Hispanic parents have been slow to overcome their historical reluctance to turn their young children over to nonfamily members for care, but the educational boost preschool provides is particularly important for the one-quarter of Hispanic American families who are poor by Federal guidelines. This digest describes the strategies and programs…

This report presents information and opinions advocating for school-based health centers. Each section starts with a brief introduction and follows with quotations from leaders in the field. The leaders whose thoughts are captured here believe school-based health centers are part of the solution to increasing childhood and adolescent health…

This paper recounts the Macomb-Oakland (Michigan) Regional Center's 17-year successful experience in eliminating institutional care for children with developmental disabilities (many of them with severe disabilities) and providing all such children with specialized foster home placements. A paper by the Center's director, Gerald Provencal,…

Goal 1 of the 6 national education goals established by President Bush and the nation's governors states that by the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn. This document provides schools and communities with information about what children need to be able to start school ready to learn and gives examples of…

A policy forum featured a presentation by Linda Chavez on the public policy needs of the Puerto Rican community. The forum also included a panel of experts from the Puerto Rican community to provide critical feedback on Chavez's presentation. Chavez argued that Hispanic Americans can move into the mainstream of United States society, and that…

This set of factsheets presents information and statistics about adolescent mothers in the United States in the areas of: (1) births and marriage; (2) aid to families of dependent children (AFDC); (3) education and training; (4) living arrangements; and (5) subsequent pregnancy. Even though the adolescent birth rate in the United States is…

This study investigated the effect of long-term professional social agency support on the level of stress perceived by mothers (N=65) of preschoolers with disabilities. Mothers completed the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress (QRS-F) and the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale. The hypothesis that stress is greater for mothers of…

This document provides an overview of a survey of child care planning advisory groups in 14 cities that was conducted in December, 1991 and January, 1992. The survey sought to identify major issues related to community-based planning for child care services in Ontario, Canada. After discussing the background and history of child care planning,…

Twenty-four papers are presented, which describe intervention programs and research reports and highlight the efforts of educators across the country to improve the education of at-risk students. Methods of providing quality educational experiences are profiled that range from a program for young children in Illinois to middle level education…

This report updates and expands two earlier editions which describe Federal programs which affect children and their families. An introductory section discusses and presents tables of data concerning target groups and participation in the programs; program administration; and program funding. The bulk of the report consists of profiles of…

This report summarizes discussions held in 1992 at two public forums to examine ways to improve the quality of rural education in Delaware. The forums focused on two goals: building support for quality education and promoting partnerships between families, communities, and schools. Participants discussed expanding schools to become "community…

This report synthesizes research findings with observations of three Pacific Northwest sites attempting service integration in rural settings. At case-study sites in Washington and Oregon, rural schools, communities, and service providers collaborate to deliver services to students and community members suffering from high unemployment, alcohol…

This directory includes information on 155 Latino organizations, cross-community agencies, and professional and employee groups that serve the Latino population in Colorado. Each listing includes name and address, a mission statement, available services, and events sponsored by the organization. The directory also lists media sources, including…

This monograph explores the development of comprehensive systems of care for severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. It is intended as a technical assistance tool for states and communities interested in improving services and as a review of the state of the art for developing systems of care. A generic model of a system of care…

This essay examines the challenges that today's children and families face due to the rapidly changing nature of modern society, and suggests some solutions to help ensure the optimal development of children and adolescents. Rapid technological change, the decline of the extended family, the increased number of women in the workplace, and…