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Assessment Framework (assessment + framework)
Selected AbstractsDisabled children (0,3 years) and integrated services , the impact of Early SupportHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 3 2008Alys Young PhD MSc BA(Hons) CQSW Abstract Early Support (ES) is the flagship government programme aimed at improving multi-agency working with, and supporting enhanced outcomes for, children with a disability 0,3 years and their families. This paper draws on results from the recently completed Department for Education and Skills commissioned national evaluation of ES involving 46 pathfinder projects throughout England. Data were collected by survey at two points in time (9 months apart), by focus groups with service providers and parents, and through secondary data analyses, including exploratory economic evaluation. This paper outlines some of the key findings pertaining to the relationship between integrated children's services and the impact of ES. As such, we address three concerns: what the evidence from ES can tell us about the relationships between universal and targeted provision within integrated children's service structures, the relationship between specific short-term initiatives and their longer-term sustainability within integrated children's services structures and the potential costs and benefits of ES looking forward to its implementation on a national basis within an integrated children's services environment. Although focused primarily on children with a disability in the early years, implications will be drawn for the implementation of Lead Professional Guidance and the Common Assessment Framework more generically. [source] Maintaining a focus on the child?CHILD ABUSE REVIEW, Issue 4 2002First impressions of the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need, their Families in cases of child neglect Abstract The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families is guidance introduced by the Department of Health in England to improve assessment practice and promote better outcomes for children and their families. This paper considers ways in which the Assessment Framework can improve assessment practice in cases of child neglect. However, as with any national guidance, its effectiveness is dependent on local approaches to implementation. The author has undertaken practice development work around implementation with senior managers and frontline staff in area child protection committees (ACPCs) and social services departments. These experiences are used to explore the local issues and tensions encountered by both practitioners and managers responsible for implementing the Assessment Framework. An argument is made that these issues and tensions if not addressed can result in distorted assessments that lose the focus on the child. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Assessing environmental risks of transgenic plantsECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2006D. A. Andow Abstract By the end of the 1980s, a broad consensus had developed that there were potential environmental risks of transgenic plants requiring assessment and that this assessment must be done on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the transgene, recipient organism, intended environment of release, and the frequency and scale of the intended introduction. Since 1990, there have been gradual but substantial changes in the environmental risk assessment process. In this review, we focus on changes in the assessment of risks associated with non-target species and biodiversity, gene flow, and the evolution of resistance. Non-target risk assessment now focuses on risks of transgenic plants to the intended local environment of release. Measurements of gene flow indicate that it occurs at higher rates than believed in the early 1990s, mathematical theory is beginning to clarify expectations of risks associated with gene flow, and management methods are being developed to reduce gene flow and possibly mitigate its effects. Insect pest resistance risks are now managed using a high-dose/refuge or a refuge-only strategy, and the present research focuses on monitoring for resistance and encouraging compliance to requirements. We synthesize previous models for tiering risk assessment and propose a general model for tiering. Future transgenic crops are likely to pose greater challenges for risk assessment, and meeting these challenges will be crucial in developing a scientifically coherent risk assessment framework. Scientific understanding of the factors affecting environmental risk is still nascent, and environmental scientists need to help improve environmental risk assessment. [source] Operationalizing governability: a case study of a Lake Malawi fisheryFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 3 2010Andrew Moonseok Song Abstract Governability is seen as an adjustment process between governing needs and governing capacities. Understanding these two aspects and the interplay between them in a governance setting would pave a way for managing the pervasive difficulties confronting fisheries. In this study, we demonstrate how to operationalize the concept of governability by applying governability assessment framework to an inland fishery in the Southeast Arm of Lake Malawi. First, the needs and the demands of the natural and socio-economic aspects of the lake fishery system are examined according to four properties , diversity, complexity, dynamics and scale. Similarly, the capacities of the governing system are assessed. The characteristics of the governing interactions between these systems are next explored to provide a basis for improving governability. Assessment findings produce a systematic and holistic image of the fishery, and offer some insights into key governance issues and processes. In the Southeast Arm fishery, these include taking a close look at the internal, normative drivers of illegal fishing to ease the socio-economic complexity and streamlining the institutional structure to boost governing capacity. [source] Learning to recognize vulnerable patterns due to undesirable Zone-3 relay operationsIEEJ TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Issue 3 2009Koji Yamashita Member Abstract Undesirable zone 3 relay operations caused by unexpected loading conditions can contribute to the cascaded events, leading to catastrophic outages. Identifying the basic patterns of zone 3 relay operations in advance is an effective way to help prevent cascaded events. The postcontingency impedances seen by zone 3 relays can be calculated on line in a steady state security assessment framework. However, their accuracy is inadequate compared with the postcontingency apparent impedance obtained from off-line time domain dynamic simulations. This paper proposes a fuzzy inference system (FIS) to correct discrepancies between the postcontingency apparent impedances obtained from the results of steady state security assessment and the corresponding values obtained by time-domain simulations. The postcontingency apparent impedances obtained from the results of steady state security assessment can be corrected on line using correction terms provided by the FIS. The dynamic model of a 200-bus system is used to validate the performance of the proposed FIS. