportunity to work on their research project to help with the transcripts and eventually work on coding and conducting thematic analysis. All of this happened through the power of networking. 

Tracy (n.d.) mentions that networking allows for developing connections with others who share your interests or are in your field of work. Networking can help you learn, gain resources, and build new relationships. Building those connections with professors or those around us can benefit us in the future and within our careers. Networking can lead to many connections, even indirect connections that a professor can get you connected with, and professional growth—like my connection of working with one professor, led me to connect my new experience to another professor and extend my knowledge in conducting research. 

            As a college student, whenever I realized I had to do any research, I would stress out because it wasn’t my strongest area of study. So, when given this opportunity, I felt like I needed to challenge myself and learn research hands-on, not in class or through a textbook, but by gaining the skills directly. According to the University of Cincinnati (n.d.), the benefits of working as a research assistant include learning new skills and knowledge outside the classroom and creating a mentoring relationship with a faculty member. Working with Dr. Breitenbucher, Dr. Flores-Carter, and Dr. Gaona, I applied my knowledge from research classes and learned more along the way. I learned to code transcripts, conduct a thematic analysis, work on a team, and collaborate with researchers.

            Taking on the role of Research Assistant was not just an extracurricular activity in which I immersed myself. I gained skills to add to my resume and opened up opportunities. I have created professional relationships with my professors and gained mentorship from them. Additionally, Dr. Breitenbucher extended opportunities for me to guest-speak in his classes and write this blog! All of this was done through the power of networking. As students, the possibilities are endless when you decide to step out of your comfort zone. You can open the door of opportunities by networking and connecting with those you encounter. As Debasish Mridha says, “The door of opportunity is always open, but you have to find the door to enter” (GoodReads., n.d.). 

Make sure you check out the other two blogs in this series : Back to School Night! Reflections and Encouragement HERE and Seizing Opportunity HERE!

Bianca Sanchez is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work degree at California Baptist University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from California State University, San Bernardino. With years of experience supporting children on the autistic spectrum, she brings much valuable expertise to her academic and personal journey.

Throughout her academic and professional journey, Bianca has expressed passion to positively impact the lives of our youth. Post-graduation, she intends to continue her dedicated work with youth in foster care settings. Additionally, she aspires to obtain licensure as a clinical social worker (LCSW) and to acquire her pupil personnel services credential specializing in child welfare and attendance, thus positioning herself to fulfill the role of a school social worker.

By Dr. Philip Breitenbucher

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend my children’s Back to School Night, or as it was referred to in the invitation – BSN. As I walked on campus, I watched K-8^th grade students beaming with pride and excitement, parents interacting with one another, and teachers sharing their expectations. The campus was abuzz; it almost felt like a festival. Students ran through campus excited about their new teacher, the new friends they will make, the lessons they will learn, and hope for a new beginning.  

But below the feelings of excitement and hope were also feelings of anticipation and angst. Many of us can remember our own experiences at Back to School Night, and if we think back to those nights and look forward to where we are now, we can see how much we accomplished. I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on your past accomplishments and achievements and think about what you did to be successful. Maybe you focused on time management, joined a study group, or perhaps you took a risk and joined a club or research team. I encourage you to remember those successes and strategies you used to obtain them so that you can build on them this academic year. 

At CBU, we believe that connection helps to create conditions for success. One great way to connect is to engage with faculty on research projects. I understand that this may sound scary at first, but I assure you that you will gain much more than a set of research skills, which are very helpful; you will gain connections. Nevertheless, you do not have to take my word for it; in this two-part series, I worked with two of my Master of Social Work (MSW) mentees* to write about their experiences as Graduate Research Assistants and the power of networking. In the first part of this blog series, Bianca Sanchez discusses the importance of networking in her article “Building Bridges, Building Success.” In the second part, Jenifer Gonzalez Banuelos discusses her fears as a first-generation college student and the real-life lessons from her qualitative research on technology implementation in her article, “Seizing Opportunity.”

As we return to school, I hope these articles encourage and inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and lean into the opportunities to serve on a research team here at CBU. If you are interested in serving on a research team, reach out to any of your faculty or post a comment below. 

* In CBU’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program, all students are assigned a Faculty Mentor. Faculty Mentorship is a distinctive feature of the MSW Program. All MSW students are assigned a Faculty Mentor and are part of a Mentor Group. The purpose of the Faculty Mentor is to:

•           Model social work values 

•           Model Christian faith and ethical social work practice 

•           Help students set proactive patterns of self-care  

•           Help students select a social work track that is best for them (generalist year)

•           Help students choose a Capstone Project topic ( specialization year) 

•           Empower students to Live their Purpose 

•           Communicate student feedback into the program 

•           Help students access all the CBU resources available to them (i.e., counseling center, student services, writing support, financial aid, campus ministries, career center, recreation center, global service opportunities, etc.)

•           Guide students on their faith and professional journey

Read the first installment of this blog series, Building Bridges, Building Success HERE and the second, Seizing Opportunity HERE!

Read Part 1 here!

There is a debate regarding the ethics of using artificial intelligence in social work. Should practitioners embrace it, or should we avoid it altogether and not feed the beast? Let us explore its pros and cons through a social work lens with a macro perspective. According to the Grand Challenges for Social Work (2023), one of the grand challenges is to “Harness Technology for Social Good.” Traditionally, social workers have addressed complex social issues and gathered essential data to serve marginalized communities and vulnerable populations (Grand Challenges, 2018). However, usually, this involves a strenuous amount of time, causing social workers to wonder if or how there can be an easier way to bring about change. By not embracing technological advancements in their careers, social workers risk missing out on tools that could significantly enhance their social work practice. In an ever-evolving world, it’s imperative for the profession to stay updated and leverage the best tools available.With new advancements in technology, the profession of social work must adopt new technologies such as information and communication technologies to enhance the efficacy of social programs, drive social discovery, and transform the social work profession through advances in technology ethically to reduce inequalities (Grand Challenges, 2018). Thus, we must integrate technology into our field, fostering a more equitable profession for practitioners and consumers.

