THE PROJECT DESCRIBED WAS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE INTERRELATION OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGE AND SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL. LOCATION OF THE PROJECT WAS CHOSEN BY A DETERMINATION OF SIZE, POPULATION, ORGANIZATION, AND COST. A TOWN OF 36,000 INHABITANTS IN MIDDLE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS WAS CHOSEN. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAD A HIGH BUDGET AND…

Suggestions for program administrators and training program directors to develop comprehensive plans based on principles of community involvement, education, administration and finance, and the disciplines being taught are broadly outlined. Three accompanying charts illustrate approach to evaluation planning. (NF)

Interviewed 88 community elderly about seeking help for psychiatric symptoms. The results showed low past professional utilization, perceptions of low future utilization, an overwhelming preference for general physicians as treatment providers, and a very low opinion of the effectiveness of mental health professionals. (JAC)

"Data Trends" reports present summaries of research on mental health services for children and adolescents and their families. The article summarized in this "Data Trends" presents a model of effectiveness for wraparound teams, derived from a review of research and theory on effective teams. Using this framework, the authors discuss some of the…

Describes the main features of a Ralph Nader study of the National Institute of Mental Health program of community mental health centers. (AL)

Results showed that volunteers were less likely to feel that patients should be restricted in their social functioning than were the nonvolunteers. Volunteers' attitudes toward mental illness became more benevolent toward patients over time, and volunteers may have begun to adopt the ideology of the mental health professional. (Author)

Effective operation of rehabilitation programs for those with mental disorders in Latin America is not yet a reality. Meager resources and facilities can only accommodate a small proportion and only treat but not be concerned with prevention or rehabilitation. (Editor/SB)

Through the Student Volunteer Program at Vermont College, students volunteer to become "big sisters" to children in the community. The latter are selected on the basis of their need for positive identification and friendship with adults. (BB)

Children's mental health needs must be addressed for them to perform well in school. Several approaches are being used to give schools better mental health access. Model problems tend to offer a comprehensive continuum of services, coordinate the system for easy accessibility, and involve families in the teaching process. The Child Study Center's…

Reviews the relationship between occupational therapy and client involvement, examines the rationale for involving clients in program evaluation and research, and discusses how clients are involved in evaluation and research in today's mental health care setting. (Author)

In 2000, more than 60 non-profit agencies, health care providers, government officials, and community advocates in Tarrant County, Texas, came together to work for systemic change in the mental health care system. The coalition, known as the Mental Health Connection, began working toward a "No Wrong Door" approach to mental health…

This study examines whether availability of mental health resources in the county of residence is associated with subsequent suicidal behavior after a previous suicide attempt. Among 10,922 individuals who attempted suicide in Colorado between 1998 and 2002, residence in a county that offered a minimum safety-net of mental health services…

There are relatively few major federal programs focused directly on advancing a systemic approach to mental health in schools. One such program is the U.S. Department of Education's grant program entitled: "Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems." Established in 2005, the program has funded 51 projects and is in the process of funding…