Mental health services for children and adolescents from the states' perspective is the topic of this document. The introduction provides statistics on mental health service needs and utilization in this population, while highlighting underserved needs. The history of mental health services provision and funding is traced from isolated state…

In light of reduced or eliminated federal funding, this report discusses mental health services provisions. The history of mental health service funding is presented. Funding responsibility is traced from communities, to states, to private health insurance, to federal assistance, to community provision with state and federal funds, and finally to…

This issue of "The Bookmark" contains 23 essays examining the challenges facing public library trustees and changing community needs. Topics considered include: the role of the trustee, fund raising, lobbying and the legislative process, library building programs, library automation, literacy, intellectual freedom, information access, preschool…

The amount of state legislation dealing with child care issues has significantly increased in the last 5 years. This report focuses on state strategies for expanding and improving the child care system through incentives and support for employers and providers. State policymakers are exploring partnerships of public and private resources for…

Examined are recent legislative initiatives related to the problem of adolescent pregnancy and parenting. A 50-state survey was conducted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), and each state's legislative research agency provided information on bills and acts from the 1986 and 1987 legislative sessions, as well as programs and…

This theme issue includes five articles that focus on educational policy in the Texas legislature in relation to student retention, Internet access, and sexual harassment. "1999 Texas Legislative Session--End of an Era?" (Albert Cortez, Maria Robledo Montecel) examines educational equity issues facing legislators: school funding,…

The mental health policies of the past 20 years and the evidence of unserved populations suffering from serious mental illness constitute a public health crisis. Currently there are at least 3,000,000 people in the United States suffering from mental disorders. A fully developed continuum of care is needed to respond effectively to the diverse…

Many mentally ill children, especially those who are seriously disturbed, are not receiving the mental health care they need. Although the federal government offers financing to the states for child and adolescent mental health programming, the primary responsibility for financing mental health services has been assumed by state governments. At…

An overview is presented of the mechanisms for financial support, institutional resources, and institutional accountability that are needed to improve the teaching and learning environment in the California community colleges. Introductory material outlines the educational reforms that have affected the colleges, underscores the need to reaffirm…

This journal issue highlights examples of state and local child care advocacy strategies that have resulted in positive legislative change or increased funding for low-income child care. Legal constraints on lobbying by nonprofit or public agencies due to limitations imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and public and private funding…

"Grapevine" presents timely data on state tax legislation, state appropriations for universities, colleges, and junior colleges, and legislation affecting education beyond the high school. This compilation presents issues of "Grapevine," published between 1977 and 1988, containing such articles on community colleges as: (1) "State 2-Year Colleges…

For certain groups of the mentally ill, most notably individuals with serious mental disabilities, the community-based mental health system can be more of a "non-system." Unforeseen problems have plagued both the dream of deinstitutionalization and the effectiveness of community mental health centers during the last 20 years. Uncoordinated…

These newsletters are produced by Voices for Illinois Children, a child advocacy group that works to make kids "count" in Illinois and to ensure that the basic needs of all children, families, and communities are met. The spring 1996 issue provides membership information and network news, as well as articles addressing the following…

Historically, the financial responsibility for caring for those with mental illness has shifted back and forth from the local community, to the state, to the federal government. Today states provide the vast majority of the funds to the state mental health agencies and oversee local governments and most private resources for mental health funding.…

This issue of the "Nevada Public Affairs Review" focused primarily on the politics of state taxing and spending in Nevada. The articles present several aspects of this topic, including a comparison of taxation in Nevada with that in other states, an analysis of the growth of the gaming industry in Nevada, an argument for removing…