Background: Youth mental health needs have worsened following COVID-19. Rising demand for school mental health services is straining capacity. Several states have added policies requiring mental health education, yet these vary widely and barriers to operationalization exist. Purpose: This paper explores the onerous landscape of mental health…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability affecting 1 in 44 children nationally. Timely referral to intervention and support services for ASD has consistently demonstrated significant long-term positive effects on symptoms and subsequent skills and family outcomes. This paper highlights a novel and innovative approach of…

After 25 years, because of a change in state law California returned the responsibility for providing mental health related services to students receiving special education from county mental health departments to local education agencies. The study is secondary analysis of survey data that focuses on understanding how the change affected the…

Students in Vermont with incomplete or undocumented immunization status are provisionally admitted to schools and historically had a calendar year to resolve their immunization status. The process of resolving these students' immunization status was challenging for school nurses. We conducted a school-based quality improvement effort to increase…

Background: With the rise in childhood obesity, school policies related to nutrition and physical activity have been written and implemented. In this paper, we present a model to evaluate the degree to which state legislation for school health policies are implemented at the school level. Methods: Using Washington, DC's Healthy Schools Act (HSA)…

The state and federal governments, along with private industry, play an important role in the development of a health profession. State governments establish training standards through licensure laws, and state programs dictate employment and payment opportunities. The federal government unifies a profession through recognition in national health…

Objective: As part of a national effort to prevent and control obesity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Prevent Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases (NPAO) provides funding to states to improve access to healthful food and increase opportunities for physical activity. The CDC also…

Currently, more than two thirds of school-aged children with mental health needs do not receive treatment. By exploring the numerous barriers that limit children's access to mental health care, the authors argue that school psychologists have a key role to play in supporting comprehensive mental health services for children. This article provides…

The Texas State Employee Health Fitness and Education Act of 1983 enables state agencies and educational institutions to finance employee health and fitness programs. This legislation is discussed and an example of the state-supported program is given. (MT)

Presents results of a 2-year study of Michigan's recipient rights protection system. Found weaknesses in the use of the system and its integration into agency operations, but overall effectiveness. Discusses implications of the system for other states. (Author/MCF)

Suggests that in the past 20 years major shifts in federal government policies have taken place which have increased state control over mental health programs to the detriment of local communities. Identifies and discusses the major factors responsible for these changes. (Author/BH)

Assessed the impact of a new clients' rights bill on the functioning of the state mental health system. Reports on specification of those levels of staff role ambiguity and conflict among and between staff and clients that were perceived by staff as caused by the new legislation. (Author)

Well-designed and effectively implemented school health policies and programs can improve students' health-related behaviors and outcomes, as well as their educational outcomes. Health promotion programs in the school setting are guided and constrained by myriad federal, state, and local laws and policies. Knowledge and understanding of the legal…

The debate about cost as it pertains to medical technology misses the mark by not pressing on the central problem of increased prevalence of chronic illness. Far from cost containment, what are needed are additional services which may in the end reduce total costs. (Author/MJL)

Addresses the issue of drug-exposed infants from the perspective of a reproductive rights attorney. States genuinely interested in promoting healthy children will stop ignoring women or treating them as potential child abusers and will change the current punitive legal focus to a focus on treatment. (SLD)