This booklet identifies four critical areas for alcohol and drug abuse prevention strategies: communities, parents and families, schools, and the workplace. Under each area, specific ideas for action and pertinent resource materials are described. The community strategies described include youth organizations, policies and laws, counseling, the…

This paper examines factors associated with meaningful family involvement in program planning for community residential services for individuals with mental retardation. It is argued that personnel in placement settings are often ambivalent about more family involvement. Guidelines for involving families at every stage both before and after…

This article traces the history of transition programs for adolescents with disabilities and the role that transition plays within current reform efforts. Best practices are discussed and strategies for school programs are provided, including individualized planning, involvement of family and support networks, a focus on community outcomes, and…

This document is part of a series of monographs on community-based services for children and adolescents who are severely emotionally disturbed. The series is the product of a national study of community-based service approaches, which identified over 200 programs serving emotionally disturbed children and included visits to several programs…

This publication is intended to help communities take steps to improve the transition to kindergarten for young children with and without disabilities or other special needs in Kansas. The guide covers transition research, elements of effective transition, effective interagency cooperation, information sharing, providing continuity for children…

This monograph provides a framework for programs, states, and organizations to think about the issues in developing culturally competent programs for families of children with special needs, and offers a variety of examples from programs across the country that are providing exemplary services. The monograph is designed to help program makers…

A series of self-study questions is presented to examine policy and practice issues important in developing culturally competent programs for children with special needs and their families. Cultural competence refers to a program's ability to honor and respect the beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes, and behaviors both of families who are…

The social services component of Head Start links family, Head Start, and the community. This document addresses components of Head Start, providing Head Start staff who have social services responsibility with a guide to the provision of services to families. The chapters in the guide are: (1) "Overview of Head Start," including its…

This monograph articulates eight key elements of a family-centered approach to policy and practice for children needing specialized health and developmental services. An introductory section reviews the development of the first edition of the monograph in 1987 and its widespread dissemination and acceptance since that time. Each of the following…

This resource guide contains an annotated listing of high quality resources, including videotapes, books, curricula and other materials, that can be used to assist in developing a more diverse and better prepared workforce to serve infants, toddlers, children and families. It includes: (1) materials that can be used to recruit and support…

This manual on development of transition planning programs/services for high school youth with disabilities and their families is based on the premises that both youth and family members need to be actively involved in every step of the transition planning process, that empowered families can access necessary transition and adult services needed…

This book provides early childhood educators with perspectives and tools that will enable them to strengthen parents and families during the child's earliest year of development. The 25 chapters are divided into 6 parts or themes. Part one focuses on understanding families as learners from an ecological and empathetic perspective, with the premise…

Since their appearance in the early 1970s, family support programs have represented a new way of working with families, based on the partnership they establish with families, their acceptance in the community as an asset and resource for all families, and the trusting relationship they build with families who participate in these programs. This…

This updated guide helps families navigate the maze of adult services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. It responds to families' need for a centralized source of information that describes adult services and how to access them. Content includes an overview of the service system and information on legal and financial…

The goal of the U.S. Department of Education's America Reads Challenge is that all children read well and independently by the end of third grade. This guide details the knowledge and skills needed to support the America Reads Challenge or to implement a literacy development program for children from preschool through grade 3. The guide was…