What's Your Hypothesis?
This week's discussion focuses on designing and building support for an intervention. Netting et al. (2023) discuss the importance of developing a hypothesis statement and framing a statement of change in this process. Since this will be part of your final assignment, this is a great time to share some of your ideas with your colleagues! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Share your intervention hypothesis statement and statement of change. What resources did you use to help understand the quantitative aspect of your statement of change? Describe your experience as you completed this process.
- A working intervention hypothesis concisely presents the relationship between your intervention and expected outcome. Share your working intervention hypothesis. What is at least one alternative working intervention hypothesis?
- Share a journal article, video, podcast, or other resource about hypothesis statements. How might implicit and explicit biases be reflected in the statements? What personal implicit and explicit bias were you able to identify as you developed statements related to your hypothesis and intervention?
Engaging and Addressing the Needs of Homeless Veterans in Urban Areas
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
introduction
Homeless veterans face significant challenges in urban areas with limited resources.
Reintegration into civilian life remains difficult for many veterans.
Urban homelessness among veterans is a growing concern in major cities.
Veterans experience high rates of mental health issues, including PTSD and depression.
Understanding this population is crucial for developing effective intervention strategies.
Ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon. Welcome to this presentation that will address the problem of homelessness among the veterans in the urban society. The presentation will focus on homeless veterans, who Were once proud soldiers who served the country but are now struggling with numerous difficulties in civilian life. Even so, many a veteran struggle with reintegration, especially in metropolitan regions, where insufficient support, health care, and housing compound homelessness. The presentation shall review the history of Veteran homelessness, the causes, and potential interventions. It is important to delve into the process by which some veterans become homeless because gaining more insight into the issue might make interventions more effective. The presentation will also emphasize the significance of using social determinants of health, critical race theory, and ecological systems theory while understanding and tackling the causes of homelessness among veterans. Your participation in this discussion is vital since it allows for less general and more efficient solutions that would positively impact the lives of veterans.
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FINDINGS AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Veteran homelessness is not a new problem, but the increase, especially in urban areas, has raised a lot of concerns (Anderson et al., 2023). Historically, most policies and social norms preceding and even after the conflict discriminated against veterans, especially those with mental and physical disorders. High costs, allied to the limited availability of affordable housing in urban environments, exacerbate these issues, with many veterans experiencing homelessness. Due to inadequate and unpredictable access to health services, veterans struggle to get treatment for their mental conditions, such as PTSD and depression. Though various veterans’ organizations and communal group associations have tried their level best to assist, basic constraints and the very nature of the problem normally curtail the attempts. Historically, the conditions depicted provide explanations of how minority veterans have been placed in a vulnerable position for homelessness through institutional prejudice. Knowledge of this type of context is important in its attempt to come up with an intervention plan that seeks to address the current needs of homeless veterans as well as the structural factors that contribute to homelessness among them.
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Homeless veterans often lack access to consistent, comprehensive healthcare services.
Historical policies have contributed to the marginalization of veteran populations.
Urban areas struggle to provide adequate housing and support for veterans.
Veterans' organizations and community efforts have made strides but face challenges.
The condition of homeless veterans is linked to broader societal inequalities.
Information Gathering Strategies
In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by homeless veterans, a multi-faceted approach to information gathering was employed. Both self-administered questionnaires and face-to-face interviews were used to gather information from the homeless veterans regarding their hardships and requirements. These direct interactions exposed the struggles of everyday existence without a stable shelter and the constraints that veterans experience throughout the process of receiving services. Local shelters and veteran organizations were also instrumental in this effort as these organizations offered a wider sample of homeless veterans and a wealth of information on the problems that exist. Besides primary data collection, a review of the literature assessed the historical and current state of veteran homelessness and the effectiveness of previous interventions. Communicating with the veterans’ support groups enriched the understanding of the social and emotional impacts that occurred on the subjects; data triangulation increased the validity and reliability of the results and may indicate the rest of the dimensions of the problem. These tactics formulated a comprehensive and accurate picture of the homelessness situation of urban veterans, which is crucial for creating efficient strategies.
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Surveys and interviews were conducted to gather first-hand experiences from homeless veterans.
Collaborated with local shelters and organizations for accurate, relevant data.
Reviewed existing literature to understand historical context and current challenges.
Engaged with veterans' support groups to gain deeper insights into their needs.
Data triangulation ensured a comprehensive understanding of the issues faced.
The primary target of this research is homeless veterans, a population that has significant adjustment issues when coming back to civilian life from military service, especially within cities. These veterans often suffer difficulty in transitioning back into the community, where they end up unemployed, suffer from mental illnesses, and become homeless. This condition is circumscribed by urban settings where the cost of living, scarcity of affordable housing, and inadequate support services make it extremely difficult for veterans trying to reintegrate into society. Urban settings may be difficult for veterans to find stability and support, but rural areas have better community cohesion and cheaper housing. The challenge experienced in this group is complex and includes the inability to access appropriate mental health services, stigma related to homelessness, and disparities in service delivery to minorities as well as veterans. Many veterans are unable to receive their benefits and services due to bureaucratic difficulties, leaving them without the support they need. These problems require a comprehensive approach that will target homeless veterans and the problems of the city.
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Focus: Homeless veterans, a vulnerable population, particularly in urban environments.
Boundaries: Urban areas lacking sufficient resources for veteran reintegration and support.
Difficulty: Addressing complex mental health and socioeconomic challenges in urban settings.
Professional and Academic Research Summary
Veterans experience a 10.2% lifetime homelessness rate, often linked to childhood trauma and low income (Nichter et al., 2022).
Wartime trauma significantly increases substance use and homelessness among veterans, with community factors impacting relapse (Betancourtt et al., 2023).
Homelessness combined with military sexual assault worsens PTSD and physical health, highlighting the need for trauma-informed care (Lucas et al., 2021).
Veterans’ housing instability requires ongoing, adaptable support due to the complex and evolving nature of their needs (Montgomery, 2021).
Women veterans face distinct barriers to healthcare access due to their gender, veteran status, and homelessness, necessitating targeted interventions (Flike & Byrne, 2023).
Exploring the issue of homelessness among U. S veterans necessitates a consideration of a number of categorizations as well as theoretical approaches. Research shows that veteran homelessness results from the combination of social factors, mental health problems, and systemic barriers. For example, in a study by Nichter and co-authors based on the social determinants of health, it was demonstrated that veterans with PTSD and lifetime homelessness were characterized by adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and low income, underlining how the conditions of early life and military service influence mental health and suিঁcide risk. Betancourt et al. (2023) have used the conceptual model of the Social-Ecological Model to investigate how war trauma and substance use are related and how the factors from the community and personal environment contribute to homelessness and substance use among veterans. Lucas et al. (2021) focused on the impact of military sexual trauma and homelessness on veterans’ health and identified the requirement for trauma-centric approaches. Montgomery (2021) discussed how personal and societal factors co-interact and the support required to enhance veterans’ housing stability from a systems perspective. Flike and Byrne (2023) assessed the barriers to and enablers of healthcare access for homeless women veterans, identified gender-related factors, and discussed the necessity of gender-sensitive approaches. Tsai & Kelton (2022) noted the inequity in the utilization of services among homeless veterans based on their race or ethnic background, hence the need for culturally sensitive interventions. Lastly, Novacek et al. (2022) and Tsai et al. 2021) described how race and gender influence community reintegration, the variety and dynamic of requirements for several professionals and the need for culturally appropriate interventions.