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] A sustainability assessment of a health equity fund initiative in CambodiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Bart Jacobs Abstract All but one of the health equity funds (HEFs) currently operating in Cambodia, introduced to address the adverse effects of low user fee exemption rates, rely heavily on external funding and have high administrative overheads. This article reports on a study of one type of HEF, based in Kirivong Operational Health District (KOD) and operated through local pagoda structures, which demonstrates minimal reliance on external funding and low administrative overheads. We utilize an adapted sustainability assessment framework to assess the ability of pagoda structures to enable financial access for the poorest to public sector health services. We further analyse the strengths and limitations of the pagoda-managed equity fund initiative, with a view to assessing not only its sustainability but its potential for replication in other settings. Our study shows that, against key sustainability indicators (health service utilization and health outcomes; management capacity and financial viability; community mobilization and government support), the pagoda-managed equity fund initiative scores well. However, it is evident that some external financial support is needed to allow the HEFs to function effectively. We conclude with recommendations for replicating the initiative, which include working innovatively with indigenous grassroots organizations to enhance community HEF ownership and to keep administrative overheads low. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A health protection model for Hispanic adults with Type 2 diabetesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7b 2007Christine L Latham RN Aims., The Hispanic Health Protection Model (HHPM) was designed to assist practitioners' systematic assessment of Hispanic people to establish baselines and evaluate the success of early diabetes treatment. This article provides the research basis of the HHPM and related assessment tools. Background., The treatment of diabetes incorporates lifestyle change, and this adjustment is particularly important to follow with vulnerable groups. One such group is the Hispanic population, since the impact of diabetes is greatest on economically disadvantaged segments of this population, who suffer disproportionately higher Type 2 diabetes prevalence and higher levels of morbidity and mortality as compared with other populations. Traditional Hispanic health beliefs are often in conflict with Western medicine, so the adjustments to the lifestyle demands of this disease need to be evaluated. Methods., To understand this discrepancy fully in patient outcomes, a culturally sensitive assessment framework was developed based on health protection theories and research with Hispanic people with diabetes and, based on this framework, assessment tools were translated for use during interviews with low literacy, Spanish-speaking patients. Conclusions., The HHPM translated measures of premorbid lifestyle, health beliefs, support, self-efficacy, quality of life, knowledge of diabetes, and physiological parameters can be used during consecutive clinic visits during the first six months of therapy to map the success of patients' understanding of and psychological adjustment to diabetes. Relevance to clinical practice., The HHPM is a culturally-relevant, systematic, and holistic approach to assessing adjustment of Hispanic people to a new diagnosis of diabetes, including their psychological, cognitive, and physiological outcomes. Using this type of systematic approach will allow practitioners to target barriers to therapy, such as a lack of self-efficacy or incomplete knowledge of the disease and its treatment in a strategic manner to improve patient success in managing the complex lifestyle changes of diabetes mellitus. [source] A multimodal behavioral approach to performance anxietyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 8 2004Arnold A. Lazarus Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) stresses a trimodal assessment framework (affect, behavior, and cognition [ABC]), whereas the multimodal approach assesses seven discrete but interactive components,behavior, affect, sensation, imagery, cognition, interpersonal relationships, and drugs/biological factors (BASIC I.D.). Only complex or recalcitrant cases call for the entire seven-pronged range of multimodal interventions. Various case illustrations are offered as examples of how a clinician might proceed when confronted with problems that fall under the general heading of performance anxiety. The main example is of a violinist in a symphony orchestra whose career was in serious jeopardy because of his extreme fear of performing in public. He responded very well to a focused but elaborate desensitization procedure. The hierarchy that was eventually constructed contained many dimensions and subhierarchies featuring interlocking elements that evoked his anxiety. In addition to imaginal systematic desensitization, sessions were devoted to his actual performance in the clinical setting. As a homework assignment, he found it helpful to listen to a long-playing record of an actual rehearsal and to play along with the world-renowned orchestra and conductor. The subsequent disclosure by the client of an important sexual problem was dealt with concomitantly by using a fairly conventional counseling procedure. Therapy required 20 sessions over a 3-month period. