Assessments of 41 mentally ill adults (consumers of mental health services) of their level of functioning were compared with assessments by family members and mental health services case managers. Moderate correlations are found among the perspectives, and the relevance of the three perspectives for community-based service provision is discussed.…

This study examined fidelity in multidimensional family prevention (MDFP), a family-based prevention counseling model for adolescents at high risk for substance abuse and related behavior problems, in comparison to two empirically based treatments for adolescent drug abuse: multidimensional family therapy (MDFT) and cognitive-behavioral therapy…

This study examined the relation between culturally based variables and attitudes toward seeking mental health services among a community sample of Vietnamese Americans (N = 148) with at least 8 years' residence in the United States (U.S.). Variables included Stigma, Traditional Beliefs about Mental Illness, Help-Seeking Preferences, Problem…

Approximately 10% of children and adolescents have mental health problems necessitating intervention, but well below 50% of these children receive needed services, and far fewer receive the quality of care required to effectively reduce their impairments. Although system reform is needed to improve service utilization and quality of care for all…

This article describes the Pathways to Prevention (PTP) infant mental health initiative conducted by Early Head Start (EHS). The authors note that staff members who want to build their early childhood programs' capacity in infant mental health are often at a loss about how to do it. They suggest establishing an intensive, ongoing relationship with…

Mental health services are delivered to children in many settings, including inpatient psychiatric facilities. In 1997, over 280,000 children and adolescents were admitted to inpatient psychiatric settings for services related to emotional or behavioral disorders. Building a bridge between hospital and school professionals is necessary to maintain…

This article describes the essential aspects of a creative, experiential course in dream interpretation for psychology and counseling students. Such a course offers counselor educators an opportunity to develop basic interviewing and advanced processing techniques in their students while facilitating greater self-exploration and improved…

This article illustrates procedures for using e-journals as a creative and adjunctive approach in group work. Incorporating e-mail based journaling as an ancillary form of group interaction allows members to communicate via written channels, and creates new ways for clients to relate in the group. This article outlines how leaders can use…

Rates of overweight children and adolescents have nearly tripled over the past 30 years. Many barriers exist to healthy eating and physical activity for children and adolescents, including factors in the school and community environment. It is these modifiable school environmental factors that led to the development of the Nutrition Friendly…

This article describes the evaluation of a comprehensive school-based asthma management program in an inner-city, largely African-American school system. All 54 elementary schools (combined enrollment 13,247 students) from a single urban school system participated in this study. Schools were randomly divided between immediate and delayed…

Objectives: To present a framework for classifying research-practice gaps to increase clarity in the discourse on evidence-informed practice and policy as it applies to child mental health. Method: The development of the framework was informed by the research literature about the effectiveness of clinic- and community-based interventions for the…

This volume describes actual programs that are based on the idea that family connections are substantial resources for healing and recovery even when the family is a very troubled one. With a focus on severely damaged families, these programs attempt to keep children connected with their own families even when circumstances prevent their living…

Adolescent use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is currently increasing. Three out of four adolescents report regular drinking. Significant alcohol, inhalant, and cigarette use is reported as early as fourth grade, and alcohol experimentation increases from 6 to 17 percent between fourth and sixth grades. Adolescence is a high risk stage for…

During the years 1991-1995, through planning efforts in local communities, a successful model has been created for the implementation of the Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Act (1990). Three key components of the Colorado model are: (1) the establishment of local health advisory committees; (2) the administration of local needs…

This training guide is intended to help Head Start staff promote mental health for all members of the Head Start Community, by means of activities that build skills in creating responsive, respectful relationships with co-workers, parents, and children. The guide has five working sections, the first three of which are training modules. Each of the…