Describes the German health insurance system which is mandatory for nearly all German citizens. Explains that, along with pension, accident, and unemployment insurance, health insurance is one of four pillars of the German national social security system. Asserts that controlling costs while maintaining high health care standards is a national…

A survey of 205 child care centers found that, controlling for wages and institutional characteristics, as the level of fringe benefits rises, hours of work by part-time teachers decrease significantly. Health insurance payments have an effect more than twice that of other fringe benefits. (SK)

Presents recommendations for contracting elements that should be adopted by state Medicaid agencies and approaches that should be taken by managed care practices interested in providing high-quality care for children with special needs. These recommendations are based on interviews with administrators from 29 states and 22 plans. (SLD)

Psychometric properties of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) were examined. Findings suggested that the CDI reflects the progress of language development within the age range 10 to 27 months. Findings support caution in using results to identify individuals at risk for language deficits, to compare groups with different…

Discusses factors affecting the ability of states and local programs to seek and secure reimbursement for occupational and physical therapy services in early childhood programs. Cost concerns in early childhood are addressed, and strategies for ensuring programmatic success in securing reimbursement for such services are presented. (Author/CR)

Presents actions to protect lives and property losses in school fires based on the experiences of a professional fire restoration company.(MLF)

Reviews costs involved in running libraries that are usually not considered. Topics discussed include building and maintenance costs, including insurance; growth costs, including print and/or electronic materials; physical expansion and staff; electronics; cost recovery, i.e., user fees; cost centers and overhead; user-related costs, including…

This article reports findings from a mixed-methods study of the impact of collaborations between adult education organizations and nonprofit or business partners on the earnings of program participants. The project uses survey data collected from a network of state-sponsored educational institutions and unemployment insurance data from program…

This study examined changes in the diagnostic patterns among children and adolescents treated for mental health problems between the years 1995 and 2000. Using a large database (MarketScan[R]) which compiles claims information from private health insurance plans nationwide, our sample consisted of 100,716 children (under the age of 18) who…

Same-sex marriage, barely on the political radar a decade ago, is a reality in America. How will it affect the well-being of children? Some observers worry that legalizing same-sex marriage would send the message that same-sex parenting and opposite-sex parenting are interchangeable, when in fact they may lead to different outcomes for children.…

Collaborations between business and academia provide valuable opportunities for students to connect classroom learning with practical work experience. To effectively reach a significant number of students, one approach is to meld a real-world business project and classroom assignment into a realistic business scenario that can be addressed by…

Behavioral theories developed through research with mainstream, English-speaking populations have been applied to ethnically diverse and underserved communities in the effort to eliminate disparities in early breast cancer detection. This study tests the validity of the transtheoretical model (TTM) decisional balance measure and the application of…

This monograph describes a proposed program called the Job Security System (JSS), which would integrate the various public programs designed to help experienced unemployed workers find work. A justification for JSS and its general design are presented in the introduction, followed by a description of such potential JSS clientele as previously…

This research brief describes an examination of the effect of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on children's access to needed health services and on their quality of life. The analysis focused on a sample of California families who had recently enrolled in that state's SCHIP. The study found that, after enrollment, children…

To be economically secure, families need both income and assets. Regular income helps families pay for their daily living expenses. In contrast, families need assets to weather financial hardships and get ahead. Assets provide a safety net for coping with unanticipated expenses and emergencies that could otherwise cause significant financial…