The Center for Collegiate Mental Health found that between 2009 and 2015, colleges saw an increase in counseling center use by up to 40 percent, despite only a 5 percent increase in enrollment. The most common concerns among college students are anxiety and depression. Experts point out that this increase could be attributed to students being more…

The Whole-Child Task Force was created by Public Act 101-0654. The Whole Child Task Force Report provides recommendations in establishing an equitable, inclusive, safe, and supportive environment in all schools for every student in Illinois pursuant to PA 101-0654. This report includes: (1) Summary of task force; (2) Background information; (3)…

Positive school climate has been linked to higher test scores, graduation rates, and fewer disciplinary referrals. Yet state policy discussions on student supports often fail to address a key lever for improving school climate: robust school-based mental health services. This National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) policy update…

The administration and community used to place little or no value on physical education and attendance, and attitudes toward our profession were stereotypical and disrespectful. Yet, at some level, there were people quietly longing for a change. This article describes how the author used her passion for yoga to win over her students and,…

Police agencies across the country are struggling to respond to significant number of persons with serious mental illness, who are landing on their doorsteps with sometimes tragic consequences. Arguably, the most widely adopted approach, the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model, is a specialized police-based program designed to improve officers'…

Communities across the nation are fighting the increased incidence of childhood obesity and Type II diabetes. With funding from USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), a group in Illinois is promoting environmental sustainability and healthy eating habits in young Americans. Seven Generations Ahead's…

This article describes a mental health evidence based practice, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). While ACT has scientific support, it has not been rigorously tested for persons with a severe mental illness and repeated forensic involvement. This article provides preliminary evidence that ACT is best suited for reentry into the mental health…

Describes "linkage agreement" system between Illinois community mental health centers and Anna Mental Health and Developmental Center serving 28 rural counties. Agreements specify responsibilities of community centers and hospital staff regarding referrals, client treatment, and discharge. Describes improvements over previous…

Describes and evaluates a model for agency-based staff development training for a county mental health unit. Concludes it can be a useful way to identify and resolve problems. (Author/MCF)

Presented in this booklet are brief descriptions of programs and strategies designed and/or implemented to improve the quality of education in the suburban schools of Cook County (Chicago), Illinois. Some of the topics discussed include: (1) parent workshops; (2) driver education for the blind; (3) the C.E.T.A. Mature Job Opportunities Program…

Describes a program to assess the vocational interests of clients at the Kankakee Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Center. The program attempted to intervene and impact those with erratic work histories. Results indicate clients made some job progress but the number changing jobs and seeking new employment did not change. (JAC)

A National Council on Social Work Education project to develop, test, and evaluate models for continuing education in five social work education programs is described. Its aim is to demonstrate how the education and practice systems can work together, and to focus on mental health care delivery system issues as a whole. Five pilot projects in…

The Illinois Social and Emotional Health of Infants, Toddlers and Their Families Committee hosted the Early Childhood Mental Health Regional Summit 2000 in November of 2000. Building on the momentum of the U.S. Surgeon General's first report on mental health, which underscores the importance of early preventive mental health services, this summit…

Onunaku, Ahlers, and Gilkerson describe Illinois's effort to build infant mental health capacity within the Part C Early Intervention system and Wisconsin's effort to build capacity for infant and early childhood mental health services statewide across all systems that serve children. Because of multiple funding streams, families often experience…

A program of research related to school-based models for urban children's mental health is described, with a particular focus on improving access to services, promoting children's functioning, and providing for program sustainability. The first study in this series responded to the urgent need to engage more families in mental health services, and…