The Prevention Initiative Demonstration Project, funded by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), is a community-specific strategy delivered through eight regional networks designed to address the full spectrum of community-based prevention. This article summarizes a strong and meaningful pattern of improvements…

Psychological maltreatment (PM) is a widespread form of child maltreatment, both in high-risk and maltreating parents, yet there are no intervention programs that target it directly. In this study, the content of parenting programs for high-risk and maltreating parents was assessed to determine whether the program manuals include content on PM.…

This research report examines the Baby TALK model, an innovative early childhood intervention approach used to identify, recruit, and serve young children who are at-risk for developmental delays, mental health needs, and/or school failure, and their families. The report begins with a description of the model. This description is followed by an…

MDRC is conducting the Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project under a contract with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As part of the multisite Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project, MDRC,…

An exemplary program based at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay greatly increases the odds that at-risk youngsters will not only graduate from high school, but will go on to higher education. The program is also a model of university/community collaboration. ["Inspiring Students to Create the Future" was written with Timothy U.…

Building on a survey of the role of religious institutions in programs for high-risk youth and consultations with experts in the field, a field demonstration project was implemented to test strategies for using religious institutions to anchor local partnerships aimed at high-risk youth. The partnerships were designed to address the developmental…

Discusses a mentoring model as a resource for lesbian and gay adolescents in foster care. The authors apply known successful program elements to the design of a model mentoring program for lesbian and gay adolescents. The program is meant to alleviate problems of isolation, stigmatization, and lack of positive lesbian and gay role models. (GR)

This summary evaluates a federal demonstration program to reach "disconnected" youth not currently served by job training programs under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). Disconnected youth are defined as those who have lost or never developed the traditional values of their communities, who do not participate in traditional…

Perhaps the only way to maintain consistent support for the arts will be to demonstrate decisively that fine arts programs can contribute in quantifiable and positive ways to solving important social problems such as crime and violence. The broad goal of this impact study is to provide such evidence. This report discusses the results of the second…

The six articles of this special section focus on HIV/AIDS outreach efforts with: (1) African-American drug users; (2) homeless substance abusers; (3) women at high risk; (4) Latinos at high risk; and (5) African Americans at high risk. All the programs were part of a federally funded outreach effort aimed at HIV/AIDS prevention. (SLD)

This article describes the three-decade experience in model development and replication and in introducing and sustaining organization change of Child Development Resources (CDR), of Williamsburg, Virginia. CDR provides an integrated system of services for children with disabilities and developmental delays as well as for children who are at risk.…

Providing disadvantaged youth with the training to continue their education or to obtain meaningful, long-term employment has been hampered by lack of funding, inability to meet the multiple needs of at-risk youth, and the difficulty of recruiting at-risk youth to participate in programs. This report describes and recommends nine employment…

This document presents information on the Blue Springs School District's Student Assistance Program (SAP) designed to address the social and family issues that affect students' academic performance. The Blue Springs SAP began in fall 1986, evolved rapidly, and in 1992 was in 18 building sites. In 1994 the program developed links with the Blue…

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' OSAP High Risk Youth Demonstration Program seeks to prevent substance abuse through experiences offered in an after-school program. In 1990-91 the program served 710 students in grades K-8 in 7 of the reservation's 8 schools, each of which tailors the program to its own needs. Five components were common to…

This technical report examines the literature on substance abuse prevention programs among American Indian and Alaska Native populations, particularly high-risk youth, and reports on aspects of demonstration projects. The literature was reviewed for specific mention of attempted intervention activities focusing on alcohol and drug abuse prevention…