Call for Papers  

Journal of Indigenous Social Development 

Deadline: ongoing 

The peer reviewed, biannual online Journal of Indigenous Social Development (JISD) is dedicated to improving social welfare practice and expanding knowledge relevant to indigenous peoples and the communities in which they live. All JISD articles will be published exclusively in this open-access electronic journal. The JISD aims to: 

-Bring to light new paradigms and conceptions of social work practice and research in the service of indigenous peoples worldwide and the communities in which they live. 

-Provide a forum for scholars and community practitioners committed to approaches which re-empower indigenous ways and sustainability practices. 

-Establish connections between social workers, interdisciplinary practitioners and diverse disciplines committed to sustainable practices benefiting mankind. 

Click here for more information.

 

Call for Papers
Humboldt Journal of Social Relations
Deadline: September 15, 2012
Current Perspectives on Marijuana and Society
This special issue of the Humboldt Journal of Social Relations (HJSR) features current research into marijuana production, control, and use. The issue welcomes university affiliated submissions as well as submissions from those associated with marijuana policy. The Co-Directors of the newly formed Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research will be offering an overall reflection on the issue. Submissions are due on September 15, 2012 and invited in the following areas
-Marijuana Policy Options - Critical Examination of Legalization, decriminalization, harm reduction, depenalization, taxation/regulation, and land use
-Marijuana Production and Use - Environmental/ecological and economic impacts, as well as mental health issues and social norms and attitudes
-Marijuana Control - Local, State, and Federal interdiction/regulation initiatives
-Open Submissions - Current Perspectives on Marijuana and Society
Click here for more information. 

Call for Abstracts
Beyond the risk paradigm? Restoring the client's place in human service intervention
Children and Youth Services Review
Deadline: September 17, 2012 (abstracts)
Special Issue Editors: Aron Shlonsky, Nicky Stanley and Marie Connolly
In the past two decades notions of risk have influenced practice in many areas of human service delivery. In 2012 a group of experts across the fields of child protection, mental health and criminal justice came together in a colloquium to explore the potential of moving beyond the risk paradigm that has dominated practice in recent years. The colloquium was an opportunity to examine the ways in which notions of risk influence practice, how it can hinder good professional practice, and what can be done to create change. It was clear throughout the colloquium discussion that tensions exist between society's need to assess, understand, and effectively mitigate risk, and the need to engage children, young people and families within processes that address their concerns and uphold their rights as citizens. It was acknowledged that the tension generated by these potentially competing positions sometimes create dichotomous perspectives that have the  potential to hinder innovative practice developments and the capacity for practitioners to manage the delicate risk balance in practice. This special issue of Children and Youth Services Review will seek to extend the discussions relating to the risk paradigm beyond the critique that has featured strongly in the literature over recent decades. The editors are seeking manuscripts that stretch the conversations about risk within practice and policy, and provide new insights into knowledge building within the context of humane and engaging interventions. Research-based articles as well as conceptual works are welcome in this special edition. Prospective authors should submit abstracts by 17 September 2012 to NStanley@uclan.ac.uk. Abstracts should be a maximum of 500 words, typed and double-spaced, in a Microsoft Word or compatible text format. The abstract should clearly identify the topic of the article, a rationale in terms of its significance, the methodology used to address the topic, and a brief statement relating to its contribution to the special edition. Abstracts will be reviewed and potential articles for the special edition will be selected by 26 October 2012. Those authors who are invited to submit full articles will need to have the articles completed and returned to the editors by 1 March 2013. The special edition is planned for publication late in 2013. An invitation to submit a paper is not a guarantee of publication. The journal's guide for authors is available here. For additional information contact the editors at: NStanley@uclan.ac.uk; aron.shlonsky@utoronto.ca; marie.connolly@unimelb.edu.au. 

Call for Abstracts
Public Health Preparedness Summit
Deadline: August 31, 2012
(From the ASPH Friday Letter)
The 2013 Public Health Preparedness Summit Planning Committee is seeking abstracts for presentation at the nation's largest gathering of public health preparedness professionals. The Public Health Preparedness Summit offers an opportunity to showcase the best practice training models, tools, or other important resources that illustrate proven results in building and sustaining public health preparedness at the local, state, tribal, or national level. Click here to read more. 

Center for Family Strengths Third Annual Family Symposium 

Community Partnerships and Programs for Evidence Based Child and Family Well-Being 

September 5-6, 2012  

Houston, TX 

The first day of the Symposium will focus on evidenced based programs which enhance child and family well being through parenting programs. The second day will highlight outstanding Harris Country and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services family programs. The family education day of the Symposium will gather a diverse audience and experts to address the parenting and evidence-based prevention strategies as these inform and impact the well-being of the family. The day will emphasize prevention approaches that have been proven effective in four core areas: 1. direct service, including child protection, 2. health, 3. education, and 4. community change. Through engaging presentations, innovative panel discussions involving experts on each topic, breakout sessions and networking opportunities, colleagues will become better acquainted with programs and strategies whose applications will positively contribute to a cohesive and productive overall family well-being. Click here for more information.

The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis for a diverse and expanding social science research community. Below is a selected list of new data collection additions to the ICPSR data archive:
-20361 Impact Evaluation of a Special Session Domestic Violence Intervention Program in Connecticut, 2001-2004
-31441 National Former Prisoner Survey, 2008
-32181 Influence of Eyewitness Memory Factors on Plea Bargaining Decisions by Prosecution and Defense Attorneys in California, 2010-2011
-32447 Surveys of Consumers, June 2003
-33863 Transnational Social Movement Organization Dataset, 1953-2003
-33864 European Union Ministries with Immigration Governance Responsibilities (EU-MIGR), 2010
-33865 Delegate Positions on All Substantive Roll Calls at the United States Constitutional Convention, 1787  
-34015 Afrobarometer Round 4: The Quality of Democracy and Governance in Zimbabwe, 2009
-34222 Eurobarometer 74.1: Poverty and Social Exclusion, Mobile Phone Use, Economic Crisis, and International Trade, August-September 2010
-34296 Older Drug Users: A Life Course Study of Turning Points in Drug Use [in a large Southeastern Metropolitan Area], 2009-2010
-34303 Chicago Male Drug Use and Health Survey (MSM Supplement), 2002-2003
Click here to read more. 

Helping State Medicaid Programs Better Address Women's Health Needs 

A number of state Medicaid agencies are exploring efforts to improve the quality and continuity of health care delivered to women of childbearing age, particularly given the continuing high rates of maternal and infant mortality and preterm births in the United States. In a new issue brief, maternal and child health policy expert Kay Johnson discusses findings from a project sponsored by The Commonwealth Fund and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in which seven state Medicaid agencies identified promising strategies to improve the health of women prior to pregnancy and between pregnancies. The participating states-California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas-also produced a checklist to help other states identify improvement opportunities that fit within their existing approach to Medicaid coverage for women of childbearing age, care delivery models, ongoing quality improvement efforts, and public health resources. Read about it here.