This report describes the implementation and first 6 months of data collection of the required performance outcome measures for children receiving mental health services in Florida, as required under Florida's 1994 Government Performance and Accountability Act. This summary is of data received from August 1996 to January 1997 and includes data for…

National, state and local standards in existence for institutions for mentally retarded, mental health patients, and youthful and adult offenders are considered. Standards used by state library agencies in institutional library planning, standardization of standards, and positive and negative aspects of current standards are discussed. A 47-item…

Members of the Pacific Coast College Health Association were asked about their policies for evaluating and restricting the attendance of severely disturbed students who will not cooperate with mental health intervention measures. Policies show little conformity; the need for clearer procedures is stressed. (Authors/PP)

Proposes a framework for assessing how human service delivery systems function. Identifies factors that influence the ability of agencies to operate as a unified system. Provides an accurate picture of how services are delivered to target populations, and why various systems function as they do. (Author/JAC)

Suggests that, despite the growing popularity of case management in caring for clients' multiple needs, the concept lacks clarity, focusing variously on psychotherapy or provision of services. Explores the potential for claiming case management as a social work domain, citing the conceptual commonality between social work and case management.…

Suggests that counseling psychology has failed to take a leadership role in primary prevention, and community psychology has begun to fill that void. Suggests prevention is essential to the identity of the profession, and changes must be made in training programs to bridge the gap between public statements and reality. (JAC)

The outcomes of deinstitutionalization programs for criminals and the mentally ill have not matched expectations. Community alternatives have become extensions of the penal system. For the chronically mentally ill, granting the negative right of freedom from organized interference has often meant denial of the right to care and attention.…

A critical review of the literature suggests the following: (1) negative changes in physical health, mortality rate, and mental health status usually accompany widowhood; (2) social-psychological variables such as the individual's characteristic ways of coping with stress and the adequacy of the social network may attenuate widowhood's negative…

This special issue presents seven papers describing programs for children with behavioral disorders. Among topics addressed are use of role playing to foster social skills, truancy intervention, and cooperative efforts by mental health agencies and public schools. (CL)

Service utilization records, often used to determine American Indian psychiatric disorder patterns, can guide selectively focused research. A tentative psychiatric epidemiology research framework contains four major components: community collaboration, sampling techniques, instrument development, and implementation. Available from: White Cloud…

A community-based program was designed to serve as an alternative to traditional short-term hospital treatment and after-care services for the psychiatrically disabled client. Comparisons revealed significant differences in favor of this approach. A rehabilitation counselor worked half-time and was an invaluable member. (Author)

There are many stress-producing factors in the life of a teacher. While discipline seems to be the major problem, social and personal problems also increase the pressure of daily living. Changing negative attitudes and widening limited perspectives will help to combat the inevitable stress of teaching. (JD)

The development of affiliate agreements requires an organized and planned approach with specific goals and strategies, taking into account the complex dynamics that operate in inter-organizational relationships. Successful negotiation leads to decisions in the best interest of each partner, not just preservation of the relationship. (JAC)

Notes the evolving definition of mental health "primary prevention," the future of which is currently jeopardized. Describes a study of the effectiveness of primary prevention in relieving some of the signs and symptoms of teacher burnout. Includes the format of a teacher inservice program which addresses teacher burnout. (SB)

In simulated decision-making situations in a community mental health center, three types of information were studied and rated: political; cost-benefit, and statistical. Only cost-benefit information was rated as significantly influencing administrators' decisions. (MH)