Homelessness remains a persistent problem in the United States, calling for continuing engagement to address this issue across the micro-macro social work practice continuum. Social work educators have an imperative to expose the next generation of practitioners to this complex social issue and provide opportunities for students to develop…

Background: The Student Assistance Program (SAP) is mandated kindergarten to 12th grade in Pennsylvania schools to address barriers to student academic success. Following student referral, SAP teams use a systematic process to inform recommendations for school or community-based services. To evaluate program outcomes, a review of student SAP…

The schools in Union County have undergone a tremendous amount of growth in the past decade. The growth in the county has led to an increase in discipline problems. In order to provide suspended students a second chance, Union County Public Schools implemented an alternative to suspension program, the Union County Alternative to Suspension Program…

Background: Parenting programs have been shown to work when delivered to motivated ethnic majority parents in demonstration projects, but comparatively little is known about their impact when delivered to high-risk, multi-ethnic populations by routine local services. Methods: The Primary Age Learning Skills (PALS) trial was a randomized controlled…

It is becoming increasingly common for community teams or coalitions to implement programming for children and families designed to promote positive youth development and prevent adolescent problem behaviors. However, there has been only limited rigorous study of the effectiveness of community teams' programming efforts to produce positive…

A community helper project involved 37 untrained volunteers in a one-to-one relationship with children manifesting behavioral and learning problems in school. Most volunteers were nominated by principals; all passed screening and all were women despite efforts for recruiting men. Seventy-four problem children, from grades 1 through 6, and not…

Advocates renewal of the settlement house tradition in the inner cities, tracing the history of the settlement movement, and illustrating contemporary settlement approaches in St. Louis (Missouri), Cleveland (Ohio), New York City, and Boston (Massachusetts). Settlements offer a way to provide organization in disorganized communities. (SLD)

Discussing the related problems of military recruitment and civilian youth unemployment and inadequate education and training, this paper is intended to provide a framework for the consideration and analysis of alternative approaches to these problems. Without offering recommendations, the paper also reports the effects of three prototypical…

This report presents the findings of a community survey conducted in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in April and May 1975. The purpose of the project was to develop and apply management technology to improve decision making and program effectiveness in the local community. The survey sought citizens' perceptions and attitudes about governmental…

Enhancing Developmentally Oriented Primary Care (EDOPC) is a formal didactic curriculum based on Healthy Steps materials that is designed to improve practicing pediatricians' knowledge and confidence in developmental screening within the medical home. We modified the EDOPC program to provide a formal curriculum to pediatric residents serving…

This report presents highlights of a seminar which focused on solutions emerging at the local and state level to keeping troubled families together. Comments by these panelists are summarized: Elizabeth Cole, a consultant to many family preservation projects; Kristine Nelson, a researcher on the social work faculty of the University of Iowa; Bill…

Evaluated effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral parenting program for parents of children ages 1 to 5 years offered through community-based family resource centers. Found that participants showed significant decreases in use of verbal and corporal punishment, and increases in nurturing behaviors as measured by the Parent Behavior Checklist.…

Challenges faced in the evaluation of programs for the disabled are discussed, focusing on values orientation, key stakeholders, program structure, and measurement issues. Workers in the field are presently witnessing a fundamental change in the philosophy that underlies programs for persons with disabilities. Evaluators must be sensitive to the…

Part one presents the case for school-based mental health services in terms of low utilization of community-based clinics and the high dropout rate among adolescents attending clinics. Part two discusses lessons learned from delivering psychotherapy services in mainstream and special schools to tackle mental health problems presented by troubled…

Discusses use of volunteers to augment local government services such as libraries, parks, paralegal aid, elderly care, data processing. Outlines requirements of successful programs and steps toward initiating volunteer programs. Presents case studies of volunteer programs in two Maryland communities and 41 examples of how local governments can…