This study examined the influence of aspects of the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery environment (i.e., discrimination, social support) and coping behaviors on children's posttraumatic stress reactions (symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], anxiety, and depression). Data corresponding to 46 youth (M = 11.43 years; 39% girls; 33% African…

This paper describes an innovative service delivery model to reduce the number of children entering the child welfare system. Point of Engagement (POE) is a collaborative family- and community-centered approach initiated in Compton, a regional office in Los Angeles County that serves south Los Angeles, a predominantly African American and…

This article addresses the emerging use of parent mentors--parents who have successfully negotiated the child welfare system and provide support and advocacy to others. The theoretical justification, roles, and expected outcomes and benefits of parent mentors are explored. The organizational factors thought to be required for such programs are…

Since 1979, the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) has worked to achieve its vision of a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to realize their life's aspirations. Specifically, the organization provides national leadership in education, research and advocacy. In cooperation with 170 affiliate groups, NDSS has…

As part of a larger study on developing children's reading fluency in the classroom, a program was introduced to help parents understand the importance of fluency and participate in fluency-related activities with children at home. The Family Fluency Program included activities similar to those that the children were doing in school, with some…

Although many in the social work profession have written about empowerment, few have offered a description of the empowerment process from the perspective of clients and workers in high-risk communities. This qualitative study presents a model of empowerment practice from the perspective of frontline workers, the challenges they faced, and the…

This article describes how The Children's Home of Pittsburgh provides unique, specialized services for infants, children, and their families and seeks to improve not only the range of services available to these special patients, but also the way in which those services are provided. Their innovative healthcare programs have been developed in…

This article describes the 1st-year evaluation of a community-wide parent and family involvement program initiated in a midsized Southeast community and school district. The program consists of three major components: community-wide efforts, school-home communication, and home involvement. Formative and summative evaluation data were gathered…

Background: Studies support the use of family-centred practices in service delivery to families where a parent has an intellectual disability. This paper examines the importance of such practices to parents. Materials and Methods: Interview responses from 32 parents with intellectual disability were coded by two independent raters as reflecting…

This article provides a description of the meaning and evolution of reflective supervision. The authors summarize the history of reflective supervision, including ZERO TO THREE's efforts to promote its use as an essential element of professional development in the infant-family field. The article describes the centrality of reflective …

This study used Complier Average Causal Effect analysis (CACE; see G. Imbens & D. Rubin, 1997) to examine the impact of an adaptive approach to family intervention in the public schools on rates of substance use and antisocial behavior among students ages 11-17. Students were randomly assigned to a family-centered intervention (N = 998) in 6th…

This article explores the interface between adult mental health issues and child development. It refers to the literature on the impact of parental mental health difficulties on children's developmental trajectories. The article then describes a pilot scheme involving a partnership between the Northern Ireland Association of Mental Health and…

The 1990s has seen a dramatic shift in the desired orientation of early intervention services, involving a movement away from child-centered approaches in assessment and intervention to a family-centered approach in service delivery. This study attempted to contribute to the little research available on the efficacy of the family-centered…

The text of a hearing on American families is presented in this document. Comments by Representatives Patricia Schroeder, Bob McEwen, Michael Bilirakis, Frank Wolf, and Jim Bacchus, as well as Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV, are presented. Testimony and/or prepared statements and materials are included from these persons: (1) Gary L. Bauer,…

This collection of materials presents "Grandletters," a correspondence program designed to strengthen the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren separated by distance, by having them exchange 10 letters on special topics, keep a scrapbook and a journal, and do other optional activities. The materials include three separate…