The lack of support services following the release of adolescent youths from a residential treatment center back to their families is examined in this practicum. Consequently, the development of a family reintegration program for the treatment center is focused on the concept that effective aftercare begins at intake. Understandably, families…

Thousands of children run away from home or placements each year. The many programs for these children require evaluation to determine effectiveness; one runaway program for at-risk children is examined here. It was felt that if the runaway youth could receive some counseling, then it might help these children and families to solve some of their…

The breakdown in parent/adolescent relationships, along with the increase in disruptive behaviors by adolescents, has become a major concern of parents and practitioners. The goal of this practicum is to review the literature on parent/adolescent conflicts and offer a conflict resolution program intended to enhance the coping skills of parents.…

The present structure of the multi-disciplinary team in crisis centers for adolescents lacks training for youth workers in the decision-making process. This report discusses the development of a youth worker position on a multi-disciplinary team in a short-term residential crisis center for adolescents. Three youth workers, for a period of 3.5…

Single teenage parents and expectant parents in four community-based programs were provided with information about establishing the paternity of their children. The information presented included the benefits, obligations and consequences of paternity establishment for the mother, father, child and society. The goal was to educate single teenagers…

This practicum was designed to assist parents of juveniles who had been placed in residential care for sexual offenses. Although there was a consensus in the field that inclusion of the family in treatment was essential, few family treatment models were available. No family treatment models were found specific to working with families that had…

The causes and symptoms of violence among children and adolescents can be complex and difficult to control. A strategy that was designed to help one youth center's staff, volunteers, and members recognize the signs and symptoms of verbal and physical violence is described here. The youth facility is located in a crime-ridden part of an urban…

This practicum describes a method developed to address a high school problem involving grade 9-12 students who verbally and/or physically abused other students. In order to enable these students to interact appropriately, without abusive behaviors, a structured support group curriculum was written, the high school administrative staff and a…

This practicum examined ways to improve treatment of hard-to-serve youths at a non-profit residential mental health center. Youthworkers at the center displayed a low rate of individual treatment plan strategy implementation and lacked skills and knowledge in outcome-oriented individualized treatment planning. Recommendations for improving the…

A staff needs assessment found an overwhelming number of staff (n=55) felt the need for additional training in working with juvenile sexual offenders in their care. This practicum was designed to assist them in meeting the needs of children with sexual victimization and/or sexual offense issues in an effective and appropriate manner. Training…

The racial composition of participants in a Florida crisis intervention agency's programs indicated that, among the population at risk, black youth were overrepresented in State delinquency and child welfare programs and underrepresented in the agency's intervention services. This practicum was designed to enhance the agency's ability to reach…

This practicum was designed to reduce the instances of negative behavior exhibited by students in a special education setting. Various interventions were initiated and implemented, such as engaging students in conflict resolution workshops, involving student in extracurricular activities so as to help them use leisure time constructively, and…

This practicum was designed to provide an alternative setting for those handicapped adjudicated youths (ages 9-16) who, because of antisocial acts, behavioral/emotional problems, learning disabilities, attendance problems, and other reasons, were excluded from the mainstreamed setting. The practicum sought to enhance the cooperative efforts of the…

The relatively high incidence of troubled youth with poor academic skills in the areas of reading, language arts, and math has been, and continues to be, a very real concern in Canada. This fact in itself is indicative of existing problems in providing effective educational services to troubled youth. The school itself has been equated with being…

This research project implemented and evaluated a program in interpersonal skill development designed to increase the use of applied social skills at a middle school located in northeast Illinois. Evidence of inappropriate interpersonal skills was gathered by using observation checklists, teacher and student surveys, and discipline referrals.…