In 1989, the state of Colorado participated in a policy academy on families and children at risk. The intent of the policy academy was to enable states to develop a strategic plan for families and children that would be family focused with an emphasis on family self-sufficiency, and to begin to create a service delivery system integrated across…

After briefly noting trends in major changes occurring in American society during the past 20 years, this booklet cites and interprets some specific changes taking place in family demographics during the past decade. While it is argued that general trends in family characteristics and child health and development are beginning to show signs of…

This article reports an empirical investigation of client perceptions and attitudes toward a comprehensive rehabilitation center for the physically and mentally handicapped. Client attitudes toward the staff, the treatment program, and the institution were analyzed in terms of their relationship to individual background characteristics. (Author)

The model presented in this article is intended to assist correctional counselors and others in facilitating communication among prison guards of a different race from inmates and, further, to illustrate how to train guards in the fundamentals of developing a helping relationship with inmates. (Author)

A paraprofessional and a professional team up to look at the best and the worst in current human service, and they challenge us to support the evolution of the "new professional." (Author)

The "Graduate Information Booklet" provides directory-type information on Montgomery County (Maryland) services for disabled students who are graduating from high school. The first section on practical information explains armed services registration, acquisition of school records, personal identification cards, social security cards,…

The background of Satanism and typical Satanic activities are described. It is noted that contemporary Satanism has three forms: solitary Satanists, outlaw cults, and neo-Satanic churches. Included in a description of Satanic activities are Heavy Metal music and fantasy games, both of which are intensely interesting to teenagers. The next section…

The objectives of this study were to determine the following: (1) what actions Federal agencies have taken to reduce or eliminate barriers to obtaining and using funds provided by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act; (2) the adequacy of Federal program oversight; and (3) the status of program expenditure rates. The programs reviewed…

The high fertility rates among Hispanics and the continuing immigration patterns are making the mental health needs of Hispanics a national concern. The issue of the underutilization of mental health services by Hispanics must become a prominent concern for all Americans. Three main factors in the underutilization of mental health services by…

Findings are presented from a site visit to a Raleigh, North Carolina, program that provides in-home support to children and adults with severe disabilities and their families. The program, the Wake County Community Alternatives Program for Persons with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, is administered by the North Carolina Department…

Some states have established community-based forensic services, such as competency and sanity evaluation programs. Since changing from inpatient, centralized evaluations to community-based, decentralized evaluations may result in lower costs, a study was conducted to examine the feasibility of doing more forensic sanity and competency evaluations…

The application of computers and information science to health and human service graduate studies at St. Mary's College is described. The programs are built on a microcomputer hardware and software base and draw on national database utilities to facilitate instructor-student communication as well as access to typical library data. The program…

A special unit within a nursing home for serving residents with dementia was developed and implemented at the Cape Cod Nursing Home in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The purpose of the special unit is to create a structured and protective environment which holistically supports the residents with dementia in achieving their maximum potential. A…

This document contains a summary of the 3-day Conference on Research Related to the Prevention of Mental Illness, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse. Part I, Introduction, discusses the need to stimulate collaboration between service providers and university-based researchers as the primary goal of the conference and lists specific objectives…

The general purpose of this paper is to illustrate how social psychological perspectives on the self can enhance a clinical understanding of client problems and psychotherapy. This discussion, which bridges two highly divergent strands of literature, points out the value of complementing clinically derived theory with more rigorously researched…