The lack of culturally appropriate health and mental health care has contributed to the large number of African American youth and families involved in the child welfare system. This article reviews the consequences of the insufficient access to culturally sensitive, evidence-supported interventions for African American foster youth. The authors…

Objective: To describe characteristics and outcomes of youth aged 7 to 17 who received inpatient psychiatric and mental health services along different clinical pathways of a new service delivery model. Method: Participants included 211 admissions to an inpatient crisis stabilization and assessment program over a one-year period. Standardized…

Reviews the history of state mental health planning from the federal perspective, discusses some state objectives for comprehensive planning, and presents a participatory model for plan development. Demonstrates how the model can be used to produce a mental health plan that is a viable management tool fulfilling many state objectives. (Author/BH)

A model for the delivery of mental health services to people residing in small communities (less than 10,000 population) is presented. The model is the product of personal consultation experience over the past three years with a modestly staffed and financed but very successful mental health agency. Emphasis is placed on community action,…

Interviews with state mental health authorities revealed that many states are emphasizing program development and funding for the severely acutely and chronically mentally ill while deemphasizing consultation/education, prevention, and evaluation activities. Funding mechanisms are moving toward greater accountability and funding levels are…

Two papers are presented and discussed in this report. The first is "Integration of Health Education Services with Other Services for Children and Young People," and the second is "Health Education of Educators." Discussion of these two papers centered around three topics: identification of the health education component of all relevant services…

This paper presents outcomes and accomplishments of the first round of participating individuals, communities, and grantees of the Circles of Care program (CoC). While accomplishing all CoC program goals, the initiative supported grantees in developing individual service delivery system models and positioned each grantee advantageously for…

Planning, implementing, and evaluating an effective community health program requires a basic understanding of the dynamics and precedents that affect such programs. A community health program's general goal is to assist individuals and communities in identifying and meeting their health problems. In order to accomplish this goal the American…

During the past three decades, there has been an increase in knowledge about early childhood development. Early experiences can function as either risk factors or protective factors for a child's future health and development. This has led to concern about how current health systems contribute to the quality of the earliest experiences of life.…

Asserts that mental health planning has been limited by conceptual and logistical restraints, causing planning to be isolated from management and ineffectual in describing total system of services required by persons experiencing severe mental illness. Describes application of new ideas and information technologies which can yield enhanced…

The report analyzes roles of mental health professionals in implementing Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986, which established the Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP). A December, 1987, conference of administrators, clinicians, policymakers, and parent representatives from federal, state, and…

This manual is intended to help professionals and non-professionals develop a peer support system involving older persons in the provision of comprehensive mental health services. The materials focus on: (1) program concept and objectives; (2) links between physical and mental health in the elderly; (3) recruitment and training of peer counselors;…

This resource book, which provides an overview of the people and resources of the fictious state of Gerontopia, is designed to serve as a simulation device for policy and program planning. By helping students examine the conditions and needs of older adults, the materials can be used to generate ideas, suggest alternatives to existing service…

Critical reasons for frustration and circularity in the formulation and implementation of mental health policy are analyzed. The primary reason proposed is the lack of equal, systematic and structurally-reinforced participation of mental health services consumers and their communities in the planning and implementing of policy and programs. This…

This document presents findings from a study conducted to examine the relationships between jails which were represented at the 1978 Special National Workshop on Mental Health Services in Local Jails and the various components of their local mental health systems. Chapter I explains the origins and scope of the study, describes the sample of 33…