To be effective, interagency agreements must overcome a variety of obstacles, including lack of coordination between state and local agencies. A process for overcoming those barriers includes identifying resources to be exchanged and teaching special education or mental health concepts to the other agency(ies). Useful agreements are written…

Promoting coordinated and/or joint programs among local agencies is one strategy small, rural communities can use to cope with rapid population and economic growth. Interagency coordination is a process in which two or more organizations come together to solve a specific problem or meet a specific need. Coordination means more than just…

Meaningful program evaluation is essential to interagency collaboration for handicapped persons. A team approach to developing an evaluation strategy must take into account factors within four stages of the evaluation process: 1) focusing, 2) planning, 3) implementing the evaluation, and 4) disseminating results and assessing the evaluation…

Jefferson Meetings were developed in 1984 to provide an innovative way to teach students an understanding of the United States Constitution. Describes how to organize such an event. (MD)

A strategic approach to institutional planning is proposed that integrates three usually isolated planning efforts as a means of making planning more manageable and of minimizing turf problems, favoritism charges, and other threats to morale and commitment to decisions. The approach includes breadth of representation on the planning team and…

The monograph offers an overview of the history of health care for children with disabilities. Health goals for the disabled child are considered and a systems model discussed that views health care services as part of the child's total service needs. Routine and specialized health care needs of disabled children are covered, and service areas…

This handbook records the joint planning process for development of a family literacy program suited to each of six Massachusetts communities. Part 1 discusses the national background to collaborative projects, national educational goals and concept of family and intergenerational literacy programs, justification for family literacy, libraries'…

This publication brings together ideas, techniques, and designs that have been encountered by designers of school community centers. It is intended as a guide to creating a school community center that will meet the needs of a particular community and help make it a more vibrant, healthy, desirable place in which to live. Part I (encompassing…

The responsibilities of a gifted education program coordinator are many and varied. Guidelines are provided for many questions that new coordinators should ask when evaluating the existing gifted education program, developing the program, selecting new teachers, specifying the coordinator's role in both teaching and administration, and making a…

Explores decision making strategies by program administrators regarding coordinating the program development functions of their agencies. Discusses program origins, orientation of resource persons, planning committees, supervision, and situational influences. (CT)

The report offers policy program and program recommendations for six barriers to education and career preparation of disabled youth: (1) student categorization; (2) lack of access and availability of job training programs; (3) insufficient employment opportunities; (4) lack of self advocacy skills; (5) need to improve and disseminate secondary…

A comprehensive needs assessment is the critical first step a coalition or organization must take in order to develop an effective and successful underage drinking prevention effort. This guide details the elements of a needs assessment. Beginning with data, the booklet walks the reader through the process organizations must follow to obtain all…

This paper discusses the importance of interagency coordination in developing services for young children with handicaps and their families. It suggests strategies to improve the functioning of interagency coordinating councils by considering council membership, role definition, goal commitment, vision of the early intervention system, and use of…

Eleven suggestions are provided for implementation of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model to meet students' needs for enriched learning opportunities. Suggestions include respect the individual interests and styles of faculty; don't waste time trying to convince everyone; and be careful not to take credit for what others do. (JDD)

This information packet is designed to assist local interagency councils to implement Public Law 99-457's requirements concerning the provision of high quality services to preschool children with disabilities and their families. The model described provides a framework for continual coordination of agency programs as well as use of collaboration…