Objective: The purpose of this research was to (a) find if there were associations between child welfare outcomes and the client-worker relationship and (b) learn what are the predictors of a positive client-worker relationship. Method: 100 (55 Family Maintenance [FM] and 45 Family Preservation [FP]) clients were interviewed in English and Spanish. Pearson's r, t tests, chi-squares, and a regression analysis were conducted. Results: A majority of the participants were Latino single mothers. Higher scores on the Relationship with Worker Instrument were correlated with better outcomes in discipline and emotional care of children (p < .01). FP clients were more satisfied with their workers than routine FM participants (p < .01). Ability to openly communicate (p < .001), frequency of visits (p < .05), and receipt of public assistance (p < .05) were found to be predictors of good client-worker relationships. Conclusions: This assessment indicates that client-worker relationships and open communication matter.

This study compared the psychosocial well-being and functioning of frail elderly people who live alone to those who live with others. An exploratory study was conducted with a sample of 5,265 members of a social HMO in Southern California. Those living alone were more likely to be widowed, female, and European American. Elderly people living with others reported higher levels of depression and poorer functioning. Both groups reported having a social support network, but the sources of support varied. This study contradicts older research with its finding that living alone is not synonymous with depression. Further research is recommended.

A pilot study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and perceived mentoring among 56 mental health supervisors and practitioners in a county mental health agency. Participants completed the Alleman Mentoring Activities Questionnaires and the Job Descriptive Index and Job in General Scale. Practitioners who perceived they were involved in mentoring relationships with supervisors were more satisfied with their jobs than those who perceived that they were not involved in mentoring relationships. The mentoring functions of sponsoring, assigning challenging tasks, and demonstrating trust predicted job satisfaction. Recommendations include incorporating mentoring functions in supervisory training to increase mental health professionals' job satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate an intervention used to train neighborhood leaders about community organizing and to enhance leadership skills. A mixed‐method design was used which included (a) a pre‐ and posttest assessment of 83 participants, and (b) qualitative descriptive interviews of 33 participants. Over half of the participants in the study were from ethnic minority groups (Latino or Cambodian). At posttest assessment, the participants improved in leadership skills (p=.001) and experience (p=.001) subscales. The qualitative interviews revealed that participants continued to be active in their communities by implementing neighborhood programs or starting community organizations. It is recommended that community practitioners and activists support neighborhood leadership programs to foster growth and enrichment in communities, and researchers/practitioners evaluate these projects with multiple methods to broaden scholarship in this important arena. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.