Decades of research have demonstrated, now convincingly, that emotional and behavioral syndromes and many of their antecedent risks can be prevented. Much of this progress can be traced to the founding and expansion of the relatively young field called prevention science, an interdisciplinary field that emerged in the early 1990s to address the…

Childhood exposure to traumatic events is a major public health problem in the United States. Traumatic events can include witnessing or experiencing physical or sexual abuse, violence in families and communities, loss of a loved one, refugee and war experiences, living with a family member whose caregiving ability is impaired, and having a…

The President's wife, Rosalynn Carter, a member of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association, spoke to the Association membership on November 19, 1976. She expresses her concern for those in need of mental health services, those who are mentally retarded, and proposes her intentions to help those affected to cope with their…

The people of Boston made a commitment that no homeless person will be denied a bed, a meal, quality health care, and transportation to shelter during the winter of 1989-90. This commitment was difficult to fulfill due to a decline in services for the mentally ill, federal housing cutbacks, and an increase in the number of families living in…

Describes the Croft Community, a prototype of preventive health care which endeavors to provide a renewing and learning experience for persons already employed in health care. (Author)

Approximately 900,000 people with active symptoms of serious mental illness are booked annually into U.S. jails. Of these, about three quarters have a co-occurring substance use disorder. When these people return to the community they have multiple, complex and interrelated treatment needs, which are often exacerbated by release into the…

This report details the development of a comprehensive and coordinated continuing education program of mental health training for professional and paraprofessional workers engaged in the delivery of human services to clients who live in a special catchment area formerly known as the Model Cities areas of Savannah, Georgia. The thrust of the…

The program was set up to involve, on a continuing basis, the significant other of frequently-readmitted hospitalized psychiatric VA patients. The couples identified their characteristic strengths, and their maladaptive ways of functioning, and were expected to make use of alternative ways of behaving which were recommended by the staff. A…

"The Challenge", a publication of the US Department of Education's office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, provides critical information and resources to assist schools in creating safe and healthy environments for young people. This issue presents topics designed to help schools play a key role in teaching students good habits that can last a…

This Kids Count report examines issues related to children's mental health in Virginia. The report discusses the effects of children's mental illness, presents risk and protective factors, and describes the incidence of children's mental health problems. Information specific to Virginia is presented, including the prevalence of youth suicide,…

Describes the philosophy and activities of the Adaptation, Development, and Placement Training Day Program, designed to provide mental health services to clients dually diagnosed as mentally retarded and mentally ill. The program helps developmentally disabled people prepare for community workshop placement. (Author/JAC)

Describes Youth Emergency Services (YES), an experimental project in Rochester, New York, which coordinates county agencies and resources to treat children and their families in mental crises. Several case vignettes illustrate the enhanced coordination which results from the YES system. (MM)

This paper reports the progress of an ongoing clinical research project on prevention services for at risk infants of mentally ill mothers. This project extends the prevention focus of early education programs into the mental health field. Previous research findings indicate that maximum preventive effects are achieved when programs (a) begin…

A community-based program was designed to serve as an alternative to traditional short-term hospital treatment and after-care services for the psychiatrically disabled client. Comparisons revealed significant differences in favor of this approach. A rehabilitation counselor worked half-time and was an invaluable member. (Author)

Recent research suggests that approximately one-third of homeless single adults suffer from severe mental illnesses. Discusses federal initiatives undertaken by the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) to encourage research and improve services for this subgroup. Describes the target population, NIMH research findings, and current mental…