This article reports a survey of members of the International Toy Library Association and others in order to describe the international toy library/lekotek movement today. Information from 37 countries was evaluated and the similarities and differences among the toy libraries/lekoteks identified, as well as the various philosophies, aims, and…

This report provides three case studies illustrating the characteristics and general nature of selected family support programs in socially vulnerable communities. The profile of each program provides in-depth information about how the program operates. Fundamental barriers to program development and service provision are identified, and specific…

Both the rural economy and the disability community in rural areas can benefit from a recognition that they are mutually dependent. With the decline of rural America, the economic base underpinning all aspects of disability support systems is weakening. In addition, rural disability services often are compartmentalized along functional lines with…

Describes a suburban community's effort to identify and intervene in situations where children are designated as "vulnerable." This program operates through a coordinated system of interagency and hospital communication, a community cross-indexing Register of Vulnerable Children, and a system of quality control. (Author/SDH)

Reviews literature relating to work and leisure and predicts that Americans will soon have more leisure time than they know what to do with. Community colleges can provide a sense of community, job skill upgrading, occupational training or re-training, avocational education, physical activities, academic coursework, and a place to pursue hobbies.…

Designed for participants at a national teleconference on civic responsibility, this workbook provides the conference program, information on speakers, essays and fact sheets on various aspects of citizenship education and community service, and a list of resources for educational planning. The workbook includes: (1) a summary of the National and…

This booklet offers simple descriptions of each of the long-term care services that may be available to individuals needing such care, identifies where in the community services might be located, and explains what portions of the costs for each type of service will be paid by Medicare, Medicaid or private supplementary insurance policies. This…

A series of discussions between the Gloucester (England) Health Authority and a research team resulted in a 3-year project designed to support elderly people, and those who care for them, in their own homes. This paper is an updated version of a discussion paper prepared during the formative phase of the project. It was created to encourage…

Analysis of the total framework of relationships between the St. Cloud (Minnesota) Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) staff and senior volunteers revealed that six components were involved in this organized effort: (1) recruitment and enrollment; (2) assessment and matching; (3) placement and supervision; (4) orientation and training; (5)…

The State of Virginia has had a statewide nursing home preadmission screening program since 1977 and has made efforts to ensure appropriate placement of individuals in long term care settings. In a major effort to divert certain individuals from institutionalization, a personal care option has been provided. Using data from the Preadmission…

This document contains the text of a Senate hearing on barriers to health care for the chronically mentally ill. Senator Orrin Hatch discusses the history of health care for the mentally ill and the changing role of the federal government, and Senator Edward Kennedy summarizes legislation initiated for the chronically mentally ill. The…

Sixty-five model programs striving to integrate people with severe disabilities into their natural communities were nominated and screened via interviews, site visits, and comparison with eight principles of community integration including family scale community living arrangements, consumer and parent involvement, and development of community…

This report describes the recent efforts of Michigan's Division of Services to Crippled Children (DSCC) to assist families with handicapped children to develop their full potential for health, education, and self-support through the removal of physical, social, psychological, and economic barriers. DSCC functions are carried out at the local,…

The College for Living Program in Denver, Colorado, focuses on independent living skills for developmentally disabled adults. The program is described in terms of its history (beginning in 1974) and its focus on education and community services provided by institutions of higher education. The program's three major goals and component objectives…