Presents a way to evaluate the impact of local human services delivery systems and illustrates this logic model through the experiences of an urban United Way organization. This experience suggests that the logic model may have applications in planning when the aim is long-term social objectives through short-term interventions. (SLD)

Presents the rationale for using cinematic films as therapeutic metaphors. Provides two case studies to illustrate how movies can help clients gain insight into problems. Claims that clients' interpretations of second and third levels of meaning in cinematic films can help them deal with long-buried emotions. (RJM)

The president of the American Association on Mental Retardation examines progress in four areas of mental retardation, for individuals with mental retardation, the nation, the Association, and all individuals. The four areas are choice, advocacy, supports, and equity. (DB)

Study identifies ways that traumatic experiences and trauma-associated feelings can be offense triggers for juvenile sex offenders. Researchers interviewed the treating clinicians of 40 male juvenile sex offenders. Overall, clinicians identified prior trauma exposure as being related to the offense triggers in 85% of offenders. Implications for…

Examines reports of marital problems from couples at different stages of the life course. Results indicated that presenting problems were generally the same, regardless of whether the couple was newly married, in the childbearing years, or married over a decade. Moreover, wives reported more problems in the their relationships than did husbands,…

Examines the expressed counselor preferences of individuals entering a community-based counselor-training clinic. Clients were asked whether they had a preference regarding counselor age, disability status, education, gender, and race. Of these characteristics, only for gender did even a moderate number of clients (30%) express a preference.…

This article challenges educators to develop the human service student's innate inclination toward a professional approach to practice. A conscious effort to incorporate individual professionalism as a central theme within the human service academic program can enhance students' self-perception, self-confidence and, ultimately, the quality of…

Little is written about the impact of cultural and economic factors on the field of human services and how these factors affect an agency's ability to train interns. Two field-placement coordinators evaluated existing programs through the goodness-of-fit perspective and examined the relationships among students, agencies, and academia. (Contains…

Examined points of entry into mental health service system for children and adolescents and patterns of movement through five service sectors (specialty mental health services, education, general medicine, juvenile justice, child welfare). Education sector plays central role as point of entry. Interagency collaboration among education, specialty…

Color photographs of burned and nonburned children were used to study the attitudes of 218 practice teachers, nursing students, and counselors-in-training. Findings revealed that children with severe burns and facial scarring were regarded less favorably. Stresses that professionals should be well-trained and empathic in order to assist burned…

Study follows a collaborative support group project between a team of health professionals and a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients' group. While advantageous for professionals to decide upon the aim of a joint intervention in dialogue with participants, simply asking participants what their aims are does not guarantee actual agreement. Case study…

Highlights the Openness to Therapy Assessment (OTA), a test designed to help clients entering therapy to feel more comfortable. The OTA includes such issues as confidentiality, feeling hopeless, feeling ashamed of going to a therapist, and being afraid of going for therapy. The self-evaluation also includes how to deal with these fears. (GCP)

Examines the intersection of race, class, and gender and the dimensions of oppression and discrimination in counseling. Historical and contemporary dimensions of racism, misogyny, and classism are presented. (Contains 96 references.) (GCP)

Investigates whether differences still exist for racial minorities and women in terms of acceptance rates, employment outcomes, and quality of successful closures in the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system. Differences in odds were found for the following: acceptance rates favored European Americans; employment outcomes favored European…

Examines whether prisoners seek help from mental health professionals, and assesses the validity and utility of a short form of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS) for assessing prison inmates' help-seeking attitudes. Results were consistent with previous research, and indicated that male inmates (N = 173)…