This manual was designed primarily for use by people with disabilities. The hope is that it is also useful for families, as well as service coordinators and providers who directly assist families and individuals with disabilities. The focus of this manual is to provide easy-to-read information about available resources, and to provide immediate…

This information brief provides an example of how one locally-initiated program has implemented the Peer Support Specialist role for youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions. The brief covers aspects of training, coaching, supervision, role definition and financing; and describes challenges and solutions.

Recent research on the causes of hypertension could influence the care given by sports medicine physicians to Black patients in general, and to Black athletes in particular. (JD)

Describes the implementation of a collaborative discharge planning program for a chronic psychiatric population. Emphasizes the importance of good communication between patient and professionals. Presents a case example. Findings suggest more substantial involvement of patients in after-care programs is needed. (Author/JAC)

This paper points out that both formal and informal historical precedents in community mental health have emphasized citizen participation as an essential element of the system's success. It reviews citizen involvement procedures in use in one midwestern catchment area, and concludes that citizen representation appears to be inadequate, in…

Native leaders are providing education and care for people with HIV despite funding cuts, ignorance about HIV, and greater tribal concern about other issues. Yet, issues are complex and include reluctance of Native Americans to be tested; lack of accurate information about HIV incidence, particularly in rural areas; misconceptions about HIV; lack…

Describes an approach used by a community mental health district to (1) assess its current services for sexual-minority clients (gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals), (2) develop recommendations for more appropriate staffing and staff development, and (3) implement a plan of community outreach and professional training. (Author/ABB)

This report details the development of a comprehensive and coordinated continuing education program of mental health training for professional and paraprofessional workers engaged in the delivery of human services to clients who live in a special catchment area formerly known as the Model Cities areas of Savannah, Georgia. The thrust of the…

The New Jersey Performance Management System (PMS) is a major mechanism used by the leadership of the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Hospitals to contract for, monitor, and manage community mental health services. This paper describes PMS, its components, implementation, and limitations. (Author/LMO)

This article presents a description of the Child and Adolescent Services Assessment, a self- and parent-report instrument designed to assess use of mental health services by children, ages 8 to 18. The article provides information on interviewer training, coding of data, and psychometric data on clinical samples, and presents a case study.…

Differentiates between traditional psychology and community psychology in the movement from the institution into the community, suggesting a more active role in ascertaining potential community stressors. Particular attention is given to models of intervention for under fives and mentally handicapped people. (DT)

A model developed by Transitional Services for New York, Inc., for collaboration between State and County government under private, not-for-profit auspices is described which attempts to assist the transition of former psychiatric patients into the community. The agency functions are described in terms of: (1) a tri-level housing network including…

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 document describes services for the elderly provided by the Spokane Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) in Spokane, Washington. It begins by stating several reasons that the elderly are often unserved or underserved by health and social service agencies and by noting the need for community efforts to identify and locate the subpopulation of…

A social system and ecological, as well as individual, perspective is applied to the development of a psychosocial community-oriented data system for children's mental health services. A rationale for the evaluation procedure and the necessary criteria met by the data system are presented. The problem appraisal focuses on the assessment of…