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Many theoretical models can assess the factors that lead to homelessness among veterans and its treatments. The SDOH contributes to an understanding of how money, education, and healthcare influence the health of homeless veterans. This paradigm underlines the calls to target such social factors that have become a concern regarding veterans’ quality of life as well as potential homelessness. CRT gives us insights into how the centre of minority veteran communities is marginalized through racism, prejudice, and exclusion, thus increasing the likelihood of their homelessness (Long 2021). CRT unmasks social inequities and how they impact veterans, particularly marginalized ones. Ecological Systems Theory is also used as a theoretical framework that encompasses the role of the family, community, and society in an individual’s life. This idea emphasizes the myriad factors that shape a veteran’s ability to reintegrate into society, especially within urban environments, given the positive or negative impacts of these factors. Applying these theories enables the development of solutions that are more appropriate and respond to the multifaceted and interconnected causes of veteran homelessness.
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SDOH explores how social factors impact health outcomes for homeless veterans.
CRT examines systemic issues contributing to homelessness among minority veterans(Long, 2021).
Ecological Systems Theory considers the broader environmental influences on veteran homelessness.
These frameworks help identify key areas for intervention and support.
Understanding these theories aids in developing targeted, effective solutions for veterans.
Promising Practice Approach
Combating homelessness among veterans entails the use of best practices, which have yielded positive results in helping homeless veterans gain the necessary support and reintegrate into society. Homeless veterans have the opportunity to attain permanent housing through transitional housing services. Many of these programs encompass not only shelter but also needs like healthcare, counselling for mental health, and employment services, thus providing generalized support. Integrated mental health care is also important because many homeless veterans have PTSD, depression, and other mental health issues that make housing and work difficult. To address these problems, veterans need mental health therapy that may be tailored to a particular aspect of their lives. Employment training programs and activities also help the veterans to get proper civilian employment training (Bond et al., 2022). Acquiring and maintaining employment are important goals to achieve for veterans, so employment support, creating a résumé, and learning appropriate responses for interview are significant strategies. It is such community programs that offer the necessary help to those veterans and give them a chance to start over. All these promising approaches can prevent veteran homelessness to a great extent by focusing on their medical, psychological, and social elements.
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Transitional housing services help provide shelter to homeless veterans on a temporary basis.
Mental health care coordination deals with PTSD and other related disorders.
Employment training enables the veterans to transition back into civil employment.
Outreach programs ensure that those who have served in the military get the help they require.
Integrated approaches include veterans' physiological, psychological, and social health.
Factors Contributing to the Condition
The lack of affordable housing in urban areas exacerbates homelessness among veterans.
Insufficient mental health support leaves many veterans untreated and vulnerable.
Many veterans face financial hurdles that stem from economic instability once they are out of service.
Social isolation contributes to the ongoing struggles of homeless veterans.
Many urban policies fail to consider the needs and concerns of homeless veterans.
Various contributing factors have been considered to have led to homelessness among veterans including those in urban markets has been affected most. One is the issue of the lack of affordable homes whereby many of these veterans still have substantial issues in terms of getting decent homes (Anderson et al., 2023). There are difficulties of sourcing and sustaining housing, which is expensive and scarce in urban areas among veterans. Furthermore, there is limited access to mental health resources for these veterans, which only worsens the problem. Veterans often have difficulty maintaining employment due to psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety. Another major contributing factor is economic volatility; many veterans suffer from unemployment or underemployment, lack of access to viable livelihood, and unstable income and, therefore, possess no stable means of maintaining housing in case of the occurrence of other problems that affect their livelihood. Lack of social connection restricts access to services for veterans who are not connected to a community. Additionally, specific Urban policies do not respond to the needs of homeless veterans, and therefore, there is inequitable provision of services. To overcome these issues, an efficient solution for veteran homelessness should consider these causes.
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Causal Factors to Address
Prioritize affordable housing development targeted specifically at homeless veterans.
Improve the availability and quality of mental health care, especially for PTSD in veterans.
Enhance basic support mechanisms to avoid the possible occurrence of homelessness among transitioning veterans.
Reduce social isolation by encouraging community involvement and support systems.
Stand for policy reforms that would improve the welfare of homeless veterans in cities.
In responding to the root causes of homelessness among veterans, it is essential to address the various areas that are linked to the issue. First of all, providing affordable houses should be made the primary goal to address this issue. Housing is a problematic area for veterans, particularly where they seek low-cost housing in urban centers. The establishment of more affordable homes and services for veterans can play a part in eliminating this barrier towards this stability. Second, mental health care must be improved or expanded. Some of the veterans end up in homelessness and are unable to fully recover by finding permanent housing or well-paying jobs because of schizophrenia and other related disorders like PTSD and depression(Inoue et al., 2023). These challenges can be combated and the quality of life of veterans can be enhanced when treated holistically for mental disorders. Third, veterans need a more effective economic Assistance in order to achieve the required financial security. It comprises employment training, financial assistance for education, and help to deal with challenges. Social exclusion cannot be dismissed because the existence of compact communities may help veterans cope with problems and find resources. Finally, lobbying for the changes within the framework of the urban policy can benefit homeless veterans. Due to the focus on these archaic elements, it is possible to develop enhanced and more effective strategies for addressing veteran homelessness.
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The awareness of biases is an essential component in combating homelessness amongst veterans and helps in avoiding such pitfalls. Such preconceptions may influence the overall perception of the issue and how it is addressed thus concealing its complexity. For example, assumptions may be made on veterans which can be misleading or fail to fully account for their hardships such as PTSD or racism. The biases that are inherent in the formulation and execution of the different plans could make certain strategies and measures ineffective or suboptimal. These prejudices have to be addressed in order to provide equitable and effective interventions. Both self-ethnographic and structural racisms can enhance the understanding of the gap or availability of services that support veteran homelessness. Thus, critical reflection of such prejudice contributes to the understanding of the processes and has the right strategy based on the experience and requirements of the veterans. It also helps in making them fair and appropriate for tackling the source of veteran homeless benefits.
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Implicit biases may lead to underestimating the complexity of veterans' needs.
Explicit biases can hinder collaboration with veteran support organizations.
Acknowledge personal biases to improve advocacy and intervention efforts.
Reflecting on biases enhances understanding of systemic issues affecting veterans.
Addressing biases is crucial for achieving meaningful macro-level change.
