Realist evaluation (RE) is increasingly adopted to assess the effectiveness of social programs. RE goes beyond measurement of outcomes, providing insight into how and why programs work by focusing on how participants experience and respond to programs within certain contexts. A RE was conducted on Healthy Start-Départ Santé (HSDS), an early…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) are committed to bringing effective substance abuse prevention and behavioral health promotion programs to every community in the Nation. As more knowledge is gained about efficacy and effectiveness of prevention and…

This book provides college and university personnel administrators with information and resources for the development and expansion of wellness programs at institutions of higher education. The five contributed chapters address some of the issues involved in the development of wellness programs. In Chapter 1, "Wellness in Higher…

Data from a 10 percent sample of fifth-twelfth grade students indicate that in four predominantly rural counties of Kentucky, children are exposed to smoking before fifth grade and to drinking by seventh grade. The Health Education/Risk Reduction Grant Program was implemented over a 3-year period in the four county school systems in an attempt to…

A significant minority of teens and preteens suffer from anxiety disorders, depression and other mood disorders, behavior problems, and drug and alcohol addiction. Others have low self-esteem, difficulty coping, and feelings of insecurity. Given the harmful consequences of such disorders, policymakers and practitioners should be alert to teens…

The President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health solicited public comment from stakeholders in the mental health community on various topics related to the Commissions mission. The goal was to gain a better understanding of the publics experiences with, concerns about, and hopes for the mental health care system. More than twelve hundred…

Convincing industry to adopt health promotion programs presents problems not generally encountered in the public sector. This article describes a marketing approach for organizations and individuals planning to "sell" health promotion to private firms. (PP)

The wellness program is applied within the higher education setting as one means to control health care costs. Discussed are the program's design, objectives, content, facilities, structure and staff, financing, and evaluation. It is noted that wellness programs are not only cost effective but can help to improve morale and increase productivity.…

As researchers continue to analyze the role of parenting both in the development of childhood overweight and in obesity prevention, studies of child nutrition and growth are detailing the ways in which parents affect their children's development of food- and activity-related behaviors. Ana Lindsay, Katarina Sussner, Juhee Kim, and Steven Gortmaker…

This textbook presents a conceptual and methodological framework for implementing quality assurance programs in mental health services, with specific emphasis on peer and utilization review. Both the content of the review and the methods of accomplishing it are addressed. The early chapters of the book are designed to show the many types and…

These symposium papers describe various aspects of the Camp Logan, South Carolina, program, a therapeutic summer residential program for children, ages 8-14, who have significant behavior problems. The philosophy and advantages of the therapeutic camping model are discussed, e.g., structure during the summer, controlled though informal…

This paper presents principles that should be considered in planning and interpreting studies of outcomes of interventions with children receiving mental health services. Principles to consider when planning outcome studies include recognizing that "outcome" refers to multiple rather than single domains and choosing outcome domains that…

The monograph advances a conceptual framework for the evaluation of mental health services provided to chronically mentally ill persons by psychosocial rehabilitation programs. Evaluation mechanisms consistent with the philosophy and programmatic aims of psychosocial rehabilitation programs are identified. An introductory section provides a brief…

Increasingly, schools are beginning employee wellness programs, which encourage employees to make personal commitments to life-style changes that will increase their productivity and generally improve their health. This article provides an introduction to wellness programs, lists advantages, and tells how to start one and make it work. (DCS)

This report includes the background papers developed for an invitational workshop on mental health program development for minority youth and their families, and a summary of the recommendations made and actions to be taken. Section I presents an overall framework and an overview of the issues that were explored in greater depth at the workshop.…