Using specific examples, describes key features of current comprehensive community initiatives to improve the lives of children and considers the limitations of efforts to evaluate them and factors contributing to their success or failure. Comprehensive community initiatives use multifaceted approaches to strengthen communities and improve the…

Provides a coherent framework to help states examine their personnel development systems and provides steps for the development and implementation of an integrated service delivery and personnel development system for early intervention. A model consisting of 12 key elements for planning and implementing a comprehensive system is presented. (CR)

This paper summarizes current knowledge on the transition to adulthood of youth with serious emotional disturbance in terms of epidemiology, effective interventions, and program models. The first section is introductory and provides definitions and characteristics of transitional youth noting special developmental tasks, outcomes for young adults,…

Three summaries of papers presented in a symposium examine issues in the wraparound model of providing case management and mental health services to children and adolescents with emotional/behavioral disorders. The papers describe 30 months of participatory program evaluation and simultaneous program development between the University of South…

The evolution of a school-linked service integration model that is geared to school restructuring processes is described, and systemic restructuring components are discussed. Information on the inclusion of all students with disabilities in the model is provided. A case study is presented of a first grader with emotional disturbances, who, after…

The village center model is designed to eliminate fragmented social service delivery problems in rural areas. The Whole Village Project at Plymouth, New Hampshire, offers interagency collaboration, local control and leadership, and increased client access to family and child services. Alternative strategies are outlined for development of similar…

This document is intended to assist schools in developing a comprehensive and multifaceted continuum of mental health programs and services. Following an introductory discussion of the scope of the problem, part 1 examines definitional concerns that must be resolved over time. Part 2 provides a general rationale for mental health services in…

This text is designed to assist state, regional, and local education agencies and other collaborating agencies to improve interdisciplinary and interagency service coordination for children, youth, and adults with disabilities in accordinace with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other related statutes. The training guide…

This paper provides a framework for use by education agencies in developing rules and guidelines for use of paraprofessionals within programs serving individuals with learning disabilities, by postsecondary institutions and related agencies in developing education and professional development programs, and by administrators and teachers/service…

This chapter from a North Dakota guide for early childhood special education personnel focuses on program planning for young children with special needs. Following an introduction, the first section presents the North Dakota program guidelines, including eligibility of students, an explanation of the approval of services process, a description of…

The Kentucky Family Resource Centers developed under the Kentucky Educational Reform Act are described as examples of the school-linked service movement. The lessons learned in the development of the centers and policy issues that need to be addressed by both education and social services to assure continued development of this movement are…

Reviews current thinking about the optimal organization and delivery of child care and other family support programs, focusing on how child care services in selected Canadian provinces and other countries have been coordinated with other services. Presents theoretical and conceptual frameworks informing current thinking about organization and…

This document provides 2001-02 year service plan guidelines for fulfilling the requirements of the Student Health Partnership, a joint endeavor of the provincial government partners of Alberta Learning, Health and Wellness, Children's Services, and the Alberta Mental Health Board, to enhance the provision of a range of integrated health and…

Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) is an early childhood public/private initiative designed to identify new, empirical knowledge about the effectiveness of integrating substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services with primary health care and childcare service settings (e.g., Head Start, day care, preschool) to…

This monograph offers an introduction to providing an interagency "system of care" for meeting the needs of children and youth with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD). This approach focuses on meeting the individual needs of children with E/BD in their home communities and supporting family members as allies in the treatment process. Strategies…