REFERENCES
Betancourt, C. A., Goldberg, D. G., Hawks, B. A., & Kitsantas, P. (2023). Perspectives of homeless veterans living with substance use disorders (SUD) and mental illness. Heliyon, 9(10), e20364–e20364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20364
Flike, K., & Byrne, T. (2023). Systematic review of access to healthcare and social services among US women Veterans experiencing homelessness. Women’s Health (London, England), 19, 17455057231189550. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057231189550
Long, L. J. (2021). The Ideal victim: a Critical Race Theory (CRT) Approach. International Review of Victimology, 27(3), 344–362. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269758021993339
Lucas, C. L., Harris, T., Stevelink, S. A. M., McNamara, K. A., Rafferty, L., Kwan, J., Dunn, R., Fear, N. T., Kintzle, S., & Castro, C. A. (2021). Homelessness among Veterans: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Physical Health, and the Cumulative Trauma of Military Sexual Assault. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.1086/712991
Montgomery, A. E. (2021). Understanding the Dynamics of Homelessness among Veterans Receiving Outpatient Care: Lessons Learned from Universal Screening. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 693(1), 230–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716221995161
Nichter, B., Tsai, J., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2022). Prevalence, correlates, and mental health burden associated with homelessness in U.S. military veterans. Psychological Medicine, 53(9), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291722000617
Novacek, D. M., Wynn, J. K., Gabrielian, S., Glynn, S. M., Hellemann, G., Horan, W. P., Kern, R. S., Lee, J., Marder, S. R., Sugar, C., & Green, M. F. (2022). Examining racial differences in community integration between black and white homeless veterans. Psychiatry Research, 308, 114385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114385
Tsai, J., & Kelton, K. (2022). Service use and barriers to care among homeless veterans: Results from the National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences (NV‐HOPE) study. Journal of Community Psychology, 51(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22912
Anderson, J. K., Mackey, K. M., Beech, E. H., Young, S., & Parr, N. J. (2023, July 1). DISCUSSION. Www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; Department of Veterans Affairs (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK593442/
Bond, G. R., Al-Abdulmunem, M., Ressler, D. R., Gade, D. M., & Drake, R. E. (2022). A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Employment Program for Veterans Transitioning from the Military: Two-Year Outcomes. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-022-01208-z
Inoue, C., Shawler, E., Jordan, C. H., & Jackson, C. A. (2023). Veteran and Military Mental Health Issues. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572092/
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Engaging and Addressing the Needs of Homeless Veterans in Urban Areas
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
Engaging and Addressing the Needs of Homeless Veterans in Urban Areas
Task 1: Start Where the Population Is
The selected population is Homeless Veterans in Urban Areas
Socioeconomic, Cultural, or Environmental Condition and its Impact on the Population
The target population for this study is homeless veterans in urban communities. This group is constantly influenced by social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors (Chinchilla et al., 2020). Due to this, veterans find it hard to reintegrate into society and become isolated, resulting in low support. Some veterans are potentially in danger of becoming unemployed/underemployed because they are physically or mentally disabled to work. Homeless veterans or those who experience mental illness will not receive the attention or necessary care due to their veteran status. Urban settings have higher costs of living, fewer available affordable housing units, and higher incidences of crime and substance abuse, which might destabilize this group. Such factors make it challenging to assist homeless veterans in recovering their new status in society.
Encounter with This Population Group
By interacting with veterans in large fields, I have learned the different forms and the need for them. Based on the observations in shelters and other outreach programs, I have learned about the impact of PTSD, substance use disorders, and challenges in obtaining benefits for veterans. These events have shown the spirit of the veterans and the barriers within the system that are present today. I have also observed how specific services like vocational, counseling, and services can enrich presence. These exchanges have shown that measures of one-on-one, compassionate approaches in addressing homeless veterans’ concerns are effective.
Self-Identities, Attitudes, and Biases
Being a social worker, I find it crucial to embrace the values of empathy, advocacy, and maintaining a commitment to social justice. Social class and culture affect people’s behaviors and how they expect others to behave. I also realize that I might possess certain stereotypes about homeless and mentally ill veterans when providing care. I need to recognize these prejudices to attempt to consciously think about veterans to ensure that I offer them polite, culturally sensitive, non-oppressive care. To support my clients, I aim for cultural competency, humility, and willingness to learn from more experienced peers.
Strengths, Weaknesses, And Power Imbalances
The homeless veterans are strong-willed individuals who can easily adapt to change and have many combat stories to tell. These attributes can assist them in their reintegration process into society. However, they are prone to developing PTSD, depression, chronic diseases, and substance use disorders (Lucas et al., 2021). These issues are compounded by social isolation, homelessness, and limited access to health care and veterans' services. Lack of resources in post-military transition, mental healthcare, and poverty all paint the picture of power imbalances that create homelessness. They may also fail in the capacity to ask for assistance and advocate for themselves because of the social isolation and discrimination that homeless veterans endure. These power dynamics should be addressed through promoting policies, increasing resources, and creating a welcoming campus.
Demonstrating Cultural Humility by Seeking the Population's Perspectives
Key Informants
Veterans Service Organization Leaders: Veterans organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) can inform on homeless vets' systemic issues. They are reliable informants because they have advocated for veterans' rights and provided direct services.
Homeless Veterans: Engaging directly with homeless veterans themselves is crucial. They can provide a personal perspective by sharing their struggles and wants. This direct insight is essential in understanding this population's challenges and capabilities.
Including Diverse Voices and Perspectives
I will use a participative method that entails direct involvement with homeless veterans to include varied voices and viewpoints in clearly stating their difficulties. Focus groups and individual interviews with homeless veterans of diverse ages, genders, and ethnicities will ensure representation. Collaboration with veterans' service organizations will increase audience reach and institutional insights. I will also involve healthcare providers working closely with this group to address their issues holistically. Triangulation of these varied sources of information helps explain homeless veterans' challenges clearly and thoroughly, ensuring that their voices drive the development of practical and culturally relevant initiatives.
Task 2: Assess the Impacts of Difference, Discrimination, and Oppression
Stereotypes or Generalizations That Confront This Population Group
There are several stereotypes and generalizations that homeless veterans would have to endure. Such stereotypes include the belief that they are homeless due to their inability to manage their alcohol and drug addictions. Another stereotype is that homeless veterans are lazy or have no desire to get employment and reintegrate into society. These misconceptions fail to address the processes through which veterans become homeless, such as untreated mental health issues like PTSD, financial problems, and lack of resources. These beliefs promote homelessness discrimination and may exclude homeless veterans.
Discrimination and Oppression of This Population
The homeless veterans are discriminated and oppressed in every aspect or spot of life. The homeless are socially excluded, some people consider them as dangerous and unreliable – social and community exclusion (Chinchilla et al., 2020). Employed homeless veterans experience employment discrimination as a result of housing loss or mental health issues. Veterans are also affected by structural challenges within large hierarchical entities such as the Department of Veteran Affairs. Some of the homeless veterans are locked out of benefits and services as they must undergo through a long, cumbersome, and ineffective process. Such systematic oppression renders people helpless and hinders their social development.
Value Systems and Institutional Policies
There are several political beliefs and organizational structures that have posed negative impacts on the homeless veterans. The belief that homelessness is the fault of certain individuals and not socio-political structures fosters apathy and indifference. This impression translates to policy and funding which leads to a scarcity of housing, mental health, and job training. Such institutional practices as discharge from military have sustained the same. It demoralizes the veterans as those who are discharged dishonorably cannot get VA housing or health care. The bureaucracy of the VA and other supporting institutions hinders homeless veterans from accessing care easily.
