Many of today's movies and TV crime shows exaggerate the capabilities of mainstream security equipment. The 1998 thriller "Enemy of the State" is a case in point. It presents a video recording from a two-dimensional, stationary surveillance camera, which subsequently is manipulated by a secret government agency to produce 3-D, 180-degree footage…

Meeting the needs of families who are involved with the child welfare system because of a substance abuse issue remains a challenge for child welfare practitioners. In order to improve services to these families, there has been an increasing focus on improving collaboration between child welfare, treatment providers, and the court systems. This…

Background: Care management is the formal mechanism for linking people with intellectual disabilities with public services but little is known about these arrangements. This paper present findings from a national survey. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire covered aspects of care management arrangements and was specific to services for people…

In this article, the author provides updates on the various programs of the United States Department of Education. Among others, the Office of Correctional Education is sponsoring training sessions dealing with the utilization of post release outcome data to evaluate institutionally based educational services. Also, a few weeks after the upcoming…

Disability-related emergency information that focuses on schools can be found at Emergency Info Online, a free online service and printer-friendly directory produced by Bridge Multimedia, a New York City-based media services company that develops universally accessible media. This preparedness tool offers a wealth of compiled digital information…

This report responds to two mandates for GAO under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). First, it is the latest report on the uses of and accountability for Recovery Act funds in selected states and localities. Second, it comments on recipients' reports of the jobs created and retained. The Recovery Act provided $2.1…

Out-of-school time programs give many youth the chance to engage in interesting and enriching opportunities in the arts. One source of funding for art and cultural activities in out-of-school time programs is The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This federal agency is charged with creating strong libraries and museums that connect…

In recent years, child care subsidies have become an integral part of federal and state efforts to move economically disadvantaged parents from welfare to work. Although previous empirical studies consistently show that these employment-related subsidies raise work levels among this group, little is known about the impact of subsidy receipt on…

The purpose of this exploratory study was to gain a deeper understanding of how individuals in the Ozarks region of Missouri understand issues of poverty within their unique geographical, economic, and social contexts. The goal was to bridge the needs of poor communities and local organizational resources. Definitions and themes that emerged from…

Westchester Community College, which teaches English to about 4,000 non-native speakers each year, has one of the most comprehensive English as a Second Language programs in the country. It's also leading the charge to transform immigrant education and make it a national priority. In 2008, the college started the Community College Consortium for…

The promulgation of ESL learning standards by government agencies and professional organizations is intended to improve second-language (L2) proficiency and academic achievement. However, mandates have been criticized on various grounds, including difficulty of defining domains to be tested as well as vagueness of articulation. Arising from the…

This article discusses the process of incorporating spirituality and religion into the treatment of African American clients. It addresses religious diversity within the African American community. The roles of spirituality and religion as survival and coping mechanisms for overcoming racism, adversity, and loss are emphasized. The cases presented…

Purpose: To examine the impact of an experimental consumer-choice voucher benefit on the selection of independent and agency personal assistance services (PAS) providers among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities. Methods: The Medicare Primary and Consumer-Directed Care Demonstration enrolled 1,605 Medicare beneficiaries in 19…

Engineering education directly supports the nation's capacity for economic growth, infrastructure renewal, and security, as well as environmental and human health. Numerous reports have recommended federal support to advance our understanding of how students learn, how faculty teach, and how teaching and learning are assessed. The U.S. National…

Within a system, change affects stakeholders differently. Consequently, when making changes in the mental health system, mental health agencies should expect varied reactions from staff, community members, consumers, and families. Since misunderstandings can stymie efforts to implement evidence-based and promising practices, it is important to…