Background: Children within historically disadvantaged non-Western South African communities are considered as particularly vulnerable to the development of anxiety problems. Although the need for accessible mental health interventions is evident, this need has remained unmet in a country with extreme socio-economic disparities and a lack of…

This study presents findings from a feasibility trial, testing an 8-week psychosocial stigma protection intervention (SOLACE) designed to improve the mental health of parents of autistic children. Seventeen parents were stratified then randomly assigned to either SOLACE (n = 9) or control group (n = 8). Retention and adherence rates were excellent…

School Feeding Programs (SFPs) represent essential interventions which enhance health along with nutritional status and educational attainment of children who live within regions experiencing food insecurity in low and middle-income countries. This paper examines the role of school feeding programs toward achieving the United Nations (UN) 2030…

Evidence-based weight-loss treatments for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are lacking. Therefore, a parent-based weight-loss treatment for children with ASD (PBT-ASD) was developed. A pilot study was conducted to test the initial efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of this intervention. Parents of 20 children with ASD and…

The goal of this paper was to conduct a review of studies from 2008 to 2019 that evaluated community-based caregiver or family interventions to support the mental health of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa, across four domains: (a) study methodology, (b) cultural adaptation and community participation, (c) intervention…

Background: Childhood malnutrition is commonplace among poor rural communities in China. In 2012, China launched its first nationwide school-feeding program (SFP) to address this problem. This study examines the prevalence of malnutrition before and after the SFP and identifies possible reasons for the trends observed. Methods: Ordinary least…

Nationally, school-based mental health (SBMH) is seen as an avenue to increase access to children's mental health services and promote mental health awareness. The current article describes the implementation of a statewide SBMH program focusing on partnerships between community-based providers and local school systems, with providers embedded…

Objective: To describe the process of developing a Health Qigong programme for stressed children using a formative evaluation approach. Methods: A multi-step formative evaluation method was utilised. These steps included (1) identifying programme content and drafting the curriculum, (2) synthesising effective and age-appropriate pedagogies, (3)…

Guided imagery is a valuable intervention strategy that can benefit children who are at risk for social, academic, and mental health problems. Guided imagery is a technique that employs imagination, emotions, and a spectrum of bodily senses (Naparstek, 1994). This particular technique can be applied in community and academic settings to help…

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) can be used by school behavioral health programs within the Interactive Systems Framework (ISF) as a tool for developing and supporting intervention plans that integrate mental health evidence-based practices (EBPs). External behavioral health consultants…

We analyze the effects of a school-based program that offers children an opportunity to win prizes if they walk or bike to school during prize periods. We use daily child-level data and individual fixed effects models to measure the effect of the prizes, with variation in the timing of prize periods across different schools allowing us to estimate…

Background: Systems of care is a family centered, strengths-based service delivery model for treating youth experiencing a serious emotional disturbance. Wraparound is the most common method of service delivery adopted by states and communities as a way to adhere to systems of care philosophy. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate…

In September 2009 the Council for Children's Rights unveiled the Larry King Center for Building Children's Futures (LKC). The LKC serves as a resource to the community "maximizing the effectiveness and impact of work being done for children by providers, agencies and funders." The LKC has chosen three initial priorities to address in…

Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is increasingly being adopted by health care, including child and youth mental health services. As part of the commitment to ongoing quality improvement, child and youth mental health teams in the Fraser region in British Columbia undertook CQI projects over a one year period (2007-2008). The projects covered a…

Given today's climate of economic uncertainty and fiscal restraint, organizations providing child and youth mental health services are required to do so with limited resources. Within this context, service providers face added pressure to deliver evidence-based programs and demonstrate program effectiveness. The Ontario Centre of Excellence for…