Whether or Not Members of the Population Group Feel Isolated
Homeless veterans are made to feel like outcasts. Marginalization results from exclusion from the social, economic and political realms. Homeless veterans report feelings of loneliness and anger based on interviews and focus groups. Lack of public support means that many veterans have no access to social services or governmental aid. They feel that prejudice and discrimination in their daily lives are oppressive because of homelessness. They also described feelings of isolation and depression when talking about shelter and outreach experiences. These problems limit their prospects for timely and utilitarian assistance and ensure that they remain stigmatized: nearly all of the veterans remain impoverished and are unable to reintegrate. This exclusion is firsthand and accurate, and it also symbolizes the failure of the world and systems.
Assessing Intersectionality's Impact on Homeless Veterans: Assessing Intersectionality's Impact on Homeless Veterans
Intersectionality Dimensions
Homeless veterans are also unique in their multiple dimensions and personal attributes, including ethnicity, gender, mental health, and financial background. For example, African American and Hispanic veterans are disproportionately represented among homeless veterans since minority populations are also discriminated against in society. Female veterans, particularly those veterans who have been exposed to military sexual trauma (MST), have extra challenges when they end up homeless (Galovski et al., 2022). Homeless veterans also experience mental health challenges such as PTSD, which make their socioeconomic challenges worse.
Power, Privilege, Discrimination, And Oppression Issues of The Population
The situation of homeless veterans reveals power and privilege issues that exist regarding them. They tend to be helpless in a system that should assist them, for instance, the VA, which is cumbersome and unresponsive. Social prejudices specific to the homeless population and employment discrimination against veterans and homeless people are often encountered. Intersectional prejudice is compounded by institutional oppression, including a lack of adequate support services and restricted benefits. Female and minority veterans experience compounded discrimination based on their race and gender, leaving them as second-class citizens in the veteran and homeless populations.
Frameworks Are Useful in Understanding Population Dynamics
Models including the social determinants of health (SDOH) and critical race theory (CRT) can effectively decipher the factors involved with homeless veterans. SDOH demonstrates how economic stability, education, social and community context, health, and built environment influence health and well-being. CRT looks at how the issues of institutional racism and past injustices impact people of color veterans in areas like housing or care (Long, 2021). The Ecological Systems Theory breaks down myriad systems that influence homeless veterans, from personal to societal levels. These frameworks describe how social, economic, and institutional factors influence homeless veterans.
Task 3: Search Professional Knowledge Base
Nichter et al. (2022)
The present research applies the social determinants of health approach to explore homelessness among U. S. veterans. Using a nationally representative survey, the researchers identified that lifetime homelessness was 10.2 percent with unfavorable childhood experience, trauma, and low income as some of the leading predictors. The findings indicate that childhood experiences influence future homelessness and that veterans have poorer mental health and higher suicide risk. These data demonstrate how early life factors, military service, and veteran status are interconnected.
Betancourtt et al. (2023)
This qualitative study examines homeless veterans with substance use disorders using phenomenology and the Social-Ecological Model. The study shows how mental and physical wartime trauma can lead to substance use and homelessness in veterans. The study also shows how community influences perpetuate substance use and the propensity to relapse after family deaths, highlighting veterans' complicated, multi-layered experiences with homelessness and addiction.
Lucas et al. (2021)
A cumulative risk model is used to analyze veterans' mental and physical health after homelessness and military sexual assault (MSA). The study observed that homelessness and MSA considerably worsen PTSD, depression, and physical health concerns. These findings highlight the long-term developmental effects of trauma on health outcomes throughout adulthood and the need for trauma-informed care and therapies that address housing instability and sexual trauma in veterans.
Montgomery (2021)
Using a systems theory approach, this study synthesizes findings from universal screening for housing instability among veteran outpatients. The author highlights the complicated relationship between personal and societal variables affecting veterans' housing insecurity. The research shows that veterans' housing stability is dynamic and requires continuing support.
Flike & Byrne (2023)
This systematic study examines homeless women veterans' healthcare and social services using an access-to-care paradigm. The study examines service access hurdles and facilitators to highlight women veterans' distinct healthcare and social requirements throughout their lives. The research highlights how gender-specific variables, veteran status, and homelessness generate unique care access issues, emphasizing the need for specialized interventions and policies to address these complexes, developing needs.
Tsai & Kelton (2022)
Applying a health services utilization model, this study examines service use and barriers to care among homeless veterans. The researchers found significant racial/ethnic disparities in treatment utilization and similar obstacles, including stigma and lack of information. These findings demonstrate the need for culturally competent support services throughout veterans' homelessness experiences and how demographics and social stigma can affect service involvement throughout life.
Novacek et al. (2022
Community integration framework and critical race theory compare Black and White homeless veterans. Race, veteran status, and homelessness affect community reintegration, as shown by social integration and employment productivity differences. These findings show that veterans can still struggle to integrate into communities after homelessness, especially ethnic minorities who may face additional structural barriers.
Tsai et al. (2021)
Employing an intersectionality framework, this study analyzes the unmet needs of homeless veterans by gender and race/ethnicity. According to the study, housing, healthcare, and other unmet needs varied significantly across demographic groups. The multiple and changing needs of veterans during their homelessness demonstrate the ways in which multiple and changing identities are involved in services required and services offered throughout the life course. The study therefore underscores the need for culturally sensitive approach to homelessness prevention among diverse veteran population.
Impact of Social Relationships and Structures
Structural and Environmental Forces Affecting Homeless Veterans in Urban Areas
Homeless veterans in an urban environment encounter several structural and environmental factors that transform their lives in several ways. Gentrification and the soaring real estate prices mean that there is no affordable housing in many cities today. Such a scarcity causes low-income veterans to lose their stable residences and renders permanent housing unattainable for homeless veterans. Furthermore, the organizational structure is heavily bureaucratic and hierarchical at times that hinders the delivery of services. This system presents itself as a challenge to many veterans, especially those with mental health or substance use disorders. Density also leads to high living cost, high incidences of violence and crime, higher competition for resources such as shelter and health. Furthermore, the stigma associated with homelessness and mental illnesses has a negative impact on accumulation of social isolation and discrimination in reintegration of the veterans.
Theoretical Models of Interactions
The Social Ecological Model and Life Course Perspective provide an understanding of homeless veterans’ social processes. According to the Social Ecological Model, personal, interpersonal, community, and societal factors affect the behavior of a person (Caperon et al. , 2022). This paradigm demonstrates how individual characteristics, social contacts, available resources, and culture impact homeless veterans. On the other hand, the Life Course Perspective focuses more on how early events affect subsequent outcomes, particularly during sensitive stages of development. As applied to veterans, this framework can be helpful in elucidating the ways in which military service, particularly when it occurs during young adulthood, impacts mental health, social connectedness, and economic well-being in later life. These frameworks elucidate the complex nature of the interactions between homeless veterans and the city spaces they inhabit, and the necessity for integrative and holistic approaches to the issue.
Task 4: Develop Strategies for Authentic Engagement
Identifying Involved Stakeholders
Several stakeholders must be involved in recognizing the need for change regarding shelter provisions for homeless veterans within metropolitan areas to understand and implement solutions effectively. This group includes the veterans themselves because their experience and needs are paramount. Furthermore, Veteran service organizations like the VHA and local veteran non-profits help identify service gaps and initiatives. For sustainable reforms, stakeholders, including the community, leaders, lawmakers, and urban planners, need to embrace it. Lastly, awareness of interrelated physical and mental health care of homeless veterans by healthcare and mental health professionals who directly work with them contributes to the development of interventions.
