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…

A discussion is presented of the problems inherent in attempting to develop a national policy for health education. Health education is defined as any combination of learning experiences designed to facilitate voluntary adaptations of behavior conducive to health. The major difficulties facing developers of national health education are identified…

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…

A group of 12 federally funded community mental health centers which make effective use of paraprofessionals is described. The purpose is to make mental health policy makers and service agency staff members aware of the wide range of innovative service models in existence in which paraprofessionals play diverse and crucial roles. A case study for…

This revised yet still preliminary version of the Program Master Plan introduces the program with regard to location, physical characteristics, population characteristics, organizational structure and staffing patterns, and a statement of the mission for both the Mental Health and Correctional Program Units. Program principles are listed both…

For more than 35 years, research has increasingly linked our nation's diet to heart disease and cancer--the nation's top two killer diseases. Yet there is no well-organized, vigorous effort to improve American eating habits. A National Nutrition Coalition should be established to educate the public. (BJV)

The responsibility for community health should be shared and coordinated among schools, parents, and health agencies. Children's knowledge and skills should be developed so that they too can promote personal good health. Issues and strategies are discussed. (BJV)

This set of seven issue briefs considers six important community-based services for children with serious mental or emotional disorders that some states provide as mandated rehabilitation services under the federal Medicaid law. The materials are designed to help state policymakers develop appropriate rules for covering community-based services…

Suggestions for long-term policy development to prevent the spread of the AIDS/HIV virus through promoting healthy behaviors and strengthening school-community partnerships are offered in this report. Goals of the booklet are to provide information on AIDS education in relation to recent changes in curriculum design, materials, and research;…

Outcome evaluation assesses the results or benefits of mental health services received by clients or communities by comparing descriptive data on the mental health status of clients at different points in time. It aids clinicians and managers in planning programs and managing clinical services. A mental health center should establish goal-oriented…

This fourth volume of the 1981 Report of the Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health presents a collection of commissioned papers prepared in order to provide working groups of the panel with background information on major areas of health care and health policy toward children and pregnant women. The papers are grouped according to the…

Articles in this special issue use survey data to provide policymakers with validated indirect needs assessment models that will help them obtain information about populations requiring different levels and types of mental health services. The articles provide the basis for predictive needs assessment and explanatory models of resource allocation.…

This discussion of special education and mental health services for minority severely emotionally disturbed children identifies several issues in service delivery and impediments to service delivery. The identified issues are divided into the following categories: program development, the coordination of services, and service delivery systems;…

This monograph is designed to help employers, employees, managers, and union officials develop effective workplace policies and programs to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and other health problems. The text of the monograph: (1) presents information regarding the costs of drug and alcohol use in the workplace, and evidence of potential…

The seven articles of this special section explore evaluation in South Africa. Particular emphasis is placed on policy development in the areas of health, education, and housing and on efforts to alleviate the legacy of apartheid. Participative and quantitative efforts are described. (SLD)