The prevailing model of care for psychiatric patients in the emergency room (ER) is evaluation and disposition, with little or no treatment provided. This article describes the results of a pilot study of a family-based crisis intervention (FBCI) for suicidal adolescents and their families in a large, urban pediatric ER. FBCI is an intervention…

It is almost taken for granted that social relationships benefit mental health, yet these relationships may not always be protective. This study examines how the support and strains individuals derive from family and friends may be related to depression and anxiety among Asian Americans. Data come from the 2002-2003 National Latino and Asian…

During the 1890s and the first three decades of the 20th century, social work in the United States developed a community-based direct practice approach to family assistance and social reform. The basis for this method was a situational view of social life that emphasized the use of interpersonal and transactional methods to achieve social and…

Although many in the social work profession have written about empowerment, few have offered a description of the empowerment process from the perspective of clients and workers in high-risk communities. This qualitative study presents a model of empowerment practice from the perspective of frontline workers, the challenges they faced, and the…

This article introduces social workers to policy and practice innovations that address men's roles as fathers. Through a critical review of research and descriptive programmatic material, this article considers the mixed implications of these policy and practice interventions for family well being and recommends future directions for policy and…

Examines patterns of use and predictors of unmet needs among a sample of 74 Latino grandparent caregivers. Lack of knowledge was the major barrier to service use, and predictors of unmet needs included low education, poor health, high levels of life stress, and lack of reliable help with child rearing. (Author/GCP)

This country has many programs that affect families, but it has no family policy. Present understanding of what causes changes in the family is not an adequate guide to the formation of a comprehensive family policy. The temporary alternative lies in limited, carefully weighed responses to selected problems. (Author)

Presents a preliminary view of a continuing care substance abuse recovery services program designed to assist the substance-affected family. The program focuses on helping substance abusers and their families achieve relapse prevention by addressing functioning in four domains: individual actions and cognitions; individual recovery actions; family…

The United States has no national policy on "the family." Reviews the reasons why it is unlikely that such a policy will emerge in the foreseeable future, and urges adoption of social policies and programs that will assure to all children the care and nurturance for growth and development. (Author)

Presents a case study in which family policy in five European countries and the United States is compared in relation to the question of how citizens can raise the care for children at the same time they are productive members of the work force. (Author)

The aim of the federally funded National Demonstration Program in Child Abuse and Neglect was to develop and test alternative treatment strategies. This article reports on an evaluation of treatment services in the 11 projects in the program. Implications are presented. (Author)

The interest in family policy on the part of academic and political leaders may offer new opportunities to enact social legislation. Serious violations of civil liberties may threaten individuals and nonconventional families. Risks implicit in the adoption of a national policy outweigh the possible gains. (Author)

Families having the extraordinary caretaking demands of a developmentally delayed child are at risk for added stress, social isolation, and reduced feelings of autonomy. Stress-coping theories relevant to these families are reviewed, and specific social work roles are recommended for maintaining and developing "normalized" family resoures.…

Presents a brief analytic summary of all readily available social and psychological research concerning apparent causes and consequences of adolescent childbearing. Existing federal programs addressed to this problem are listed with recommendations for further development of public policies and programs. (Author)

Explores the diminishing role of federal government following a series of legislative mandates to maximize equal educational opportunity. Also examines the escalating poverty rate resulting from the economic restructuring of the country. Calls for systemic reform in education, health and human services followed by an integration of these services.…