Policies for Facilitating Purposeful Engagement
Inclusivity and transparency are two principles that can always be applied when dealing with the process. Inclusivity ensures that all parties of concern, including homeless veterans, have a say in the deliberation process. Ideas arising from different cognitive perspectives are helpful in producing rich and practical concepts. On the other hand, transparency involves the sharing of about engagement goals, activities, and outcomes. This fosters confidence and knowledge on how decisions are made and how various contributions are incorporated. Such principles create an atmosphere that allows stakeholders to participate actively in change processes.
Strategies for working with a diverse population
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) and culturally tailored focus groups can successfully recruit diverse groups (Singer et al., 2022). CBPR engages community members in every research step so that their input guides the formulation of questions, methods, and strategies. This strategy creates confidence and guarantees work that is to the benefit of the community. In contrast, culturally responsive focus groups create environments where diverse groups can share their ideas without prejudice. These focus groups should be conducted by people who are culturally sensitive enough to understand the various challenges faced by this population.
Allies, Advocates, and Accomplices
Four particular contacts and supporters for homeless veterans in metropolitan are the American Legion, the National Coalition for homeless veterans (NCHV), local agencies that offer housing, and religious bodies. The American Legion leverages its large membership base to lobby and assist veterans (Burtin, 2020). NCHV facilitates, supports and offers services to assist ending veteran homelessness across the country. Local housing authorities assist veterans in identifying their housing needs and implementing housing-first strategies. They help homeless veterans both short term and long term through their resources and volunteers. These supporters work together to advocate for policy change on behalf of homeless veterans and provide direct services to them.
References
Betancourt, C. A., Goldberg, D. G., Hawks, B. A., & Kitsantas, P. (2023). Perspectives of homeless veterans living with substance use disorders (SUD) and mental illness. Heliyon, 9(10), e20364–e20364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20364
Burtin, O. (2020). Veterans as a Social Movement: The American Legion, the First Hoover Commission, and the Making of the American Welfare State. Social Science History, 44(2), 329–354. https://doi.org/10.1017/ssh.2020.5
Caperon, L., Saville, F., & Ahern, S. (2022). Developing a socio-ecological model for community engagement in a health programme in an underserved urban area. PLOS ONE, 17(9), e0275092. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275092
Chinchilla, M., Gabrielian, S., Glasmeier, A., & Green, M. F. (2020). Exploring Community Integration Among Formerly Homeless Veterans in Project-Based Versus Tenant-Based Supportive Housing. Community Mental Health Journal, 56(2), 303–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00473-x
Flike, K., & Byrne, T. (2023). Systematic review of access to healthcare and social services among US women Veterans experiencing homelessness. Women’s Health (London, England), 19, 17455057231189550. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057231189550
Galovski, T. E., Street, A. E., Creech, S., Lehavot, K., Kelly, U. A., & Yano, E. M. (2022). State of the Knowledge of VA Military Sexual Trauma Research. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 37(S3), 825–832. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-022-07580-8
Long, L. J. (2021). The Ideal victim: a Critical Race Theory (CRT) Approach. International Review of Victimology, 27(3), 344–362. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269758021993339
Lucas, C. L., Harris, T., Stevelink, S. A. M., McNamara, K. A., Rafferty, L., Kwan, J., Dunn, R., Fear, N. T., Kintzle, S., & Castro, C. A. (2021). Homelessness among Veterans: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Physical Health, and the Cumulative Trauma of Military Sexual Assault. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.1086/712991
Montgomery, A. E. (2021). Understanding the Dynamics of Homelessness among Veterans Receiving Outpatient Care: Lessons Learned from Universal Screening. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 693(1), 230–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716221995161
Nichter, B., Tsai, J., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2022). Prevalence, correlates, and mental health burden associated with homelessness in U.S. military veterans. Psychological Medicine, 53(9), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291722000617
Novacek, D. M., Wynn, J. K., Gabrielian, S., Glynn, S. M., Hellemann, G., Horan, W. P., Kern, R. S., Lee, J., Marder, S. R., Sugar, C., & Green, M. F. (2022). Examining racial differences in community integration between black and white homeless veterans. Psychiatry Research, 308, 114385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114385
Singer, R., Crooks, N., Abboud, S., & Patil, C. L. (2022). Engaging Vulnerable Populations in Community-based Participatory Research: Lessons Learned. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 16(2), 227–234. https://doi.org/10.1353/cpr.2022.0026
Tsai, J., & Kelton, K. (2022). Service use and barriers to care among homeless veterans: Results from the National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences (NV‐HOPE) study. Journal of Community Psychology, 51(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22912
Tsai, J., Mitchell, L., Nakashima, J., & Blue-Howells, J. (2021). Unmet needs of homeless U.S. veterans by gender and race/ethnicity: Data from five annual surveys. Psychological Services. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000557
- Review the slides on Research Methods (attached)
- Read the article on social media and mood disorders/mental health (attached) and use as the basis to form a hypothetical research study on a related topic in mental health.
- Create a recorded presentation (10-15 minutes) to elaborate the following questions based on the social media article and the problems presented therein. Use/discuss your hypothetical research study as part of the presentation.
- What is the research question or hypothesis?
- What is the purpose of the study?
- What is the target population?
- What is the sampling strategy?
- What is the data collection method?
- What is the data analysis method?
- Operationalization of Variables
- What are the potential limitations
- What are the ethical considerations?
__________________________________________________________Directions on creating a presentation with voiceover:
- Option 1: You will create a PowerPoint (or equivalent) of your presentation and add a voice-over.
- Option 2: If you are unable to add voice-over to your PowerPoint, you will create a PowerPoint (or equivalent) of your presentation. Next, you will use Screencast-o-Matic (or a similar program) to create a video recording of your screen and voice as your present the information. Third, you will upload the video presentation to YouTube so your professor can view it. If you choose this option, you will submit your article as well as the PowerPoint (or equivalent) file and the link to the YouTube presentation to complete this assignment.
Elevating Research: Advanced Methods & Hands-On Activities
Preparing to Start Your Dissertation
Pitfalls in Designing a Research Study
Poorly defined research questions
Inadequate literature review or reliance on old studies which don’t reflect the current state of knowledge
Weak research design
Inappropriate sampling techniques
Flaws in data collection methods
Inappropriate selection of assessment tools or quantification of variables/data
Poorly Defined Research Questions
When a college student takes time off from school, does their stress impact the student experience after returning back to school?
Do teachings of Christianity in African American churches alter how African American men and women attitudes towards depression and the need to seek therapy from someone outside of their denomination
Are stress reduction techniques among social service workers effective in reducing stress and improving overall health?
Inadequate Literature Review
Reliance on old studies which don’t reflect the current state of knowledge
Poor organization; Tell a story
Lack of alignment; Discuss how existing literature relates to your study
Lack of synthesis: Don’t just summarize, but discuss integration of research
Weak Research Design
This can lead to unreliable, imprecise, or irrelevant answers to research questions
The design may oversimplify a complex problem
Determining the appropriate sample size, including whether you will be able to obtain that sample size
Determining whether your design will be experimental, quasi-experimental or non-experimental
Inappropriate Sampling Techniques
Improper sampling techniques can lead to sampling errors that can be biased and result incorrect or misleading data
Selection error occurs when the researchers bias leads to the selection, inaccurate or inadequate data for analysis
Undercoverage bias occurs when the sample doesn’t accurately represent the population. Only selecting people who are easy to reach may bias the results.
