Students, a large percentage with disabilities, are at high risk for poor post-secondary outcomes in state agency education programs. This mixed-methods study describes the understandings of student transitions in state agency education programs from the perspectives of youth and administrators. Results indicated that: transition is more narrowly…

In 2005 the Texas 79th legislature passed Senate Bill 6, which included mandates to address disproportionality. This article will describe how the Texas Department of Family Protective Services in collaboration with Casey Family Programs' Texas State Strategy systems improvement initiative is addressing disproportionality statewide through…

Describes Pennsylvania's comprehensive child day care and early childhood development training system, focusing on the Early Childhood Education Linkage System (ECELS) and its immunization initiative. The initiative was established to improve the overall immunization status of all children in child day care in the state. (MDM)

In this article on state-organized programs to reduce rates of juvenile delinquency, programs such as truancy prevention, day treatment, specialized foster care for emotionally disturbed, handicapped, and/or mentally retarded children, community resources projects, and residential treatment are briefly described. (Author/SE)

Describes the provisions, development, and future of the Independent-Living Initiative. Discusses its implementation at federal and state levels, and also the plans of the state of Illinois to establish a departmentwide task force to develop a system of services for youths who will be leaving foster care. (RJC)

A program for legally mandated training of foster and adoptive parents in rural Oregon is described. The development of this program and its funding sources can serve as an example for other rural areas. (BC)

Identified factors related to the recruitment, training, and retention of family child care (FCC) providers in two rural communities who participated in an FCC training program. Findings point to the relative success of efforts to recruit and train high quality family child care providers and the relative difficulty of retaining these providers…

In November 2002, Chief Judge Judith Kaye attended the National Adoption Day festivities in Albany County and New York County (Manhattan). Although pleased that 600 adoptions were being finalized statewide on this special day, she was concerned to learn more than 6,000 other children were free for adoption but had not yet found permanent families.…

The state of Indiana recommended a committee be formed to address the disproportional representation of black youth in out-of-home placements. In response, the Indiana Disproportionality Committee (IDC) was established. This article presents the development, objectives and future of the IDC. One of the objectives, research, will be offered as an…

Examines problems, confusions and opportunities that accompany the new Title XX regulations. (BR)

Describes a state of Oregon experimental program demonstrating a multidisciplinary team approach to dealing with severely emotionally disturbed youth (aged 6-17) in a residential care setting. Those treated were physically dangerous. Varied therapies were used, with frequency of review emphasized. Coordination of public and private resources and…

Examined health care policies and services for children under 46 state welfare agencies. Found that most states had written policies regarding health care for foster children, but half had no management system to record health care data. Most states did not meet standards set by the Child Welfare League of America for health care of these…

Points to an increased national awareness of the importance to society of provision for children's and families' needs. This awareness has resulted in new levels of legislative action. Discusses what Alaska has and has not achieved, cites movements in other states, and offers a call to vigorous action. (NH)

Examines Canadian child care and child care policy in light of four goals: alleviating poverty, fostering equality for women, providing early education and child development services, and promoting economic well-being. Examples are provided to show the practical application of policy to meet each of the goals. An analysis of current child care…

Surveyed 49 state supervisors and 36 Native American supervisors of child welfare programs in Arizona. Found that, although both groups reported similar levels of supervisory professionalization and job satisfaction, they differed in their ethnicity, their supervisory tasks, and their training needs. Tribal supervisors reported having more…