The development and dissemination of culturally relevant health care information has traditionally taken a "top-down" approach. Governmental funding agencies and research institutions have too often dictated the importance and focus of health-related research and information dissemination. In addition, the digital divide has affected rural…

The booklet presents papers from a December 1982 workshop on specific problems in caring for ventilator-dependent children (children with respiratory distress due to prematurity, low birth weight or developmental immaturity). Following excerpts from the keynote address by C. Everett Koop, the U.S. Surgeon General, model programs from Pennsylvania,…

The Geriatric Assessment Unit (GAU), which has proven successful in urban areas, may be a viable system for providing health care to the elderly in rural areas. GAUs engage in assessment, follow-up response to findings, education, and research. The assessment component includes, at minimum, physical health, functional ability in activities of…

This paper presents the hospice as an alternative method of caring for the dying, with emphasis on bereavement follow-up care of the family. Components of this approach are described in terms of: (1) the delivery of care through a physician-directed team supported by nurses, social workers, pastors, volunteers, and consultants; (2) the maintenance…

This paper provides background information on existing refugee health policy as spelled out in the Refugee Act of 1980, consideration that issues in health and health care have received, and significant program development that has occurred in addressing health care problems. Following the introduction, Section II describes the following: (1)…

This document represents proceedings of a workshop before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. The workshop focused on the severe shortage of health professionals in the rural health care system. Opening remarks by Portia Mittelman, Staff Director of the Special Committee on Aging and Jeffrey Human, Director of the Office of Rural Health Policy…

Comprehensive health care (preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and environmental) for more than 930,000 eligible American Indians and Alaska Natives is the responsibility of the Indian Health Service (IHS). Since 1955, this agency of the U.S. Public Health Service has made notable progress in raising the health status of Indians and Alaska…

In fiscal year 1983 nearly 1,500 Alaskan children under the age of 6 received Head Start services from a total of 262 staff members--149 of whom were classroom personnel--and 1,473 volunteers. Over 700 Head Start children received medical screening, and more than 100 needed and received medical treatment through Head Start. Over 800 Head Start…

In 1985, the New York City Health Care for the Homeless Program began providing health care and social services to homeless people. The program seeks to provide care to those homeless people with the least access to services, reaching out to them in soup kitchens, shelters, and hotels. This paper summarizes what has been learned since 1985 about…

The Colorado Migrant Education Program and the Colorado Migrant Health Program (CMHP) together plan and implement a comprehensive health program for migrant summer school students on a yearly basis. This report provides statistical data about the health status of the migrant students and the health services provided to them during the 1990…

This report describes the activities of Oregon's 25 high school-based health centers between 1992 and 1994. Information is provided on funding sources, services offered (including general medical services and reproductive health, mental health, health promotion services, and hours of operation), staffing (including levels of staffing and…

Profiles are presented of each of the 10 consortia that make up the California Health Services/Education Activities (HS/EA) network (new relationships between educational facilities where health care manpower is trained in the community settings where they practice). The first part of the booklet is a comparative analysis of (1) Area Health…