One way to revolutionize social work is by integrating artificial intelligence into our assessments. AI makes assessment implementation quicker and easier across micro, mezzo, and macro levels, aligning with the General Intervention Model (GIM). GIM is a method commonly used in social work practice that was introduced in the1960s by the Milford conference, which advocated that a generic approach to social work was necessary (Schatz et al., 1990). Thus, the GIM, promoted at CBU’s Division of Social Work, aids practitioners in reducing inequalities and driving community transformation. As we all know, engaging clients and assessing their strengths and needs is essential to our social work practice to enhance our communities. To start the process of enhancing communities and reducing inequalities, the GIM starts with engagement and follows with assessments (Angy, 2020). GIM allows social workers to examine the evidence with an assessment objectively. Therefore, regarding macro social work, social workers must conduct a community’s needs assessment to understand the strengths and needs of communities rather than making unfounded assumptions because every community has unique needs, strengths, cultures, worldviews, and assets (Rossi et al. (2019). One way to tackle community needs assessments is with the help of a new emerging technology from OpenAI (2023), ChatGPT. This blog is about my experience with using ChatGPT to help with the statistical analysis of the results of a community needs assessment I conducted in Moreno Valley, why it is essential to conduct a community needs assessment, the dos and don’ts of using ChatGPT, and to explain why I used it, how I used it, what I found and my recommendations.

What is a community needs assessment, and why is it important? A community needs assessment (CNA) is a tool that helps social workers understand the needs and characteristics of a community as well as their available resources for mobilization through data collection using quantitative and qualitative methods such as surveys and interviews (Rubin & Babbie, 2017; National et al., 2023; Ohmer & Underwood, 2013; Chow & Carol, 2013; Community Toolbox, 2023). CNAs help identify gaps in local services, prioritize issues, help with advocacy, obtain funding, and plan interventions (Community Commons, 2023; Taylor & Mackenzie, 2023; Community Toolbox, 2023). Rossi, Lipsey, & Henry (2019) defines a needs assessment as identifying and understanding a particular population’s needs with the goal of improving programs, services, or policies. 

Overall, studies demonstrate the efficacy of community needs assessments in various fields using a mixed methods approach, leading to positive outcomes such as increased community participation, stakeholder commitment, and empowerment (Welch, 1988; Ravaghi et al., 2023; Community Commons, 2023; Taylor & Brunson, 2023; Community Toolbox, 2023). Consider this: Without the community’s perspective and involvement, how can we truly understand its needs and strengths to effect change? The answer is that we cannot without incorporating our own biases, which can lead to oppressive social work. In conclusion, CNAs are essential for social workers to foster community engagement and the knowledge needed to transform communities by focusing on the community’s perspective, not the social workers.

So, what is OpenAI (2023) Chat GPT? OpenAI’s ChatGPT (2023) is a revolutionary language generation model with advanced data analysis. It can understand and process unstructured data, create text resembling human writing, and work with various tools and technologies (Ahmad, 2023). There are two different versions of ChatGPT, ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 (updated version). Now you might ask, is it logical to use ChatGPT? The answer is yes, because scholars find it significant for analyzing large amounts of data (Ahmad, 2023). It can create reports, summarize large datasets, and has automation capabilities for repetitive tasks, such as data entry and cleaning, enabling social workers to focus on other essential research tasks (Chandra, 2023; Ahmad, 2023; Xin, 2023; Sheppard, 2023). Even though its capabilities are gaining recognition, a gap in the research exists, including a lack of studies to examine its significance in general and ethical concerns regarding confidentiality, such as client details (Maxwell, 2023). Therefore, I tested its capabilities to aid future research and address existing gaps. 

Significantly, social workers must understand the limitations of using OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT version 3.5. First, it is essential to note that ChatGPT-3.5 relies on its training data, while GPT-4 can fetch real-time information with the right plugins. Therefore, ChatGPT-3.5 cannot provide information that emerged past September 2021. Anything social workers want to inquire about using ChatGPT 3.5 will be generalizations and guesses that sound logical, and it is not using the dataset in its training. Therefore, the first don’t for ChatGPT is not to use it to answer relevant questions, especially when the information can put people’s lives on the line or cause harm. As we know, social workers must use evidence-based practices, such as peer-reviewed research studies with significant results, to support our actions. Thus, Social workers must research ChatGPT’s information, even with GPT-4 and its plugins, to ensure that the information retrieved is evidence-based. In addition, OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT is a brilliant writer that can write papers about anything within minutes. However, let us suppose scholars use this capability to write their papers or scholarly articles. In that case, they risk getting into trouble for plagiarism and can get their degrees revoked due to artificial intelligence detection websites such as ZeroGPT. ZeroGPT is a website to detect if artificial intelligence is writing a paper or if AI created any text. Therefore, having AI write papers will be counted as plagiarism or academic dishonesty if detected.   

creating a survey for a community needs assessment with GPT-3.5, it is good at creating surveys on the spot. However, it is unproductive to do so without GPT-4 because GPT-3.5 survey questions will not be evidence-based. As mentioned earlier, ChatGPT can only retrieve evidence-based information with the appropriate prompts and GPT-4 plugins. Therefore, when using ChatGPT-3.5 to create survey questions, it may create a question that sounds evidence-based but is a generalization. To do so, social workers must use Chat GPT-4, which takes a monthly subscription to get access. It provides access to plugins, allowing social workers to prompt ChatGPT-4 to open websites, open pdf files, and provide evidence-based questions from the community needs assessment survey from the article it finds. For example, social workers can prompt: “Find a relevant Community Needs Assessment research article, open the pdf, and provide me with its evidence-based survey questions.” Thus, the questions social workers create for their community needs assessment survey will need to be backed by valid and reliable studies, which ChatGPT cannot do unless prompted to do so with the proper plugins and monthly subscription, which will still need to be researched and studied.

