This study, with a national sample of 370 older persons with mental retardation in foster care, small group homes, large private facilities, and large state-operated facilities, found generally low levels of social integration. Individuals in community settings were much more likely to experience some social integration. (DB)

Critiques a previous article on public policy options for American Indian communities that address alcohol abuse and related problems. Discusses the limitations of prohibition or controls as prevention measures. Suggests that community programs should promote healthy living by defining and communicating which behaviors are acceptable in all…

Data are presented which show changes in the size of residential programs serving people with mental retardation/developmental disabilities. Trends from 1982 through 1992 are summarized and statistics are given for each state showing the average number of residents per setting and the percent of residents in settings with less than 16 or less than…

Discusses the Free to Grow initiative, a five-year program aimed at increasing the capacity of Head Start to help prevent substance abuse. The collaborative program is designed to assist a number of local Head Start programs to develop and implement model substance abuse prevention projects that will strengthen both the families and neighborhoods…

Discusses a student-initiated community involvement program in Limestone, Maine, prompted by economic and emotional anxiety over closing of Loring Air Force Base. Student survey showed overwhelming support for community commitment. Introduces the Maine Community Foundation and the Aroostook County Fund, discusses their intentions, and delineates…

Contains abstracts of eight documents and six journal articles from the ERIC database that concern the creation of school and community environments in which children are safe from violence. (MDM)

Describes studies of two rural programs for diverting status offenders from court system to alternative community programs. Examines communities and programs, suggests rural offender characteristics are similar to urban ones. Recommends development of community-based alternatives to child welfare and juvenile justice systems. (TES)

Examines the long-term effects of two Australian community antismoking campaigns that used television advertising to set the community agenda. Finds that, at the beginning of the campaigns, there was an immediate 2 percent drop in male and female smoking prevalence, followed by a 1.5 percent decline per year among males. (FMW)

The Brushy Fork Institute at Berea College, Kentucky, helps develop the leadership skills that rural Appalachian communities need to solve local problems and spur economic development. Community members from 42 rural counties in 4 states (plus 2 student groups at Berea College) have attended weekend workshops at Berea College and returned home to…

Examines how faculty and student leaders in the Tutoring Enrichment Assistance Models for Schools (TEAMS) project, a community service project at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) challenge assumptions that college students have about tutoring and promote new understanding of stereotypes, hierarchical group dynamics, and inequality in…

Experience with one young man in a school for troubled adolescents helps author understand how the application of voluntarism could help initiate troubled adolescents into a community of learners and empower them to take control of their lives. Describes the school's successful venture teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to provide work…

This study assessed factors contributing to global program quality in 180 community-based child-care centers in North Carolina. Inclusive early-childhood programs scored higher on the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Other predictors of global program quality included teacher education, professional experience, and teacher self-ratings of…

An offshoot of a Denver, Colorado, alcohol and drug abuse prevention program, Blue Pony reclaims lacrosse as a Native American sport, and uses it to bridge tribal differences and promote cultural awareness, self-empowerment, and healthy lifestyles among urban Native American children. Discusses the game's history, a literacy program utilizing…

Describes three Oregon school-community programs that improve student attitude and behavior: community-service learning projects for previously disruptive students, after-school programs that provide exciting group activities for students who maintain decent grades and stay out of trouble, and adult mentoring and group activities for high-risk…

Mary Leue started the Free School, an independent, alternative elementary school in inner-city Albany (New York), based on open democratic education dedicated to the authentic lives of children. Other accomplishments include a community-investment organization, a magazine of alternative education, a magazine for empowering families, and a…