Background: The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006 examined 8 components of school health programs: health education, physical education and activity, health services, mental health and social services, nutrition services, healthy and safe school environment, faculty and staff health promotion, and family and community…

Background: As society continues to focus on the importance of academic achievement, the physical environment of schools should be addressed as 1 of the critical factors that influence academic outcomes. The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006 provides, for the first time, a comprehensive look at the extent to which schools have…

Young people with comorbid disorders (coexisting mental health and substance use disorders) present with particular issues that can be difficult for service providers, and for the community as a whole, to respond to. They tend to fall between the cracks of mental health services and substance use services, with the outcome often being ineffective…

Self-help among low-income people is vitally important. In no area is self-help more important than in overcoming poverty's burdens and energizing the escape from poverty. This document comprises an inventory of self-help and mutual-help programs that feature active involvement of members of the low-income population. The programs in this…

This newsletter theme issue discusses collaboration between professionals and families whose children have emotional disorders. Background information is provided on the concept of empowerment and the development of collaboration as a principle for delivering services. Factors that lead to empowerment and barriers experienced by families are…

In preparing for changes in federal funding policies the state of Missouri is one of 13 states to participate in the Children's Budget Watch Project, which documents expenditures on children's programs for the fiscal years 1990, 1993, 1994 and 1995. This report from the Citizens for Missouri's Children presents data on Missouri's expenditures in a…

Designed for parents of children with mental, emotional, or behavior disorders, this booklet provides information on accessing mental health services through health maintenance organizations. The first part of the guide provides information on how managed care can improve children's access to behavioral health services through expanded service…

This document presents the state of Maine's rules of general applicability and specific rights of children who are receiving services from the Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. The first section presents general rules concerning: statement of intent, definitions, basic rights, least restrictive appropriate treatment,…

Michigan was the first state to apply the permanency planning philosophy to children in the mental health system who have developmental disabilities or severe emotional disorders. Permanency planning involves identifying strategies for supporting children within permanent family relationships. This report outlines how the permanency planning…

This bulletin focuses on family participation in mental health policymaking and highlights state efforts to increase family involvement. Articles include: (1) "Promoting Family Member Involvement in Children's Mental Health Policy Making Bodies," which describes how different states are promoting family member involvement in various statutory and…

This report examines the behaviors and attitudes of Alabama adolescents and provides insights into changes and trends in the selected areas. Relatively few meaningful changes on risky behaviors were found. Risky health behaviors remained a serious, immediate, and future threat to the well-being of Alabama's teens. Changes were extremely modest in…

The Brief Intervention Program (BIP) is a mental health day program in Melbourne (Australia) for adolescents with severe mental health problems who are at risk for suicide. The 10-week program serves closed groups of 6-8 adolescents aged 13-18 years and has 3 phases: engagement and orientation (week 1), treatment (weeks 2-9), and integration (week…

Out Doors Inc. is a community-managed mental health organization in Victoria (Australia) that provides psychosocial rehabilitation to adults with mental health needs through outdoor adventure and other recreation experiences. This paper focuses on Out Door Inc.'s Going Places Program. The program, which ranges from 1 day to 4 months, is based on…

This report highlights the major issues discussed during a 2-day workshop on Medicaid funding for community-based mental health services for children and youth with severe emotional disturbances. The report opens with a brief description of the service needs of children and youth with severe emotional disturbances and the system of care that can…

This report proposes creation of a flexible and coordinated system for delivery of comprehensive community-based services to Minnesota children with emotional and behavioral disorders. The proposal calls for the state to support multiagency Local Collaboratives with: (1) legislation that grants local communities certain powers in exchange for…