Furthermore, OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT has a memory and word limit. When social workers have it analyze large amounts of statistical data for summarization or to create an outline, ChatGPT can start to forget the information social workers have entered after so many prompt entries. Imagen hours spent providing prompts to have it summarize data, and it ends up giving you made-up summaries that sound relevant because you gave it too many prompts? Over prompting is a mistake many make without knowledge of its word limitations. Therefore, social workers need to use it moderately or in chunks to ensure that ChatGPT is not making guesses or generalizations based on the statistical data entered. Lastly, ChatGPT 3.5 is incapable of providing accurate reference citations. Therefore, when social workers ask it to provide evidence-based citations, it will create made-up citations that sound logical based on generalization. To enhance social work practice, social workers must consider these limitations.  

 ChatGPT may also produce biases based on its programming, leading to outputs that do not align with social workers’ values and ethics. Also, ChatGPT lacks empathy and cultural competence because it can generate responses that may appear empathetic; however, it does not understand, nor can it relate to, human emotions and cultural perspectives. Therefore, social workers must use caution when using ChatGPT for engaging in sensitive topics or culturally diverse populations. Lastly, ChatGPT relies on clear and specific instructions to provide valuable outputs. When social workers feed ChatGPT vague or ambiguous prompts, it can lead to vague or unhelpful answers. Therefore, social workers must provide ChatGPT with clear instructions to avoid miscommunications or misunderstandings.

Despite OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT limitations, it has many benefits that can enhance social work practice. First, ChatGPT can accurately analyze large quantities of data to provide social workers with a descriptive analysis by summarizing, organizing, and outlining the information. Moreover, it can extract the main points and themes from large data sets to offer valuable insights for an exhaustive descriptive analysis. Also, ChatGPT can help with statistical analysis by providing the sample size, standard deviation, standard of error of the mean, margin of error, confidence interval, and power analysis. Second, ChatGPT can create consent forms, confidentiality agreements, commitment agreements, and other essential forms social workers use within minutes. Third, social workers can utilize ChatGPT to proofread their work, offer suggestions to improve it, and provide insights on needed information. For example, when writing a grant, a social worker can copy and paste a part of a grant section’s requirements and then copy and paste what they wrote to see if their work aligns with the grant to ensure that they are addressing everything that the sections of the grant are requiring. Fourth, OpenAI (2023) has developed a new edition called ChatGPT 4 that can assist social workers in brainstorming ideas and creating potential solutions for complex social issues. In addition, it can help social workers by providing summaries of research articles when they copy and paste the articles into sections or use the plugins to open pdfs for it to read when providing a link to it. However, ChatGPT 4 still has memory limitations despite the expanded memory and plugins, like ChatGPT 3.5. Overall, OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT saves social workers time and money and provides valuable insight that can improve the social worker’s quality of work. Therefore, ChatGPT is essential for addressing the 7th Grand Challenge of Social Work (2023) to “harness technology for Social Good.”

Significantly, I used OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT because I needed to be able to analyze 319 qualitative questions for a community needs assessment I conducted for Moreno Valley. I created a mixed methods survey for my community needs assessment with eleven quantitative and three qualitative questions with 125 participants. I was overwhelmed and had no idea how to find the time to analyze the qualitative answers, which were crucial to understanding the community’s perspectives on Moreno Valley’s strengths and needs, especially with no funds. Therefore, I decided to copy and paste the answers, one question at a time to have ChatGPT summarize, outline, and create themes of the answers to determine the consensus regarding the most pressing needs of Moreno Valley and its strengths to identify its assets. Since I conducted the survey using Google Forms, it automatically organized the answers to the quantitative/qualitative questions into an Excel sheet. Also, it created charts to be able to study the answers effectively.

Regarding the qualitative answers, once I had ChatGPT summarize the qualitative answers, I realized how important and powerful it was. Thus, I decided to statistically analyze all the answers to the survey to produce statistical data such as the margin of error, standard deviation, mean, and confidence levels within minutes. Overall, OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT is the best tool for social workers to use to save time and money because we can analyze the data for free without using statistical software such as Stata. Therefore, I recommend that all social workers use OpenAI (2023) ChatGPT to save costs and analyze their data for descriptive statistical analysis. Also, I recommend that social workers use this technology to create forms and proofread their work when writing grants to ensure that their grants cover all their requirements. Social workers need to embrace artificial intelligence, instead of ignoring or being afraid of it, to utilize it for the greater good because social workers are obligated to be competent in their social work practice. We have enough on our plate with all our communities’ challenges and inequalities, and saving time and money is crucial to tackling those challenges and inequalities head-on. Therefore, a call to action is needed for all social workers to experiment with ChatGPT and keep its limitations and strengths in mind to help advance the social work practice to create equitable environments.

References

Admin. (2022, December 30). Chat GPT: How ai will and can change your life. for the better – for now. Siesta Codes. Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://siesta.codes/en/chat-gpt/  

Ahmad, R. (n.d.). “unlocking the potential of data analysis with ChatGPT”. LinkedIn. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unlocking-potential-data-analysis-chatgpt-romeer-ahmad.

Angy. (2020, December 30). Social Workers and the generalist intervention model: Social Work Haven. Social Work Haven | Become A Social Worker. Become A Better You. Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://socialworkhaven.com/generalist-intervention-model/

Brunson, T. T. andM. (n.d.). Community needs assessments. Community Needs Assessments | Learning to Give. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/community-needs-assessments#:~:text=Community%20Needs%20Assessments%20seek%20to%20gather%20accurate%20information,assessments%20establish%20the%20essential%20foundation%20for%20vital%20planning.

