Racial, ethnic, and sociocultural diversity presents a formidable challenge to substance abuse prevention efforts. An intervention planning model, which addresses these barriers from the perspective of a communication-behavior change theoretical framework, is presented. (Author/MT)

Patients (N=58) discharged from state psychiatric hospitals into community care homes were followed for four months. Both observers and patients rated the homes' social environments and the patients' needs and capabilities. Patients' functioning in the community was enhanced when there was a congruence between the patient and the environment.…

Structured interviews with staff compared the extent to which mentally retarded persons participate in society when services are provided through the institutional or integrated organization. Significant differences were found in community participation, with higher levels noted for integrated Ss. (CL)

Coalitions have been used successfully in the United States to tackle a number of seemingly intractable problems. For communities that want to reduce their underage drinking problem, putting together a broad-based coalition can bring substantial dividends. In this guide, readers will learn the steps that bring together a diverse group of people in…

This report provides an overview of youth violence in Virginia and a look at what some communities are doing about it. Although there is no way to measure all acts of youth violence in Virginia, the extent of the problem can be described through juvenile arrest statistics and school discipline reports. In 1997, Virginia law enforcement officials…

The Family to Family initiative has encouraged states to reconceptualize, redesign, and reconstruct their foster care systems. By 1996, the initiative was being implemented in five states, five Georgia counties, and Los Angeles County, California. This paper describes an approach for nontraditional partnerships that work to rebuild the foster care…

Along with instruction of vocational agricultural classes and programs of occupational experience, youth organizations such as FFA comprise a vital component of local agricultural education programs. The article is written especially for new agricultural education instructors with no previous background in FFA and includes self-help suggestions.…

A look at Project REACH, a modest pilot effort to explore the practicality of a regional education delivery system using cable television. (Author)

Growing out of the need for additional youth oriented crisis centers, the paraprofessional crisis intervention center described in this article provided supportive face-to-face communication during the hours when the professional services were not available. (JC)

Efforts toward extending the latest diagnostic and therapeutic modalities of health care from the tertiary care centers for professional health education, complex diagnosis and treatment, and research to the secondary health care centers are described. (KP)

More than thirty cities and towns in Finland maintain municipal theaters as a part of the growing program for local cultural activities. (GB)

Describes the operation of several community clinics set up especially for teenagers, where girls can obtain counseling and contraceptive devices, with or without parental knowledge. (CJ)

Describes citizens' action or youth environment councils which coordinate information and resources for dealing with drug problems. (KJ)