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol/In Session. [source] COMPROMISE PROGRAMMING METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING INSTREAM FLOW UNDER MULTIOBJECTIVE WATER ALLOCATION CRITERIA,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 5 2006Jenq-Tzong Shiau ABSTRACT: This paper presents a quantitative assessment framework for determining the instream flow under multiobjective water allocation criteria. The Range of Variability Approach (RVA) is employed to evaluate the hydrologic alterations caused by flow diversions, and the resulting degrees of alteration for the 32 Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHAs) are integrated as an overall degree of hydrologic alteration. By including this index in the objective function, it is possible to optimize the water allocation scheme using compromise programming to minimize the hydrologic alteration and water supply shortages. The proposed methodology is applied to a case study of the Kaoping diversion weir in Taiwan. The results indicate that the current release of 9.5 m3/s as a minimum instream flow does not effectively mitigate the highly altered hydrologic regime. Increasing the instream flow would reduce the overall degree of hydrologic alteration; however, this is achieved at the cost of increasing the water supply shortages. The effects on the optimal instream flow of the weighting factors assigned to water supplies and natural flow variations are also investigated. With equal weighting assigned to the multiple objectives, the optimal instream flow of 26 m3/s leads to a less severely altered hydrologic regime, especially for those low-flow characteristics, thereby providing a better protection of the riverine environment. [source] Quantitative assessment of the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular risk-benefit of celecoxib compared to individual NSAIDs at the population level,,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 4 2007Cristina Varas-Lorenzo MD Abstract Purpose To estimate the net cardiovascular (CV) (coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure), and gastrointestinal (GI) (peptic ulcer complications) risk-benefit public health impact of the use of celecoxib compared to non-selective NSAIDs in the arthritis population. Methods We applied discrete event simulation models to data from the US National Health Surveys, CV risk-prediction models from the Framingham Heart Study, and population-based studies. Models took into account the multifactorial effect of risk factors, comorbidity, and competing risk of mortality. We simulated the natural history of CV and GI disease in the U.S. arthritis population over 1 year, through the individual baseline cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risk profile. This model was modified with relative risks associated with the use of each treatment. The mean number of events was estimated for each end-point in each model: natural history, celecoxib, diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen. The number of events for celecoxib was compared with each NSAID. Results The evaluation included 1% of the U.S. population with arthritis. Celecoxib, when applied to 100,000 patients over 1 year, resulted in 570 (range from sensitivity analysis: 440,691), 226 (124,313), and 746 (612,868) fewer ulcer complications than diclofenac, ibuprofen, and naproxen, respectively. There were 20 (16,25), 8 (4,12), and 27 (22,32) fewer deaths from ulcer complications, respectively. No increase in cardiovascular events or all cause mortality was observed for celecoxib versus the other individual NSAIDs. Conclusion Results from these simulations suggest a gastrointestinal benefit for celecoxib not offset by increased cardiovascular events or mortality. The methodology used here provides a risk-benefit assessment framework for evaluating the public heath impact of drugs. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Radical innovation: triggering initiation of opportunity recognition and evaluationR & D MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2001Mark Rice The gap between a firm's reservoir of technical knowledge and the formation of a project to explore the commercial potential of a breakthrough technical insight or discovery is the first major discontinuity in the radical innovation lifecycle. The first step toward bridging that gap occurs when the researcher with the technical insight recognizes that it might have commercial potential and decides to alert a research manager. In our longitudinal study of eight radical innovation projects in six large, multi-national, R&D-intensive firms, the initiation of a radical innovation project was neither frequent nor routine. In fact the participants in the study indicated that the initiation of a project , in their terminology, the ,fuzzy front end of innovation', was the most challenging and uncertain part of the lifecycle. In this paper we explore the case data to illuminate the nature of the initiation gap. In addition we present an assessment framework that can help researchers decide whether or not to bring their technical idea to the attention of management. If the decision is positive, the assessment tool can help them prepare for the discussion with management and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the case to submitted for evaluation. [source] Empirically informed approaches to topics in suicide risk assessmentBEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW, Issue 5 2004LaRicka R. Wingate M.S. The purpose of this article is to approach topics in suicide risk assessment from a scientifically informed standpoint. We summarize and elaborate a general framework for an empirically supported best practice recommendation in evaluating suicide potential and minimizing risk. This risk assessment framework provides a concise heuristic for assessment of suicidal symptoms, points the way to relatively routinized clinical decision-making and activity, and is compatible with best practices relevant to the legalities of suicide risk assessment. Having established a general and scientifically based framework for risk assessment, we go on to address the other questions noted above, with reference to the framework and to our ongoing scientific work. We conclude by summarizing all the work and providing clear and concise clinical recommendations based thereon. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Assessment in a specialist referred family centre: outcomes for childrenCHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 5 2001Andrew Pithouse Relatively little is known about the outcomes of assessment as an information gathering mechanism as well as a therapeutic encounter in which service users explore and share their problems. Assessment in child welfare is now a highly topical issue given the new assessment framework recently introduced to England and which is currently a matter of consultation in Wales. In contributing to a long running debate over ,what works' in child protection assessment and intervention, a United Kingdom national voluntary child care agency commissioned the authors to undertake a three year outcomes study of a child and family assessment service provided by their specialist referred family centre in South Wales. The paper sets out selected findings that reveal an assessment regimen which encouraged partnership, enjoyed a comparatively high level of engagement particularly from male parents/carers, and was perceived by adult users as positive. It promoted clear decision making about the placement of children. Also, children involved in these assessments appeared to be exposed to low risk of re-abuse compared to other relevant studies. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||