Chandra, N. S. (n.d.). How to use CHATGPT to enhance data analysis workflow. Kanaries. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://docs.kanaries.net/articles/chatgpt-data-analysis.en

Chatgpt for analytics – 6 compelling use cases. Graphable. (2023, March 21). Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://www.graphable.ai/blog/chatgpt-for-analytics/

Chow, Julian Chun-Chung , & Peng, Carol (2013). Community-Needs Assessment. obo in Social Work. doi: 10.1093/obo/9780195389678-0059

Community needs assessments: Mapping and data resources: Research: National recreation and park association: NRPA.National Recreation and Park Association. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/evaluation-resource-hub/community-needs-assessments/

GPT-4 and CHATGPT detector by zerogpt: Detect openai text. ZeroGPT. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://www.zerogpt.com/ 

Grand Challenges for Social Work. (2023, April 14). Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/#the-challenges 

Harness technology for social good – grand challenges for social work. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2023, from https://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/180604-GC-technology.pdf

Maxwell, T. (2023, January 6). 9 questions about CHATGPT, answered. MUO. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://www.makeuseof.com/chatgpt-questions-and-answers/

Nurwisah, I. (2014, January 23). Life is beautiful? even the marginalized can benefit from art. HuffPost. Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/life-is-beautiful-even-the-marginalized-can-benefit-from-art_b_4172371

Ohmer, M., & Underwood, E. (2013). Community needs assessment. In Encyclopedia of Social Work. Retrieved 10 Mar. 2023, from https://oxfordre.com/socialwork/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-73.

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Team, P. M. Y. (2023, April 11). How to use chat GPT, complete guide, Create Account & Login. PmmodiYojana.in. Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://pmmodiyojana.in/how-to-use-chat-gpt/

Schatz, M. S., Jenkins, L. E., & Sheafor, B. W. (1990). Milford redefined: A model of initial and advanced generalist social work. Journal of Social Work Education, 26(3), 217-231.

Section 13. conducting surveys. Chapter 3. Assessing Community Needs and Resources | Section 13. Conducting Surveys | Main Section | Community Tool Box. (n.d.). RetrievedApril 2, 2023, from https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/conduct-surveys/main

Section 1. developing a plan for assessing local needs and resources. Chapter 3. Assessing Community Needs and Resources |Section 1. Developing a Plan for Assessing Local Needs and Resources | Main Section | Community Tool Box. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/develop-a-plan/main

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A Blog Series by Dr. Philip Breitenbucher.

Read Part 2 here!

Recently, the news has been abuzz with discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and their potential dangers and opportunities (Agomuho & Larsen, 2023). Many in higher education have scrambled to understand the powers of AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, and how to respond responsibly. Faculty and administrators have begun asking questions like: should we ban AI, mandate its use, or allow it with guidelines and instructions? 

Here at CBU, Artificial Intelligence Guidelines were issued at the start of the 23/24 academic year. The university’s Teaching and Learning Center has created a learning community called Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom. The learning community meets monthly and explores options for developing policies, grading rubrics, and sharing teaching tips on using AI. In the College of Behavioral Social Sciences, the Division of Psychology has assembled a research team to understand the benefits of ChatGPT in clinical practice, and the Division of Social Work has deployed a brand new AI policy for all courses, providing students with clear directions on how to use AI in academia ethically. Meanwhile, for the past two years, a partnership has existed between the College of Engineering and the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences focused on using natural language processing (NLP) to analyze big data sets to better understand and respond to the nation’s opioid and fentanyl crisis (Corso & Breitenbucher, 2023).

While AI and ChatGPT have grabbed the public’s attention recently, the historical relationship between social work and technology dates back over 100 years. Historically, technological revolutions, like the one we are experiencing now, have accelerated social issues and the need for social services. Baker et al. (2018) link the expansion of social work practice to the Industrial Revolution, arguing that as technology improved, social issues grew. Researchers have discussed the interconnectedness of social media technologies and social issues such as mental health, anxiety, depression, and suicide. Moreover, just recently, the Surgeon General described the effects of social media platforms as a “driver” for America’s mental health crisis (Abbasi, 2023). 

In addition to the interconnectedness of social issues and technology, social workers’ interaction with technology is well documented. Early social workers embraced technology, such as the invention of the automobile, because it made home visits easier, and the facsimile machine because it made it easier to share information. A recent study found that 98% of social workers used technology in their professional capacity. Still, they described the use of technology in social work as a requirement of the funders and as a reporting requirement, not a tool that benefits their work (Harris, 2022). Contradictorily, social workers described technology as imperative to connecting with clients and getting things done. However, they often use their own devices because their agencies do not provide access to technologies or forbid specific uses (Harris, 2022; Mishna et al., 2021). Finally, a very recent and significant (N=1,144) study found that social workers reported technology as highly useful and beneficial in their practice (Barrera-Algarín et al., 2021).

In 2016, a collaboration of major social work associations set out a bold agenda to transform social work practice and education for the next decade by identifying and analyzing a series of grand challenges that would focus resources to positively transform the field (American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare [AASWSW], n.d.). One of the grand challenges is to use technology for good. Coulton et al. (2015) stated, “The digital revolution is producing vast quantities of social, psychological, and organizational data that social workers can harness to address society’s most difficult problems” (p. 3). In 2017, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in partnership with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA), developed Technology Standards in Social Work Practice (NASW et al., 2017). The standards are designed to educate the public, guide social work education, and bring awareness to social workers about their ethical responsibilities for using technology. In 2023, NASW published a series of articles on the use of AI in social work practice (NASW, n.d.). 

As social workers, we are committed to eradicating society’s grand challenges and positively focusing resources to transform the field (AASWSW, n.d.). To successfully harness technology for good, social work must move beyond merely accepting technology to fully embracing and leading technology development. The latest AI Digital Revolution presents an apex for social workers to lead in adopting and creating technology to support best practices in alignment with our values and beliefs.

 For this blog series, I have collaborated with several colleagues, alums, and students to unpack their experiences and understanding of technology use in social work practice. A CBU MSW Alumni, James Armour, wrote the first blog. In his article, The ChatGPT Chronicles: Tackling Community Needs Assessments, James discusses his experience using ChatGPT to assist in analyzing qualitative data collected for a community needs assessment.

The following articles will focus on the drivers that influence the use of technology in social work, the role of leadership in the development and deployment of technology, using NLP to analyze big data to address big social issues and the development of AI policies, practices, and assignments in the classroom. 

