The U.S. Congress declared that "it is the policy of this Nation, in fulfillment of its special responsibilities and legal obligation to the American Indian people, to meet the national goal of providing the highest possible health status to Indians and to provide existing Indian health services with all resources necessary to effect that…

The purpose of this book is to provide useful information about the components of quality health care and to suggest ways for the consumer to find and avail himself of the best care possible. The following subjects are covered, including brief histories of sociological background and suggestions on how to judge competency: (1) physicians,…

An experienced community health worker describes her experiences in the field as a basis for recommended guidelines for the role, philosophy, aims, and goals of community health workers. The role of the community health worker as a member of the health care team is explored, and the problem of recognition for community health workers is considered…

Describes step-by-step procedure for creating a 20-minute public relations slide/tape show for a large community mental health and home health agency in rural Maine. Emphasizes importance of face-to-face contact, identifying and addressing the potential audience, creating a neighbor-to-neighbor atmosphere, and imaginatively using graphics to…

A study of the use of dental hygienists to teach periodontics, preventive dentistry, community dentistry, and public health courses looked at employment patterns and practices and the qualifications of the teachers. (MSE)

Describes three methods intended to assist in assessing the attitudes of environmental health organization employees with regard to change. Focuses on ways to bring about orderly organizational change, how to evaluate whether the changes are effective, and how to diminish resistance to new ideas. (Author/TW)

The first of eight articles discusses the current state of the sensitive but unclassified information controversy. A series of six articles then explores the use of integrated information systems in the area of health services. Current trends in document management are provided in the last article. (CLB)

The development of the New England College of Optometry's fourth year into an entirely clinical program is described, including its new focus on increased patient load and mix, student social awareness and conscience, and varied practice mode and management options. (MSE)

The University of California at Berkeley has established an AIDS-education program to answer questions from worried students, faculty members, and staff employees. Policies are being developed for dealing with a series of complex logistical and philosophical questions that the disease is raising on campus. (MLW)

"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" discusses a primary goal of the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health--to transform the existing mental health system into one that provides meaningful choices and…

This issue of "Focal Point" describes the need for, and provides examples of, new strategies for meeting the mental health needs of children and adolescents involved with the juvenile justice system. Articles in this issue discuss the particular need for correction in the way that the juvenile justice system interacts with youth who have mental…

People increasingly recognize that health and education are intertwined. Education goals cannot be achieved without attention to health; health goals cannot be achieved without attention to education. This primer is a guide for professionals in the health and social-services sectors. Its purpose is to bridge professional cultures and languages and…

Drawn from a review of policies at over 100 child care programs nationwide, this document compiles model health policies intended for adaptation and selective use by out-of-home child care facilities. Following an introduction, the document presents model policy forms with blanks for adding individualized information for the following areas: (1)…

Having a body of literature on psychological sequelae of victims, assessments, and interventions following a trauma can help mental health workers to better understand the prior treatment responses and to plan for the future. In this article, we review the current status of published mental health research on children following September 11,…

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include support for advanced telecommunications--such as the Internet and computer networking--for elementary and secondary schools, public libraries, and nonprofit rural health care providers among the Universal Service Fund (USF) mandates. In its plan, the…