Having sample sizes that are too small can underepresent the target audience resulting in misleading statistics
Flaws in Data Collection Methods
Data Quality
Data can be inaccurate or inconsistent
Incomplete Data
Data can be incomplete if it’s lost during collection or storage or if it’s not collected correctly
Poor Sampling
Sampling errors can lead to biased conclusions: results may only describe behavior of volunteers
Security
Collecting, storing, and analyzing large amounts of data can increase the risk of compromising sensitive information leading to privacy insecurity breaches
Inappropriate Selection of Assessment Tools
Tools that are not designed for your target population may be invalid
Tools that require a lengthy amount of time to complete may result in incomplete data
Issues such as response bias may lead to inaccurate results
Issues of reliability and validity need to be reviewed
Assessment of both research variables as well as confounds are required
Activity: Goals
Apply what you know about research design to create a testable study
Apply psychological theory to solve a real-world problem
Demonstrate critical thinking to identify an aspect of the problem that you would like to investigate
Work in small groups to collaborate on best practices
Activity: Scenario
Literature suggests that adolescents and young adults…
Are using social media more today than ever before
Preferring to use nonverbal (e.g., texting) over verbal (e.g., calling) communication
Utilizing mental health services at greater rates than every before
Being prescribed antidepressants and anxiolytic medications at high frequencies
Reporting greater issues with body image and eating disorders
Activity: Research Design Deliverables
List a research question that is clear and concise
List a testable hypothesis
Design a study that might be executable
Define appropriate variables with operational definitions
Define the population you might generalize the results
Define a sampling procedure
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Home </> About </about/index.html> News </about/news/index.html> Surgeon General Issues New Advisory About E�ects Social Media Use Has on Youth Mental He…
Surgeon General Issues New Advisory About E�ects Social Media Use Has on Youth Mental Health
Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy Urges Action to Ensure Social Media Environments are Healthy and Safe, as Previously-Advised National Youth Mental Health Crisis Continues
Today, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health – PDF </sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf>. While social media may o�er some benefits, there are ample indicators that social media can also pose a risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. Social media use by young people is nearly universal, with up to 95% of young people ages 13-17 reporting using a social media platform and more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.”
With adolescence and childhood representing a critical stage in brain development that can make young people more vulnerable to harms from social media, the Surgeon General is issuing a call for urgent action by policymakers, technology companies, researchers, families, and young people alike to gain a better understanding of the full impact of social media use, maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of social media platforms, and create safer, healthier online environments to protect children. The Surgeon General’s Advisory is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) ongoing e�orts to support President Joe Biden’s whole-of-government strategy to transform mental health care for all Americans.
“The most common question parents ask me is, ‘is social media safe for my kids’. The answer is that we don't have enough evidence to say it's safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people’s mental health,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. “Children are exposed to harmful content on social media, ranging from violent and sexual content, to bullying and harassment. And for too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends. We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis – one that we must urgently address.”
Usage of social media can become harmful depending on the amount of time children spend on the platforms, the type of content they consume or are otherwise exposed to, and the degree to which it disrupts activities that are essential for health like sleep and physical activity. Importantly, di�erent children are a�ected by social media in di�erent ways, including based on cultural, historical, and socio-economic factors. Among the benefits, adolescents report that social media helps them feel more accepted (58%), like they have people who can support them through tough times (67%), like they have a place to show their creative side (71%), and more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives (80%).
However, social media use can be excessive and problematic for some children. Recent research shows that adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media face double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety; yet one 2021 survey of teenagers found that, on average, they spend 3.5 hours a day on social media. Social media may also perpetuate body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, social comparison, and low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls. One-third or more of girls aged 11-15 say they feel “addicted” to certain social media platforms and over half of teenagers report that it would be hard to give up social media. When asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% of adolescents aged 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse, 40% said it makes them feel neither better nor worse, and only 14% said it makes them feel better. Additionally, 64% of adolescents are “o�en” or “sometimes” exposed to hate-based content through social media. Studies have also shown a relationship between social media use and poor sleep quality, reduced sleep duration, sleep di�iculties, and depression among youth.
While more research is needed to determine the full impact social media use has on nearly every teenager across the country, children and adolescents don’t have the luxury of waiting years until we know the full extent of social media’s e�ects. The Surgeon General’s Advisory o�ers recommendations stakeholders can take to help ensure children and their families have the information and tools necessary to make social media safer for children:
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Policymakers can take steps to strengthen safety standards and limit access in ways that make social media safer for children of all ages, better protect children’s privacy, support digital and media literacy, and fund additional research.
Technology companies can better and more transparently assess the impact of their products on children, share data with independent researchers to increase our collective understanding of the impacts, make design and development decisions that prioritize safety and health – including protecting children’s privacy and better adhering to age minimums – and improve systems to provide e�ective and timely responses to complaints.
Parents and caregivers can make plans in their households such as establishing tech-free zones that better foster in- person relationships, teach kids about responsible online behavior and model that behavior, and report problematic content and activity.
Children and adolescents can adopt healthy practices like limiting time on platforms, blocking unwanted content, being careful about sharing personal information, and reaching out if they or a friend need help or see harassment or abuse on the platforms.
Researchers can further prioritize social media and youth mental health research that can support the establishment of standards and evaluation of best practices to support children’s health.
In concert with the Surgeon General’s Advisory, leaders at six of the nation’s medical organizations have expressed their concern on social media’s e�ects on youth mental health:
“Social media can be a powerful tool for connection, but it can also lead to increased feelings of depression and anxiety – particularly among adolescents. Family physicians are o�en the first stop for parents and families concerned about the physical and emotional health of young people in their lives, and we confront the mental health crisis among youth every day. The American Academy of Family Physicians commends the Surgeon General for identifying this risk for America's youth and joins our colleagues across the health care community in equipping young people and their families with the resources necessary to live healthy, balanced lives.” – Tochi Iroku-Malize, M.D., MPH, MBA, FAAFP, President, American Academy of Family Physicians
“Today’s children and teens do not know a world without digital technology, but the digital world wasn’t built with children’s healthy mental development in mind. We need an approach to help children both on and o�line that meets each child where they are while also working to make the digital spaces they inhabit safer and healthier. The Surgeon General’s Advisory calls for just that approach. The American Academy of Pediatrics looks forward to working with the Surgeon General and other federal leaders on Youth Mental Health and Social Media on this important work.” – Sandy Chung, M.D., FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
“With near universal social media use by America’s young people, these apps and sites introduce profound risk and mental health harms in ways we are only now beginning to fully understand. As physicians, we see firsthand the impact of social media, particularly during adolescence – a critical period of brain development. As we grapple with the growing, but still insu�icient, research and evidence in this area, we applaud the Surgeon General for issuing this important Advisory to highlight this issue and enumerate concrete steps stakeholders can take to address concerns and protect the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents.We continue to believe in the positive benefits of social media, but we also urge safeguards and additional study of the positive and negative biological, psychological, and social e�ects of social media.”— Jack Resneck Jr., M.D., President, American Medical Association
“The first principle of health care is to do no harm – that’s the same standard we need to start holding social media platforms to. As the Surgeon General has pointed out throughout his tenure, we all have a role to play in addressing the youth mental health crisis that we now face as a nation. We have the responsibility to ensure social media keeps young people safe. And as this Surgeon General’s Advisory makes clear, we as physicians and healers have a responsibility to be part of the e�ort to do so.” – Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., CEO and Medical Director, American Psychiatric Association
“The American Psychological Association applauds the Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, a�irming the use of psychological science to reach clear-eyed recommendations that will help keep our youth safe online. Psychological research shows that young people mature at di�erent rates, with some more vulnerable than others to the content and features on many social media platforms. We support the advisory's recommendations and pledge to work with the Surgeon General's O�ice to help build the healthy digital environment that our kids need and deserve.” – Arthur Evans, Jr., Ph.D., Chief Executive O�icer and Executive Vice President, American Psychological Association.
