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…

This study promotes the natural world as a resource for personal growth. It stresses how nature may help individuals build responsible and fulfilling relationships and offers sensory activities which show how nature can lead people to emotional health by teaching them its "non-language communication." Once participants identify and…

In the absence of data, pharmacotherapy with benzodiazepines has become the mainstay of anxiety management in the elderly population. However, the use of benzodiazepines in the elderly has many problems. Elderly persons are more sensitive to anti-anxiety medications and are subject to a variety of increased risks, including cognitive impairment,…

Noting that the physical and mental growth of children are influenced by many environmental and familial factors, this paper explores improving the well being of children. The first part of the paper discusses child rearing, emphasizing three fundamental themes: creating an environment where children are born healthy and wanted; helping children…

Although public acceptance of Head Start is high, public understanding of what the program does remains limited. Studies of Head Start to date have been insufficient in quantity and scope. In November 1994, the Roundtable on Head Start Research began a series of discussions of new directions for Head Start research. The roundtable looked at…

A Finnish study compared the career development, participation in vocational education, and working life 4 to 5 years after the completion of secondary school education of students with mild mental retardation (n=13) and students with other disabilities (n=72). Results found most of the subjects had completed their studies, however, only 25…

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…

A multidimensional clinical assessment project was conducted on an at-risk adolescent population (n=78) in a public school setting. The focus of the project was on the identification of specific learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as they relate to mental health problems and scholastic difficulties.…

The A.A. 12 steps have long been associated with effective helping, both in terms of recovery from chemical addiction and increasing mental health. Historically there has also been a philosophical division between A.A. oriented substance abuse counselors and the rest of the helping professionals. The purpose of this article is to suggest and…

This curriculum is designed to address several facets of intervention involving children of alcoholics and other students at high-risk. While the guide was intended to be used in rural school districts, the basic information may be helpful for all communities. The curriculum includes eight sessions devised to identify, teach, and intervene with…

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…