Defines goals of family-centered case management as empowerment of parents as caretakers and planners for their children. Describes model employing master's level social work case managers who serve rural Appalachian families with developmentally disabled children. Includes case illustration that delineates both case management activities and…

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.…

Reviews the behavioral, cognitive, and other psychological features of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), exploring their relationships to known genetic mechanisms. PWS is a genetic developmental disability characterized by a group of specific behavioral features, including an insatiable appetite. The article briefly touches on PWS-related research at…