The purpose of this article is to describe one agency's effort to obtain feedback by devision a low-cost follow-up mail survey. The article also attempts to determine how the results of this survey could be translated into more effective treatment than is currently being provided. (Author)

There is no doubt that private practitioners make an important contribution to the profession of social work. It is questionable, however, whether private practice is a superior delivery system that should replace the agency-based service tradition of the profession. (Author)

The effectiveness of a statewide coordinating agency is dependent upon its statutory powers, makeup of its board and prestige of its members, the size and quality of its staff, the credibility and reliability of its policies, its ability to establish continuing and working relationships with institutions, executive and legislative leaders, budget…

New Jersey has some good early learning programs in place, but it has not taken a systemic approach to ensure access, quality and coordination of programs. The broad nature of early learning, which encompasses health, child care, education and parent involvement, makes it difficult to create a uniform system. Roughly 20 different New Jersey state…

State health agencies are asked to do a big job. With the advent of an increased focus on bioterrorism preparedness, and the emergence of diseases such as West Nile Virus and SARS, the job is becoming bigger. Yet health agencies still have responsibilities for more traditional concerns, since these problems remain threats to the public. State…

Many children served in afterschool programs would be left alone in dangerous neighborhoods, potentially engaging in risky sexual and criminal behaviors, if not for their participation in structured programming. In fact, research has shown that students who spend the majority of their afterschool hours in unsupervised activities are more likely to…

This report contains data on state library agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for state fiscal year (FY) 2004. The data were collected through the State Library Agencies (StLA) Survey, the product of a cooperative effort between the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and…

In the Fall of 2003, the Pennsylvania Build Initiative convened a Rate Policy Task Force to broadly examine the issue of child care rates and make recommendations for action. The Task Force goal was two-fold: (1) to suggest ways that the rate and payment process currently used by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) can better…

This book is a guide designed for rehabilitation agencies to plan for staff retirements and other turnover. It examines the process of succession planning, necessary tools, resources, and positioning the organization for future success. Chapters have the following titles: (1) "Succession Planning in a Dynamic Environment"; (2)…

This report describes the best practices identified by eight projects in upstate New York funded to work towards increasing the number of individuals with developmental disabilities who serve in leadership roles on policy boards and planning committees of community agencies and organizations. Programs were based on the model developed by…

This Non-Regulatory Guidance explains how State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and State agencies for higher education can effectively use Title II, Part A funds to ensure that all teachers are highly qualified and effective, a critical component of the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education…

The Department of Education administers an annual budget in excess of $63 billion through programs, grants, and loans that serve approximately 14,000 public school districts, nearly 54 million students attending 93,000 elementary and secondary schools, and almost 22 million post-secondary students. The primary beneficiaries of this work are the…

In 1997, New York State passed legislation implementing Universal Prekindergarten (UPK), a new educational program with the goal of providing a voluntary, high-quality preschool experience to all 4-year-olds and improving school readiness. One of the program requirements is that school districts contract out at least 10 percent of UPK funds to…

Certain state or not-for-profit agencies guarantee payment to banks and other lending institutions if students fail to repay loans obtained through the Federal Family Education Loan Program. The 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act authorize the Secretary of Education to enter into voluntary flexible agreements (VFAs) with individual…

This report highlights the functions, services, and programs offered to the state's citizens by the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office and the state's Higher Education Services Council. The Minnesota Higher Education Services Office works to provide high quality, statewide services to the citizens of Minnesota toward achieving student…