References

Abbasi, J. (2023). Surgeon General Sounds the Alarm on Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health Crisis. JAMA, 330(1), 11–12. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.1001/jama.2023.10262

Agomuah F., & Larsen, L. (2023, September 15). ChatGPT: The latest news, controversies, and tips you need to know. DigitalTrends. Retrieved from: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-use-openai-chatgpt-text-generation-chatbot/

American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare. (2021). Retrieved from https://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/about/ 

Baker, S., Warburton, J., Hodgkin, S., & Pascal, J. (2018). The New Informational Paradigm: Developing Practice-Led Approaches to the Use of Mobile ICT in Social Work. British Journal of Social Work, 48(6), 1791–1809. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcx124

Barrera-Algarín, E., Sarasola-Sánchez-Serrano, J. L., & Sarasola-Fernández, A. (2021). Social work in the face of emerging technologies: A technological acceptance study in 13 countries. International Social Work, 00208728211041672. https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728211041672

Corso, A., & Breitenbucher, P. (2023). Using location analytics and social media to address the opioid overdose crisis in America. CalGIS Annual Conference, Monterey, CA.

Coulton, C. J., Goerge, R., & Putnam-Hornstein, E. (n.d.). Harnessing Big Data for Social Good: A Grand Challenge for Social Work. 21.

Harris, S. (2022). Australian Social Workers’ Understandings of Technology in Practice. Australian Social Work, 75(4), 420–432. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2021.1949025

Mishna, F., Sanders, J., Fantus, S., Fang, L., Greenblatt, A., Bogo, M., & Milne, B. (2021). #socialwork: Informal use of information and communication technology in social work. Clinical Social Work Journal, 49(1), 85–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-019-00729-9

National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, & Clinical Social Work Association. (2017). Technology standards in social work practice. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/NASW-Practice-Standards-Guidelines/Standards-for-Technology-in-Social-Work-Practice

NASW (n.d.). AI in Social Work. National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from: https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/AI-and-Social-Work

As we enter the Fall season, we see decorations of ghosts, goblins, and signs that say Boo and Beware. Of course, these decorations are meant to be fun for children and families. The Fall season is when kids get dressed up as their favorite superheroes and television characters. Some kids find the courage to brave the scary haunted house down the street. Luckily, for the kids, these pretend experiences are intended to spark the imagination and offer good-hearted family fun. I hope you can enjoy some activity like this in the Fall; if you choose. But, as a student of organizational leadership, one of the terrifying subjects for leaders and administrators is the high turnover in the workforce, especially in social services.  

According to Gartner, Inc.,  U.S. employee annual voluntary turnover is likely to jump nearly 20% this year, from a pre-pandemic annual average of 31.9 million employees quitting their jobs to 37.4 million leaving in 2022 (Gartner Inc., 2020). In public child welfare, states experienced 14-22% annual turnover rates, with caseworkers staying on the job for an average of 1.8 years from 2003-2015 (QIC-WD, 2021). The costs of employee turnover are many. High turnover rates are expensive, and they tax existing workers because the remaining workers experience high caseloads. High attrition rates also negatively impact children and families and cost taxpayers millions annually (QIC-WD, 2021). 

Potential Solutions 

Researchers have spent millions examining the causes and solutions to employee attrition and retention (QIC-WD, 2021). In fact, there are whole national centers funded by the federal government dedicated to addressing this issue. Some solutions to reducing employee turnover include hiring the right people, providing adequate training and support, increasing pay and benefits, and providing a supportive environment. As an organizational leader, I am always interested in ways to recruit and retain a quality workforce. We know that increased job satisfaction is positively correlated with employee retention rates. In other words, when employees experience satisfaction in the workplace, they are less likely to leave and more likely to stay. Job satisfaction is “the sense of satisfaction and positive attitude of the person towards his/her work as a result of the working life or the harmony between him/her and working conditions” (Sarikaya & Keskinkiliç, 2020, p.434). According to Sarikaya & Keskinkiliç (2020), “job satisfaction is one of these positive emotions, and its high-level presence depends on organizational, administrative and individual variables” (p. 436). So, if we want to improve employee retention, we must increase job satisfaction.  

Organizational Awareness 

According to the literature, organizational justice greatly influences job satisfaction (Pignata et al., 2016). Organizational justice refers to the perceived fairness or unfairness within an organization (Angulo et al., 2018). The literature suggests that employees with greater organizational awareness have greater trust in the organization, leading to higher job satisfaction (Alward & Phelps, 2019; Hirschy, 2011; Jang, 2013; Pignata et al., 2016; Sarikaya & Keskinkiliç, 2020). So, what is employee awareness?  

Awareness is “a cognitive state, which refers to having information about a certain set of people, events, and objects” (Jang, 2013, p.63). Alward and Phelps (2019) discuss organizational awareness from the perspective of visibility. They say that “visibility is an indispensable piece of the concept of trust and can assist with avoiding and potentially recovering from communication breakdowns and misunderstandings” (Alward & Phelps, 2019, p. 76). In other words, Alward and Phelps found that low levels of awareness and team member visibility contribute to a lack of trust, and perceived fairness, which results in communication challenges and misperceptions and lower levels of job satisfaction. Therefore, team members need to be visible so their peers can get to know them and be aware of who they are and what they have going on in their lives. The literature suggests awareness opportunities and activities support team members in defining their expectations of their teammates, and awareness promotes trusting behavior (Alward & Phelps, 2019).  

Recent Study 

Recently, I conducted a small study to examine whether organizational awareness predicts job satisfaction. The study included 35 participants, 34% (n=12) were male, 63% (n=22) were female, and one declined to say. The age of the participants ranged from 25-76 (N = 35, M=43.94, SD=10.98). What I found was consistent with the literature. The results indicated that organizational awareness statistically significantly predicted job satisfaction, b1 = .-12, t(33) = 7.66, p < .05. A one-unit increase in organizational awareness was associated with a .28 increase in job satisfaction scores. The model explained a moderate proportion of the variance in job satisfaction, R2 = .16, F(1, 33) = 6.10, p < .05. 

