Crisis intervention is a now accepted form of brief therapy that has become the treatment of choice for many individuals seeking to cope more effectively with life stresses. Recently, there has been an evolution of several disparate styles of crisis intervention in the direction of one convergent model. The screening/assessment style that…

The training program is one of the most important and least standardized programatic units. It is important to keep in mind that various volunteers cannot be mass produced into professional social workers, psychologists or counselors by six-, eight- or 10-week courses. It is essential that the trainer integrate the key concepts presented and…

This paper speaks to the need for a methodology for planning indirect services of a mental health nature in schools. For indirect services to be relevant, plans for intervention need to be based on: (1) comprehensive information about the school; (2) systematic procedures for estimating the relative salience of various problems identified in the…

This paper provides a synoptic review of student health services at the community college level while giving a more detailed description of the nature of health services at Orchard Ridge, a campus of Oakland Community College. The present College Health Service program provides for a part-time (24 hrs./wk.) nurse at Orchard Ridge. A variety of…

This paper describes the Youth Resource Center (YRC) of Glastonbury, Connecticut--a multifaceted treatment facility. The YRC is based on a Systems-Interaction (SI) model of service, which maintains that a system can be changed by intervention at any point in the system; consequently, the same goals can be achieved through various target groups or…

Details a demonstration project which was developed to train older adult volunteers as mental health paraprofessionals for nursing homes. Discusses the effectiveness of the program for residents, as well as benefits to the staff. Includes details of recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers, services they provide, and problems…

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)

Provides suggestions for adapting the "training and visit" (T&V) system to population programs. Summarizes six main elements of a T&V system for population, health, and nutrition programs and describes four principles of agricultural extension programs. Implications of this process are also reviewed. (ML)

This policy brief describes the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative, a policy designed to improve early childhood programs to ensure that all children arrive at school healthy and ready to learn. The SECCS is intended to help states build a bridge from birth to school and addresses how states will support children and…

This report stems from an invitation to the Center staff to reflect on the past, present, and future of mental health in schools for a brief presentation. Because the topic is so broad, we knew that the request for a "brief" overview would not provide sufficient detail. Anyone who has spent time in schools can itemize the multifaceted…

The U.S. Surgeon General's 2000 Report on Children's Mental Health estimates that one in five children and adolescents will experience a significant mental-health problem during their school years. While the family is the primary source of support for a child's mental health, the increased stress and fracturing of today's life make it imperative…

This report describes lessons learned over the initial 3 years of the implementation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's SafeFutures Program To Reduce Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Violence, a 5-year demonstration initiative designed to prevent and control juvenile delinquency through a continuum of care in communities.…

For more than 30 years, school-based health centers have been making an important difference in the health of millions of children by providing an array of medical and other health services at school. This brochure addresses school-based dental care as part of the Caring for Kids program, a multi-site grant program funded through the Robert Wood…

The use of tobacco products is one of the most critical health problems facing the country. Through the use of neuroimaging technologies, it is now possible to see some of the changes in brain functioning that occur from smoking. There may be other chemicals in cigarette smoke that contribute to addiction. The improved understanding of addiction,…

Reports the implementation of a quality assurance program in Colorado mental health facilities, designed to help managers know how they were doing on operational issues. The program was simple, low cost, and easy to implement. All levels of management found it a useful tool. (Author/WAS)