“Social media use by young people is pervasive. It can help them, and all of us, live more connected lives – if, and only if, the appropriate oversight, regulation and guardrails are applied. Now is the moment for policymakers, companies and experts to come together and ensure social media is set up safety-first, to help young users grow and thrive. The Surgeon General’s Advisory about the e�ects of social media on youth mental health issued today lays out a roadmap for us to do so, and it’s critical that we undertake this collective e�ort with care and urgency to help today’s youth.” – Susan L. Polan, Ph.D., Associate Executive Director, Public A�airs and Advocacy, American Public Health Association
The National Parent Teacher Association shared the following:
“Every parent’s top priority for their child is for them to be happy, healthy and safe. We have heard from families who say they need and want information about using social media and devices. This Advisory from the Surgeon General confirms that family engagement on this topic is vital and continues to be one of the core solutions to keeping children safe online and supporting their mental health and well-being.” – Anna King, President of the National Parent Teacher Association.
In December 2021, Dr. Murthy issued a Surgeon General’s Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health – PDF </sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf> calling attention to our national crisis of youth mental health and well-being. Earlier this month, he released a Surgeon General’s Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and
Isolation – PDF </sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf>, where he outlined the profound health consequences of social disconnection and laid out six pillars to increase connection across the country, one of which being the need to reform our digital environments. The new Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health – PDF </sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf> is a continuation of his work to enhance the mental health and well-being of young people across the country.
The full Surgeon General’s Advisory can be read here – PDF </sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-
advisory.pdf>.
For more information about the O�ice of the Surgeon General, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/priorities <http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/priorities>.
###
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other news materials are available at https://www.hhs.gov/news </news>. Like HHS on Facebook , follow HHS on Twitter @HHSgov <https://twitter.com/#!/hhsgov>, and sign up for HHS Email Updates <https://cloud.connect.hhs.gov/subscriptioncenter>. Last revised: May 23, 2023
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Biden-Harris Administration Awards $45.1 Million to Expand Mental Health and Substance Use Services Across the Lifespan </about/news/2024/07/24/biden-harris-administration-awards-45-1-million-expand-mental-health-substance-use-services-across-
lifespan.html>
Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force Announces Recommendations and Best Practices for Safe Internet Use </about/news/2024/07/22/kids-online-health-safety-task-force-announces-recommendations-best-practices-safe-internet-use.html>
Biden-Harris Administration Launching Initiative to Build Multi-state Social Worker Licensure Compact to Increase Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Address Workforce Shortages </about/news/2024/07/16/biden-harris-administration-launching-initiative-build-multi-state-social-worker-licensure-compact-increase-access-
mental-health-substance-disorder-treatment-address-workforce-shortages.html>
The HHS O�ice for Civil Rights Celebrates National Recovery Month </blog/2022/09/01/ocr-celebrates-
national-recovery-month.html>
Please read the attached article. Then summarize and analyze the main points put forward by the author(s). Do you agree or disagree with the author, and what is the basis for your position? Exceptional work would include additional research and thoughtful synthesis of the authors’ ideas with your ideas.
Reference page and Turnitin report is required.
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Journal of Accountancy
Why sustainability information matters to CPAs As demand for ESG data grows, so does the opportunity for accountants to help businesses meet reporting requirements.
By Janis Parthun, CPA June 1, 2024
PHOTO BY AVTG/ADOBE STOCK
As demand for ESG data grows, so does the opportunity for accountants to help businesses meet reporting requirements.
The increasing demand for sustainability data presents an opportunity for accountants and finance professionals. Driven by regulatory pressure and customer and investor demands, public and private businesses are increasingly required to produce environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information.
Public companies face an expanding canon of international, national, and domestic regulatory requirements to report and disclose sustainability and social matters. These requirements extend into supply chains. That means smaller private companies doing business with larger companies will also feel pressure to provide ESG information — because make no mistake, the term ESG may be falling out of favor, but that doesn’t change reporting requirements for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Take, for example, the new rule the Securities Exchange Commission adopted in March 2024, which is on hold for now because the SEC has issued a stay pending judicial review. The climate rule includes GHG emissions disclosure requirements and requirements to obtain independent assurance for the numbers reported. (See the chart “US Regulations,” below.)
Companies are encountering rising demand for incorporating ESG issues into their strategies and business models and are being held accountable to achieve their goals, because ESG-related information affects the cost of capital, risk management, and employee sentiment, as well as customer requirements through the supply chains.
Recent studies from McKinsey and NielsenIQ show that consumers are shifting their spending toward products that claim to be environmentally and socially responsible; products labeled “eco-friendly,” “fair trade,” and “environmentally sustainable” have averaged higher cumulative growth over a five-year period. Also, this past year, the European Banking Authority (EBA) proposed requirements to include environmental and social risk considerations in bank reserves and encourage the inclusion of environmental and social factors as part of external credit assessments by credit rating agencies.
For accountants and finance professionals, this presents a significant opportunity to use their financial reporting skills, help interpret the implications around reporting ESG-related data, advise companies to prepare for the assurance requirements, or be the preferred assurance partner for ESG-related information.
REGULATORY PRESSURES TO REPORTING AND OPERATIONS
GHG emissions are accounted for as direct emissions, also known as Scope 1, which are controlled by a company, and indirect emissions, which are divided into two distinct types. Scope 2 emissions are generated by the production of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling that a company purchases. Emissions generated by external parties a company uses to create and deliver products or services are referred to as part of the value chain, or Scope 3 emissions. (See the sidebar “Regulatory Demands Are Deepening Transparency,” near the bottom of this article.)
Indirect emissions from a company’s supply chain may be significant. On average, they amount to 11.4 times a company’s direct emissions, according to CDP, a not-for-profit that helps investors, companies, and governmental entities manage their environmental impact disclosures.
As public companies are required to disclose appropriately, here are some key regulations to provide perspective of how private companies are also affected:
In March 2024, the SEC adopted rules requiring public companies and companies in public offerings to provide climate-related disclosures. Large accelerated filers will have to initially disclose climate-related activities for fiscal years beginning in 2025 (to be filed in 2026) but have additional time to report Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions in the following year. Limited assurance requirements will apply to fiscal years beginning in 2029 (to be completed in 2030) and reasonable assurance four years after. Applicable accelerated filers will follow with disclosure of Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions for fiscal years beginning in 2028, with limited assurance three years after and exempt on reasonable assurance requirements. (See the chart “US Regulations.”)