Key Takeaways 

While my study was small, the implications are helpful to organizational leaders interested in improving job satisfaction related to employee retention (Newton et al., 2022). Despite the limitations, organizational leaders should be encouraged to develop strategies that create coworker awareness of professional tasks and personal life events (e.g., birthdays, marriages, vacations, etc.) to improve job satisfaction (Sarikaya & Keskinkiliç, 2020). Ultimately, organizational leaders interested in retaining their workforce should consider creating opportunities for coworkers to connect and get to know each other. So, host a potluck, go on an adventure, or maybe even host a trunk or treat festival.

References 

Alward, E., & Phelps, Y. (2019). Impactful leadership traits of virtual leaders in higher education. Online Learning, 23(3), 72–93. 

Gartner Inc (2020). Gartner Says U.S. Total Annual Employee Turnover Will Likely Jump by Nearly 20% From the Prepandemic Annual Average. Retrieved from  https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/04-28-2022-gartner-says-us-total-annual-employee-turnover-will-likely-jump-by-nearly-twenty-percent-from-the-prepandemic-annual-average  

Hirschy, M. J. (Jody). (2011). Virtual team leadership: A case study in Christian higher education. Christian Higher Education, 10(2), 97. 

Jang, C.Y. (2013). Facilitating trust in virtual teams: The role of awareness. Advances in Competitiveness Research, 21(1/2), 61–77. 

Newton, N., Hunter-Johnson, Y., & Niu, Y. (2022). Exploring the influence of job satisfaction upon the retention of Bahamian special educators. Journal of Education, 202(1), 58–68. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.1177/0022057420943179  

Pignata, S., Winefield, A. H., Provis, C., & Boyd, C. M. (2016). A longitudinal study of the predictors of perceived procedural justice in Australian university staff. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01271 

Sarikaya, S., & Keskinkiliç Kara, S. B. (2020). Organizational trust and organizational support as a predictor of job satisfaction. International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 12, 435–467. 

Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD), 2021. How can public child welfare agencies get and keep a great workforce? Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau. 

This blog is part of a two-part series, introduced here. You can read Part 1 here.

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In today’s society, simply the word politics tends to make everyone’s hair stand up on end. It has been deemed a dirty word or forbidden territory at family gatherings and many social events. When I learned I was expected to take a policy class as a part of my education, my first reaction was dread as I did not initially pursue social work to engage in politics or policy, or so I thought. I soon learned that policy influences and impacts everything I do and all whom I interact and work alongside.  

Policies are the foundation of any micro, mezzo, and macro social work setting. Matthew 7:24-27 states,

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Bible, NKJV).

This verse offers an analogy on the importance and value of having a solid foundation through pursuing wisdom, seeking, observing, challenging, and listening. Hence, policies must be analyzed through a lens of wisdom and curiosity to investigate and inquire into the causes and consequences of public policies to ensure their strong foundation (Segal, 2020).  

Policy, much less policy analysis, can be a daunting thought to many. It can be intimidating to search for, interpret and analyze policies. However, we are impacted by public policy every day. Whether you are traveling, in school, or at work, you are experiencing social welfare policies in action. Just think about all of the policies implemented in the past two years because of COVID-19.  

Policy, more specifically social welfare policy, refers to the well-being of society and is the collective response to social problems. Social welfare policy analysis informs and provides guidance and direction for many policymakers on a macro governmental scale (Segal, 2020). Even further, policy analysis provides a way for understanding how and why governments enact specific policies and their effects. As such, policy analysis provides researchers with a powerful tool to understand the use of research evidence in policymaking and generate a heightened understanding of the values, interests, and political contexts underpinning various policy decisions (Browne et al., 2018).  

In social work, we work to address the grand challenges such as advancing long and productive lives, ensuring healthy development for youth, eradicating social isolation, and ending homelessness throughout our practice (Grand Challenges for Social Work, 2021). Grand challenges must be grand in scope, inspiring, meaningful, and compelling. Moreover, scientific evidence should suggest how a grand challenge can be solved. It is said that meaningful and measurable progress in addressing a challenge should be feasible within a decade, which can sound daunting but not impossible. Grand challenges should generate interdisciplinary or cross-sector collaboration in addition to creativity and innovation (Barth et al., 2014). A final motivation to promote national and local social policy development incorporates the social work perspective, supporting social work progress and social and economic justice through adherence and incorporation of the grand challenges (Barth et al., 2014). 

Now that we have gained an understanding of what specifically social welfare policy is, as well as the importance of social welfare policy analysis, how does one analyze policy, you may be asking? There are multiple approaches to the analysis of policies that can differ depending upon the policy and its context. One general approach includes identifying the social issue or problem, understanding what the public reaction is to the issue, what policy or legislation was developed in response to the issue, how the policy was implemented, identification of the public expectations and perception, and assessment of the policy effects and intended impact. Finally, assessing if there were unintended outcomes, and if so, asking what could be done to remediate the unintended consequences (Segal, 2020).    

One example of policy analysis in action was in 2014 when Tennessee passed SB1391, a fetal assault law allowing a woman to be prosecuted for using a narcotic while pregnant. The policy was created to reduce the prevalence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), a condition where newborn babies experience withdrawal and other effects from opioids and other drugs. As a result of this bill, women arrested and charged would face a penalty of up to fifteen years in prison and the loss of child custody. However, the bill allowed women enrolled and participating in a long-term addiction recovery program to be exempt from prosecution. July 1, 2016, the law ceased to be in effect due to effective policy analysis. Unfortunately, the law negatively affected prenatal care and had little to no impact on the prevalence of NAS diagnoses across the state. Hence negative consequences of the law identified included a decline in prenatal care, an increase of in-home births, an increase in out-of-state births, an increase in fetal mortality, and an increase in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions. While the law was enacted with the best intentions, it ultimately resulted in numerous unintended consequences.   

