Letting Go of the Harness for the Last Time: A Descriptive Realism Approach to Exploring the Ending of Working Relationships with Guide Dogs

In this research, I use a combination of feminist methodology and descriptive realism to explore my experiences and the experiences of other totally blind individuals who have ended working relationships with guide dogs. Little research has been done on the approximately eight thousand blind people who are partnered with guide dogs in the United States (Eames & Eames, 2004). A primary goal of this qualitative study is to give voice to the unique narratives of people whose experiences are rarely explored in academic literature (Contreras, 2003; Schneider, 2005). I blend information I gathered during interviews with five blind authors and ten blind participants with my autoethnography to illustrate how concepts can be applied to broader social issues, such as policies at agencies that provide guide dogs to blind individuals (Denzin, 2001; Ellis, 2002)

Spatial and seasonal relationships between Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) and their prey, at multiple scales

Knowing where pinnipeds forage is vital to managing and protecting their populations, and for assessing potential interactions with fisheries. We assessed the spatial relationship between the seasonal distribution of Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) outfitted with satellite transmitters and the seasonal distributions of potential harbor seal prey species in San Francisco Bay, California. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated between the number of harbor seal locations in an area of the San Francisco Bay and the abundance of specific prey species in the same area. The influence of scale on the analyses was assessed by varying the scale of analysis from 1 to 10 km. There was consistency in the prey species targeted by harbor seals year-round, although there were seasonal differences between the most important prey species. The highest correlations between harbor seals and their prey were found for seasonally abundant benthic species, located within about 10 km of the primary haul-out site. Probable foraging habitat for harbor seals was identified, based on areas with high abundances of prey species that were strongly correlated with harbor seal distribution. With comparable local data inputs, this approach has potential application to pinniped management in other areas, and to decisions about the location of marine reserves designed to protect these species

Desire Denied: A Bibliographic Overview of Sexual Inequality and Blind Women

This literature review examines social science research on blind women’s experiences with sexual relationships. The findings suggest that socially constructed barriers marginalize blind women, often resulting in blind women being labeled as asexual. The intersection of able-ism and sexism positions many blind women as outsiders who do not possess sexual attractiveness. After discussing perspectives that examine socially constructed barriers rather than biological barriers to blind women’s sexuality, the paper reviews some consequences of denied sexuality, such as exclusion from heterosexual and homosexual relationships and increased risk of violence. The paper concludes with suggestions on how to challenge socially constructed barriers and a call for further on blind women’s experiences with sexual relationships

Partnering with Medicaid to Advance and Sustain the Goals of the Child Welfare System

The purpose of this paper is to serve as a practical guide for child welfare directors who are looking to expand or sustain services for the children and families that they serve. This paper focuses on ways to partner with Medicaid to leverage opportunities to provide high quality services for children in child welfare who have behavioral health needs. It also includes information that will provide a foundational understanding of the behavioral health needs of children involved with the child welfare system, with an emphasis on describing child behavior through the lens of child development, adaptive functioning, and trauma; the services that can effectively address those behavioral and trauma related responses that can disrupt a child's skills and abilities; and, examples from states and counties who are providing these services and supports

Independent Effects of Paternal Involvement and Maternal Mental Illness on Child Outcomes

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89957/1/father_involvement.pd