The California Senate is also pushing for companies to report and disclose organizations’ climate impact. California recently enacted two laws requiring companies to report their carbon emissions–related activities (Cal. S.B. 253 and Cal. S.B. 261). These rules also apply to public and private companies that “do business in California,” which will likely be determined by payroll or sales taxes in the future. And the requirement to first report in 2026 means gathering 2025 data, which is less than a year away. (See the chart “US Regulations.”)
On the international front, the push for broader regulations on ESG-related disclosures is happening quickly and advancing further than in the United States. (See the chart “International Regulations,” below.) First, there is the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), which was created by the IFRS Foundation, a public interest
organization that develops globally acceptable accounting — and now sustainability — standards. The ISSB issued two standards in June 2023, which are mandated if a country or jurisdictional authority decides that companies should comply. Brazil was one of the first countries to announce its adoption of the standards.
In the European Union (EU), the European Commission adopted a new rule, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), that requires companies to publish detailed information on sustainability matters. The objective is to increase a company’s accountability and prevent divergent sustainability standards. This rule has a significant ask: 10 specific topical areas to report, spanning from climate to workforce to business conduct.
One of the biggest challenges organizations will continue to face in 2024 is navigating the complex ecosystem of regulations and standards related to ESG and climate-related reporting disclosures from different regulatory or organizational bodies, each communicating some element of reporting standards or requirements. Companies are pushing for consolidation or alignment from the regulatory bodies, and we are seeing some progress. For example, the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework is now under the oversight of the ISSB standards in 2024.
COLLECTING AND BUILDING TRUST IN ESG DATA
Collecting ESG data to perform calculations or understanding if the data is reliably complete and accurate can be challenging for organizations. Accountants and finance professionals can help tackle these challenges.
For example, an organization may be in an early stage of reporting ESG-related metrics, e.g., a private company or a company in a middle market obtaining data from external parties. That data could include, for example, power usage from leased buildings, with the data obtained through property management; refrigerant usage from HVAC systems of buildings owned, with the data collected when the external party comes in to service the equipment or building; or for a company in the food industry, having to obtain supplier data from, say, farms of all sizes to determine Scope 3 emissions. Because this data comes from third parties, some estimation approach may be necessary.
Once the data is collected, there may be data quality issues. The quality of information reported may be inconsistent across an organization or have varying degrees of reliability — which can happen in public and private companies.
Incorporating governance and risk management into processes can ease stakeholder concerns around data quality and manage reputational risk for the company. Leveraging technology to automate and streamline processes can also be beneficial. But building internal controls into an organization’s ESG reporting efforts would elevate the trust around what is being reported out and minimize risks if your organization intends to undertake an audit.
Accountants and finance professionals can provide process structures for sustainability reporting. This could include developing standard processes for data collection with associated reviewers and workflow with signoff functions; building similar support structures such as a collaboration site to centralize communication of requirements with dates, processes, and sources; and training.
The same holds true for operational reporting, as organizations are setting goals and targets to monitor and working across multiple stakeholders. Finance professionals can bring structure and precision to the process outcome.
They can also play a role in educating nonfinancial process or data owners, who may not have been involved in regulatory reporting or an audit, to strive for or achieve the level of detail and quality of information expected.
ESTABLISHING GOVERNANCE, OVERSIGHT, AND RISK MANAGEMENT
To have a purposeful ESG program, it is essential to have a governance structure to manage the ecosystem of ESG information across functions, minimize associated organizational risks, and make decisions appropriately and timely. Organizations should also have a governance structure at the management level, with committees or working groups established to have a formal management oversight structure, reporting lines, and accountability.
These are key internal control principles and focus elements to governing ESG matters, such as the assignment of responsibility over ESG disclosures and control considerations over the completeness and accuracy of the metrics disclosed.
As the governance and oversight matures, the ESG-related information disclosed can be increasingly audit ready for independent assurance purposes. The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) issued supplemental guidance (https://www.coso.org/new-icsr) last year for organizations to achieve
effective internal control over sustainability reporting (ICSR), using the globally recognized COSO Internal Control — Integrated Framework (ICIF).
Governance includes having board oversight. This is a key component to disclose in a number of regulatory requirements, but not all board members are comfortable with ESG topics, particularly around environmental risks or how to best provide oversight. According to a recent survey from the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence and business management consultants WTW, 75% of board members said a coherent ESG strategy with clear priorities helps create organizational value and stronger financial outcomes, and 48% said there are opportunities to improve education on how to address environmental concerns.
To have board oversight, board members charged with oversight responsibilities regarding sustainable business will also need to have the knowledge base and skill set to be effective, and this is where education is key to addressing possible knowledge gaps. Education and understanding the topic at hand are key components of effective board oversight.
As an organization may have a significant number of data points reported, it’s important to prioritize what information disclosed may be at a higher risk, have the policies and procedures to support current processes, and have checks and balances or segregation of duties in the processes. It’s also important to use relevant information and create a traceable audit trail that can incorporate review and approval processes, so that the information is meaningful and represents a company’s actual underlying activities. The other aspect is to have a monitoring system that can support a strategic reassessment and help a company reflect on its commitment on a periodic basis.
There is an increasing need for a cross-functional leader who can be the partner to the sustainability office and across the various business units or divisional leaders to form the necessary governance structure and establish accountability across functions. This function, sometimes referred to as sustainability controllership, has an essential responsibility to contribute to higher-quality ESG-related disclosures.
Companies are the most successful when the governance structure, ownership, and accountability exist to successfully execute on these reporting efforts and address the regulatory requirements.
Regulatory demands are deepening transparency
To slow the rise in global temperatures, regulatory demands focus on more transparency around disclosing greenhouse gas emissions. That includes direct emissions generated by sources controlled or owned by an organization (Scope 1), purchased utilities that generate emissions (Scope 2), and indirect emissions generated by activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization (Scope 3). (See the graphic, “Scopes and Emissions Across the Value Chain,” below.)
About the author
Janis Parthun, CPA, is vice president of project consulting services and a thought leader for finance, accounting, and risk, and ESG reporting at RGP, a global business consultancy. She is based in San Francisco. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Jeff Drew at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
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Articles
“Sustainability Reporting, Assurance Rates on the Rise Globally (https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2024/feb/sustainability-reporting-assurance-rates-on-the- rise-globally.html),” JofA, Feb. 22, 2024
“How Accounting Leaders Can Embrace ESG for a Strategic Advantage (https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2023/oct/how-accounting-leaders-can-embrace-esg-for-a- strategic-advantage.html),” JofA, Oct. 1, 2023
“The Key Role Accountants Will Play in the Shifting Definition of Value (https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/podcast/cpa-news-the-key-role-accountants-will-play-shifting- definition-value.html),” JofA, June 29, 2023
“Understanding the Opportunities Presented by ESG (https://www.fm- magazine.com/podcast/understanding-the-opportunities-presented-by-esg.html),” FM magazine, April 19, 2023
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