Phew! Now, if this feels overwhelming, or you feel as though you are now cross-eyed after reading this, know you are not alone. So simply ask yourself this, what policies are affecting you on a daily basis? Have you ever stopped to wonder if these policies are beneficial or harmful? The policies that come to mind, how are they affecting you and others? Understandably so, it can be intimidating to ask ourselves these questions. However, suppose we begin to ask ourselves these questions on a micro level and utilize the approach listed above. In that case, we will naturally transfer these skills to a macro level and begin to secure firm, strong foundations so desperately needed.  

So don’t be like me and think that policy has nothing to do with social work because it has everything to do with social work and social work practice. 

This blog is part 1 of a two-part series, introduced here.

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What do baking bread and program evaluation have in common? More than you might think. During the pandemic, we started a new family tradition, baking homemade bread on Sundays. One Sunday, I pulled out the recipe and ingredients like I had done dozens of times before. I read through the recipe, mixed the ingredients, and put the bread in the Dutch oven. However, much to my surprise, instead of the delicious tender bread my family had grown to expect, all I had to offer them was a dense, flat, slightly burnt loaf. I immediately set to work analyzing where I went wrong. I checked the ingredients in the recipe and walked back through the steps I had taken. Based on the less than impressive outcome, I hypothesized and subsequently confirmed that I was missing an ingredient to the whole process, the yeast. Now that I had identified the errors in the baking process, I followed the same steps, ensuring that I used the right ingredients, resulting in the expected outcome, delicious fresh bread. However, examining the outcomes of a social program or treatment intervention may not be as apparent as tasting burnt bread.  

Although seemingly complicated on the surface, program evaluation is very similar to the scientific method you have been engaging in throughout your undergraduate career. The scientific method requires us to ask a question, form a hypothesis, test that hypothesis, come to a conclusion, and finally evaluate the conclusion. Social research methods follow the same steps but focus on answering questions that pertain to individuals and society. Program evaluation is when we implement social research methods to analyze the effectiveness of a program. (Rossi et al., 2019). Program evaluation allows us to apply research for a specific purpose and answer the question, “How do you know you are doing any good at all?” Using program evaluation, we can analyze several aspects by conducting focused evaluations like process and outcome evaluations. Program evaluations can identify ways to improve a program, support the program’s effectiveness or ineffectiveness, and provide more information about a program’s implications. 

Program evaluation can be broken into two parts process and outcome. Process evaluation is when we evaluate to determine if a program is being implemented as designed. However, outcome evaluation evaluates whether the program achieved its intended goals. If we revisit the bread-making example, seeing the burnt bread was the outcome evaluation, but reviewing the steps and ingredients was the process evaluation. It is essential to conduct both process and outcome evaluations when implementing social services and behavioral interventions because the information they provide is complementary and gives a complete picture of a program’s overall effectiveness and health. For example, a process evaluation can monitor implementation and help offer alerts to problems that might negatively impact the outcome. Outcome evaluations can provide the data to determine the overall program effectiveness. If the outcome evaluation proves that the program did not meet its intended goals, a process evaluation can help identify implementation issues. Alternatively, if the outcome evaluation reveals positive outcomes, the process evaluation provides information for program replication. Had I been proactively engaging in program evaluation, I could have adjusted to avoid the bad outcome before it was too late. However, in social science and behavioral interventions, the result can be bad outcomes for families.   

While the results of my burnt bread were disappointing, no one was harmed (except maybe my ego). However, the consequences could be devastating when we deliver social services or behavioral interventions that result in unintended outcomes. Children could stay in unsafe homes and continue to be abused, and parents might not get the help they need to reunify with their children; veterans could experience additional trauma while seeking care.  

Using program evaluation, we can analyze several aspects by conducting focused evaluations like process and outcome evaluation that all go hand in hand to provide a comprehensive picture of a program’s overall function and health. Program evaluations can identify ways to improve a program, provide support for the program’s effectiveness or ineffectiveness, and provide more information about a program’s implications.  

Another critical aspect of program evaluation is that it provides external validity and allows us to distribute our findings to funders and stakeholders with greater confidence (Moye, 2016). Social service programs need to demonstrate positive outcomes, and external validity is important because funders require it. Funding for programs is data-driven and will require evidence. As demand for social services increases, securing ongoing funding has grown more complicated. Grant funding to address the grand social challenges has become more competitive, and accountability measures are stricter. With financial demand often outweighing the supply, social workers must continue demonstrating their effectiveness. It is essential to articulate the need for social service programs and interventions to stakeholders, which is done through evidence. What theory and design is the program grounded? What are the program’s processes, impact, and outcomes? Program evaluations can produce practice-based evidence that leads to evidence-based practices. (Fynn et al., 2020).  

Program evaluation is not just limited to social services programs in the macro setting focusing on system-level interventions and mezzo settings that focus on the community-level interventions. Program evaluation can be used on the micro-level to determine if clinical interventions are serving their intended purpose. Program evaluation should matter to all academic scholars because it allows us to determine if the programs, we are providing are doing any good all. Because at the end of the day, nobody wants to eat burnt bread. 

Check out part 2 of this series here.

As social workers, we engage in research and apply scientific research methods in many ways. Two important ways we use research methods are in program evaluation and policy analysis. As practitioners, it is incumbent upon us to know what types of policies, programs, services, and interventions are most effective for our clients. Well researched interventions that demonstrate efficacy are referred to as evidence-based practices or best practices. However, when we implement these evidence-based interventions, variables or extraneous factors (known and unknown) may interfere with our ability to replicate the types of results the intervention had produced in the published literature. For this reason, we need to engage in program monitoring, or what we call program evaluation.  

Program evaluation ensures we produce the intended results and do not create unintended consequences. Additionally, funders typically require program evaluation and data reporting. There is increasing oversight and accountability for social and behavioral services practitioners and the need to demonstrate positive outcomes. Program evaluation helps ensure quality service and continued funding.  

