Involvement in the juvenile justice system has tremendous costs for the individuals within it, as well as for society. Such involvement may damage a child's relationships with friends and family, negatively affect mental health, and interrupt the academic progress and work experience that should accumulate during adolescence. On the societal…

The Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center offers harm reduction programming to at-risk adolescent American Indian girls, including outreach, case management, advocacy, healthy sexuality education, and support groups. To evaluate program impact, participants are assessed at intake and every 6 months afterward for current vulnerability to…

Out-of-wedlock pregnancy among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa is a major concern, because of its association with health, social, psychological, economic and demographic factors. This article describes the development of the Teenage Mothers Project, a community-based intervention to improve psychological and social well-being of unmarried…

The Young Mothers Support Group program was designed to engage pregnant teens and young mothers in a youth-driven program tailored to meet their identified needs. Central to the success of the program were the premises that young women would engage in healthy relationships with adults and peers within the program, and were able to actively…

This article summarizes published research regarding the effectiveness of mentor programs in general, and for youth in foster care specifically, as a basis for evidence-based practice in child welfare. It examines the pros and cons of mentor programs and characteristics of programs that are more or less effective for achieving specific social…

Substance misuse is one of the most prevalent causes of adolescent injury and death. Additionally, 5-8% of adolescents in the U.S. qualify for a diagnosis of substance abuse disorder. This article discusses formal prevention and treatment program models, focusing on a continuum of care which extends from prevention to treatment alternatives.…

In 1981, the first grants for what later came to be called "abstinence-only" programs were authorized under the Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA). Sponsored by congressional family planning opponents, AFLA was promoted as a "family-centered" alternative to contraceptive counseling and services to teenagers; instead, this…

A number of recent publications have highlighted the need for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to be offered "timely" and "appropriate" support in relation to the development of their social skills. One such reported method is the utilisation of social skills groups, although only a small evidence base currently exists demonstrating…

This article highlights the authors' research, beginning with the development of a language to define and discuss coping, then the development of two coping programs for adolescent-aged youth, and concluding with evaluations of these programs for youth who are low in resources. (Contains 2 tables.)

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) students experience harassment, alienation, and violence in schools. Several school-based interventions have been suggested to provide a safe and effective learning environment for these students, but few have been evaluated or investigated experimentally. This review utilizes A. K. Ellis' (2001)…

Examines levels of depression, self-esteem, loneliness, and social support, and the relationships between these variables among adolescent mothers (N=21) participating in the New Parents Project. Depression scores were in the high range for 53% of participants. Strong, significant relationships were found, except between depression and…

The yshareit project aims to increase awareness of and access to reputable e-mental health resources among young people. This is achieved by developing peer support networks, supported by e-mental health resources including the triage website, http://www.yshareit.com. Young people involved in the evaluation of the project described in this paper…

"YouthBuild" offers low-income youth both education and job training services. "YouthBuild's" education component emphasizes attaining a GED or high school diploma, typically in alternative schools with small class sizes and an emphasis on individualized instruction. In "YouthBuild's" job-training program,…

Adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently experience social isolation and vocational failure. Although social skills groups are vital, relatively few model programs have been developed for this age group. This article reviews the model and evaluation of the Aspirations program, an 8-week social and vocational…

This guide to self-evaluation and improvement builds upon the advice given in the publication "A Guide to Evaluating Services for Children and Young People Using Quality Indicators" (HMIE, 2006) (A summary of the quality indicators is reproduced in Appendix I). Local authorities, agencies and professionals who have responsibilities for…