Designed for use by parents and professionals, this guide provides assistance in finding appropriate financial resources and services for children with special needs in Iowa. Divided into six chapters, the guide presents programs related to education, health, human services, insurance, social security, and other support services. After a brief…

For the past 2 years, a pilot program to reduce student absenteeism has been implemented in a medium-sized city participating in the New Futures Initiative. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the outcomes of the Chronic Absenteeism Pilot (CAP) project. The New Futures Initiative engaged in interagency efforts to provide…

This document presents a follow-up report on a school-community partnership program developed and field tested by the Federal Way School District in Washington State from 1989 through 1993 and designed to focus on substance use intervention and prevention at Continuation and Contract-Based Education (CBE) High Schools. This report describes the…

This paper presents an example of "optimistic research," a qualitative approach which focuses on positive interventions helpful to practitioners, in this case an examination of programs successfully integrating people with severe disabilities. The study evaluated 40 programs through site visits which focus on observation, interviews, and…

This report deals with essential life skills for young adolescents. At present, there is a need to formally and systematically teach middle and junior high school students life skills for surviving, living with others, and succeeding in a complex society. An introductory section is followed by a discussion of early adolescent development and life…

This guide was created for school administrators, parents, teachers, and community groups interested in developing effective alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs for elementary and secondary schools. A comprehensive approach to school-based alcohol and drug prevention is described and various prevention activities which have been selected by…

Diabetes among American Indians has become epidemic since World War II, due to dietary changes and a possible genetic predisposition. Innovative community-based programs teach prevention and management of diabetes through exercise, diet, and blood sugar monitoring. Traditional American Indian lifestyles and diets prevented diabetes. Sidebars…

We examine the issues involved in creating and maintaining a successful collaboration between university-based researchers and community members when designing and implementing the Parents Matter! Program (PMP). The roles of focus groups, community advisory boards, and community liaisons are highlighted. PMP provides an illustration of the ongoing…

This report finds that adolescent smoking, drinking, misusing prescription drugs and using illegal drugs is, by any measure, a public health problem of epidemic proportion, presenting clear and present danger to millions of America's teenagers and severe and expensive long-range consequences for the entire population. This report is a wake-up call…

The DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program teaches students decision-making skills, shows them how to resist peer pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol, and provides positive alternatives to drug use. This report looks at one state's DARE programs. Included are an overview of the implementation process, a program appraisal with…

This monograph presents an evaluative description of the Alaska Youth Initiative (AYI), a community-based interagency program serving children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Principles of the program include a no reject policy and a "wraparound" service delivery approach. The monograph offers information…

A companion to a January 1993 nationwide teleconference entitled "A Nation's Challenge: Educating Substance-Exposed Children" and organized by the Florida Department of Education, this booklet provides educators with information and research on effective strategies for working with children affected by alcohol and other drugs. It also…

Over the past 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2 to 5 years and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, and it has more than tripled for children 6 to 11 years of age (Institute of Medicine, 2005). At present, approximately 9 million children over 6 years are considered obese (Institute of…

Too many good programs initiated as specially funded projects, pilots, and demonstrations tend to be lost when the period of special funding ends. This guide/toolkit is designed as a resource aid for those in schools and communities who are concerned about sustaining valuable initiatives and innovations. Optimally, sustainability should be a focus…

This paper describes the Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) project, an early intervention program that has been developed in the context of the national, multi-site program and evaluation. The emphasis in SESS is on the integration of behavioral health services into easily accessible, non-threatening settings where caregivers naturally and…