Another important way social workers apply research methods is in policy analysis. Policy analysis involves understanding why the policy was created, who it was intended to affect, how it was implemented, and ultimately, what the policy’s outcomes were. Policymakers need to know if the policy had the intended outcomes and if there are any unintended consequences? Researchers use the results of policy analysis to advocate for support, needed changes, and new policy.   

At CBU in the Department of Social Work, we recognize the importance of both policy analysis and program evaluation. All MSW students spend a semester studying each of these subjects. In this two-part series, I worked with two of my MSW mentees* to write about their understanding and experiences with program evaluation and policy analysis. In the first part of this blog series, Natasha Alsobrook relates program evaluation to breaking bread in her article “How do you know the bread is any good?” In the second part, Bailee Ann Cameron discusses the value of policy analysis and the real-life impact on our children and families in her article “Policy: Irreverent and Irrelevant or not?” 

*In the Masters of social work program at CBU, all students are assigned a faculty mentor. Faculty Mentorship is a distinctive feature of the CBU MSW Program. The purpose of the Faculty Mentor is to: 

• Model social work values  
• Model Christian faith and ethical social work practice  
• Help students set proactive patterns of self-care   
• Help students select a social work track that is best for them (generalist year) 
• Help students choose a Capstone Project topic (specialization year)  
• Empower students to Live their Purpose  
• Communicate student feedback into the program  
• Help students access all the CBU resources (i.e., counseling center, student services, writing support, financial aid, campus ministries, career center, recreation center, global service opportunities, etc.) 
• Guide students on their faith and professional journey 

Treating pregnant women with opioid use and other mental health disorders can be complicated. The research is detailed; unfortunately, the stigma towards pregnant women remains high. According to a study out of Vanderbilt University, pregnant women are 20% more likely to be denied medication-assisted therapy than non-pregnant women (Patrick, S., 2020). Effective treatment requires a coordinated response across multiple systems at both practice and policy levels. On October 17, 2020, I presented at the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter (NASW-CA) annual conference along with Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter D.S.W. on applying research-based practices for the care of pregnant women. In the session, we discussed prevalence rates of pregnant women struggling with substance use and mental health disorders and federal legislation (Comprehensive Addiction Reform Act, 2016) requiring a coordinated response. The session concluded with strategies for reducing the stigma that creates barriers to accessible and effective treatment, cultural humility, and research-based treatment interventions.

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare recommends a five-point prevention and intervention framework to identify and treat pregnant women with substance use disorders. Communities seeking to implement the five-point framework hope to improve the baby and mother’s health outcomes, reduce stigma related to substance use and mental health disorders, and improve treatment access and engagement. Effectively implementing the five-point framework requires multiple agencies from different academic disciplines to work together for effective outcomes. The literature has lots to say about collaborative teams and the importance of strategically developing, managing, and leading effective teams (Hickman, 2016). The research mainly focuses on collaborative teams within a single organization/agency where the team members work towards the same goal. Treating pregnant women with substance use and mental health disorders require obstetricians, substance use counselors, mental health professionals, and child welfare social workers to come together to form a common goal. The challenge is that each of these professionals come from a unique/distinct organization with its own purposes. They each view the client differently. They each speak a unique language, further complicated because each of their funding streams comes from different sources.

Collective leadership allows teams to move beyond one agency/system’s individual goals and shift to the collective outcomes celebrating the accomplishment of the collective. Hickman (2016) describes collective leadership outcomes as having a clear direction, alignment, and commitment (D.A.C.) within the collaborative group. Leading a multi-agency team with diverse training, specializations, talents, and attributes, such as the team needed to effectively treat pregnant women, requires expanding leadership development. The collective must come together and agree on the direction it’s seeking to achieve. There must be alignment in the activities and services provided, and there must be a commitment to the collective’s success. Thus, the collective leader must emphasize the values, principles, and practices of the collaborative to produce D.A.C., engage in boundary-spanning and manage the social networks that connect the individuals within the collective (Hickman, 2016).

The first step in the process for creating D.A.C. isn’t to bring the teams together to define the direction or to understand collective beliefs. The collaborative leadership process’s first step is to work with individual teams (organizations, agencies, or systems) separately to clarify and define the differences. Each group describes and articulates their specific strengths in treating pregnant women. They describe their weaknesses or gaps and communicate the outcomes they hope to accomplish through the collective work. Only once each group has been able to define themselves the groups/teams are brought together to share their strengths, weaknesses, and vision. This process of self-reflection reduces insecurities. The individual groups’ members begin to see how their strengths offset the other teams’ disadvantages and vice versa. In practice, there is often a tendency to want to jump right into developing a shared vision/mission, but this can lead to divineness and tension amongst agencies. However, suppose agencies are allowed the time and opportunity to define themselves first and understand where there is alignment between agencies. In that case, they can then move to the second step of finding common ground. With common ground established, the collective can develop a shared vision that will provide a clear direction. With clear direction and alignment, the collective can develop personal commitments to create unity through collaboration, identify shared outcomes/measurements of success, and then develop plans to manage challenges or barriers that may impede the collective’s success.

The practice of collective leadership can be challenging and requires skillful facilitation. Treating pregnant women with substance use and mental health disorders is complex and requires professionals from multiple agencies to work together effectively. Using a collective leadership developmental approach to form these highly diversified teams could lead to better outcomes for women and, ultimately, their infants. It is hoped that this article will encourage discussion amongst practitioners to find new ways of working together for better results for all.

About the Author:

Philip Breitenbucher has over 20 years of progressively responsible experience in managing public child welfare and community-based prevention services. Professor Breitenbucher currently serves as an assistant professor of social work in the Department of Social Work, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at California Baptist University. Also, Professor Breitenbucher serves as a research associate for the Center for the Study of Human Behavior. Mr. Breitenbucher is currently pursuing an educational doctorate in Organizational Leadership.

References:

Hickman, G.R. (2016). Leading organizations: Perspective for a new era (3rded.). Sage

Patrick SW, Barfield WD, Poindexter BB, AAP Committee on fetus and newborn, Committee on substance use and prevention (2020). Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome. Pediatrics. 146(5):e2020029074