There is evidence that informal caregiving systems, called natural helping networks, already carry much of the service load of community mental health services, and need to be strengthened to provide even more. Social network analysis is a useful tool for understanding how these informal mechanisms operate, as well as the way in which some…

This paper describes a project which is attempting to strengthen existing mental health programs and develop new forms of support for rural children, since current programs are limited by a scarcity of funds, trained personnel, and supportive services. The setting of the project is a three-county area in Southwestern Pennsylvania which has been…

These three booklets present information about selected aspects of the Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program. A brief history of the development of the EPSDT program, a description of administrative structure at the national, state and local levels, and a description of the lifestyle typical of many EPSDT…

This paper describes a preschool health screening service in which nurses, contracted through the Visiting Nurse Association, are assigned to day care centers receiving Title XX funds. The program focuses on health, safety and nutrition education. Screening includes history and physical assessment, developmental assessment, assessment or updating…

In an effort to prove that mental health services can be lay administered, a training program was implemented in the rural areas of Cedar County (October 1972-April 1973) and Iowa County, Iowa (October 1973-May 1974). Recruited via personal or telephone contact, 20 trainees were selected who demonstrated they: were good listeners; did not impose…

This paper examines the assets and problems that occur when a school system relies on part-time, external mental health services. In this case, the "part-time, services" are provided by local university (Yale) graduate students in the role of counsultants The greatest problem encountered is the attitude of the regular teaching staff who find the…

This study reports on the development of a professionally prepared and delivered mental health program addressed to the needs and interests of elementary principals in a California school district. The needs of the principals were identified at a series of meetings with the district's principals association in which 15 program goals were…

The Amalgamated Day Care Center is an independent trust established through a collective bargaining agreement between the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, AFL-CIO, and the employers of the garment industry. The free center, open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., is located near the Chicago garment industries to minimize transportation problems…

This training manual is published by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) program Improving Mental Health Services on Western Campuses as a result of work done on a grant from the Experimental and Special Training Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health. The manual details considerations and ideas that have been…

This paper describes a mental health consultation program for day care centers serving children under six years. The goals of the program are discussed together with a description of the role of the day care consultant. The steps by which the program was implemented are described in detail. The impact of the program was measured on several…

This paper describes an approach utilized by Margaret Dumas Mental Health Center to produce an effective preventive mental health program with the school incorporating the concept of clear communication and consultation between the school and mental health personnel. (Author)

Discusses the implementation, goals, program components, and intended evaluation procedures of Teen-Link, a health promotion disease prevention program for inner-city disadvantaged youths in Durham, North Carolina. (BB)

Consultation to school personnel following student suicides led to a program of prevention through training school personnel. The program increased the ability of resource persons available to adolescents--teachers, counselors and school nurses--to recognize signs of suicidal depression and to respond effectively to suicidal students. (Author)

Mental health resources on most college campuses are taxed to their limits. A program to develop the faculty's "counseling skills" is discussed. (Author)

Examination of 31 therapeutic wilderness programs specializing in mental health treatment revealed that most programs served high-risk youth using a variety of outdoor modalities; that there was not a consensus on the definition of therapeutic; and that, in most cases, nonprofessional staff were responsible for therapeutic interventions. (LP)