The result of the work of the Select Committee on State Dissemination Capacity Building from August 1978 through February 1979, this report deals with the conditions which the directors assume are necessary to the success of a nationwide dissemination configuration, the needs identified by the state through a two-stage assessment process, and the…

Discusses ways in which the legal bases for child welfare systems can be reformed, in terms of the current methods by which cases enter the child welfare system, and ways that placement is decided and individual cases are moved through the system. (CMG)

Interview with Chris Rhines, who oversees the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program in Oregon, discusses the process used to select schools for CSRD, the critical role of principals as leaders of change, the importance of a school's ability to do a needs assessment and apply the findings, and common implementation problems. (CDS)

This report examines possible steps the State of Illinois might take to expand the availability of Medicaid support for services to persons with developmental disabilties. Stressed throughout are the importance of: (1) evaluating whether any given application of Medicaid funding is consistent with the State's goals for persons with developmental…

Participants from five states (Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin) met to establish a national network to promote state and community-based models of comprehensive coordinated planning and service delivery to adults who survived pediatric disorders in their childhood. Results of state caucuses, which discussed and listed…

To determine the extent to which states are able to assess their provision of services to typically underserved populations, this study interviewed 16 Part H (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) state coordinators. Major findings indicated: (1) six states identified their rural population as most underserved and six identified one or more…

Five essays on public uses of the humanities from the 1981 National Conference of State Humanities Councils are presented. After a foreword by Donald Gibson and an introduction by Steven Weiland, "The Uses and Status of Literature" by Catherine Stimpson is presented. She recommends that public programs in the humanities address the…

A challenge faced by the public sector is to keep pace with the rapidly changing management science and the technology that supports it. With a greater emphasis on career mobility, the public sector will be faced with an increased emphasis on the development and training needs of the work force. New York is making substantial progress in equipping…

The Illinois Literacy Council's Long-Range Planning team interviewed more than 100 educators, business representatives, policy makers, and adult new readers to gather their thoughts about the state of literacy and how it might be improved. Their report raises 7 issues and presents 11 recommendations. The seven issues relate to the following: (1)…

This report focuses on cost containment problems in Vermont's special education system and makes recommendations for reform. It examines the context of special education in terms of civil rights, advocacy, and individual versus system needs. The question of runaway costs in special education is addressed and supported with data from the fiscal…

Based on perceptions from interviews and the available literature, this report examines the manner in which Oklahoma's libraries and library-related institutions or agencies deal with continuing professional library education. A discussion of providers and consumers describes the provision of staff and career development opportunities by library…

This final report of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council's (ODDC) project on transportation presents an evaluation of the current transportation options available to Ohioans with disabilities and offers recommendations to improve these options. The first section provides an overview of the ODDC transportation project including its…

The author presents several factors which pertain to state involvement in family life. Among these factors are social diversity, social agency usurpation of family roles, the need for parent and family involvement in child rearing, conducting needs assessment, conducting hearings prior to policy decisions, and making social services relevant. (DB)

Discusses the evolution of state-level assessment activities of college graduates' skills/outcomes to provide a context for a proposed national system and examines extent and types of testing in six states. Addresses the purposes of postsecondary assessment and draws conclusions as to institutional support needed to sustain a collaborative system.…

This Texas state plan presents proposals for provision of services to people with autism. It is noted that less than 25 percent of the estimated 8,500 persons with autism in Texas are currently receiving services. Preliminary sections look at the nature of autism, the numbers of Texans with autism, the responsibilities of the Interagency Council…