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This article reports the findings from in-depth qualitative interviews with 18 service providers who worked with families facing foreclosure. The interviews' purpose was to better understand a broad range of families' experiences and inductive coding focused on quotes that reflected the meaning of those experiences. The analysis extracted three main themes related to foreclosure representing threat: (a) foreclosure threatened children's education, (b) foreclosure threatened family memories, and (c) foreclosure threatened clients' sense of self and attaining the American Dream. Providers reported that families fought to keep their homes and hoped to buy again after foreclosure. The findings suggest that social work services could be beneficial in helping families navigate the emotional and financial impact of the foreclosure experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ways in which teenagers understand their social environments can be important for social service providers to understand. A cognitive anthropological approach grounded in cultural consensus theory was used to investigate teenagers and social and health service providers in a pilot study in East Cleveland, Ohio (N = 28). The qualitative method of free listing was used to determine the cultural models of popularity, stress, social support, and causes of violence. Teens were also surveyed to examine their levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Consensus was tested and not found in the domains. Teens were found to have above-average rates of stress and anxiety. A greater understanding of the sources of stress and causes of violence is described, along with the clinical, policy, and research implications of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article examines the perspectives and experiences of staff who work for a pilot permanent supportive housing program for families. The program follows Housing First principles by providing supportive housing to chronically homeless families with disabling conditions (typically substance abuse and/or mental health issues). Nine service providers participated in in-depth, semistructured interviews in which they described their experiences with the program, including facilitators and barriers to providing high-quality services for this difficult-to-serve population. The findings indicate that stabilizing families is particularly challenging in part because of the complexity of their needs, both material and instrumental, that are dynamic and ongoing. Implications for practice are discussed, as the Housing First model, established as a best practice for single adults, is applied to families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]