Preparing the child welfare workforce: Organizational commitment, identity, and desire to stay.

BACKGROUND: Since 1995, Colorado has had a Title IV-E child welfare Stipend Program, most recently involving four universities in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services. OBJECTIVE: A ten-year cohort study was conducted to understand program graduates' experiences with organizational commitment, the impact of stipends on child welfare professional identity and desire to remain in the child welfare field. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The mixed methods evaluation involved 245 stipend graduates from 2006 to 2016 from Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs and included an online survey and focus groups. RESULTS: Results indicate stipend graduates remained in the workforce beyond payback periods, felt prepared for the job, appreciated the skills and networks gained from their programs, and expressed gratitude for the financial assistance. Graduates identified workforce factors including peer support, supervisor support, and mobility in the agency as key retention sources for remaining in child welfare.

Abortion care for adolescent and young women.

BACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancy among adolescents (10-19years) and young women (20-24years) is a global public health problem. Adolescents face challenges in accessing safe abortion care. OBJECTIVE: To determine, via a systematic data review, whether abortion care for adolescent and young women differs clinically from that for older women. METHODS: In a comprehensive data review, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and POPLINE databases were searched from the earliest data entered until November 2012. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing effectiveness, safety, acceptability, and long-term sequelae of abortion care between adolescent/young women and older women were identified. Two reviewers independently extracted data, and the Cochrane guidelines and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used for quality assessment. RESULTS: In total, there were 25 studies including 346 000 women undergoing first- and second-trimester medical abortion, vacuum aspiration, or dilation and evacuation. Effectiveness and overall complications were similar among age groups. However, younger women had an increased risk for cervical laceration and a decreased risk of uterine perforation and mortality. Satisfaction and long-term depression were similar between age groups. Except for less uptake of intrauterine devices among adolescents, age did not affect post-abortion contraception. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from various healthcare systems indicates that abortion is safe and efficacious among adolescent and young women. Clinical services should promote access to safe abortion for adolescents.