For the past eight years, Midwest Educational Research Consortium (MERC), located at Western Michigan University, received two multi-million dollar grants through a U.S. Department of Education program entitled Gaining Early Awareness and Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). GEAR UP is a school/university partnership using a cohort model with the…

Describes an experimental child abuse training program developed for a wide range of community workers involved in the care of high risk families, and examines factors that interfere with the delivery of effective care. (CM)

School social work functions within a framework of limited casework involvement. Direct assistance is restricted to an individual's experiencing temporary disruption of function related to the learning process and whose coping resources and ego strengths can be mobilized in the limited time available for social work intervention. (Author)

Presents a decision-making model which is based on selected philosophical concepts and professional ethical guidelines and is designed to help child welfare practitioners deal with ethical issues in all aspects of their work. Use of the model is demonstrated in its application to selected aspects of a case study involving child custody…

From in-depth interviews with 15 public and volunteer agency caseworkers in states with and without statewide parental visiting policies, the elements that tend to determine or control the planned frequency of parental visiting of placed children are discussed. (BB)

A national survey of master's of social work programs was conducted to ascertain the extent to which curricula include content on "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-III) and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of this practice. Findings suggest strong support for the inclusion. (Author/MH)

Describes a pilot project allowing senior nursing students to make home visits to elderly clients with graduate students in social work. The purpose was to help students develop a clear sense of professional identity, awareness of one another's competency, and awareness of the multiple needs of the aging. (CH)

Addresses cultural and racial issues as they relate to social work practice and describes how an agency's awareness of these issues was increased as a result of a training project for minority students. A case history illustrates the agency's new perspective on service delivery. (Author/JAC)

The issue of short-term versus long-term treatment has been the focus of much controversy. After examining the arguments on both sides, the author concludes that certain short-term treatment strategies can be used effectively in situations usually seen as requiring long-term treatment. (Author)

The literature on the conflict between professional autonomy and bureaucratic controls is extensive. The author examines this literature in detail and concludes that the trend is toward further intrusions on worker autonomy.

A social worker at the Seizure Unit, Children's Hospital, Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, explains how the unit helps parents understand epilepsy. (DS)

Describes an effective, cost-efficient method of intervention with families of failure-to-thrive infants which employs supervised social work students to model nurturing and provide support services to mothers. (Author)

Describes and evaluates a child protection team in rural Vermont. The author draws on the team's experience to develop a model designed to utilize the strengths of a small community. (Author/DB)

The task implementation sequence (TIS), a major refinement of task-centered casework, is a powerful technique for accelerating therapeutic change by removing barriers before they arise. The cognitive approach, which has particular promise in surmounting psychological barriers, has been highlighted and illustrated with a case vignette. (Author)