Certain characteristics of schools make them adequate to the task of primary prevention of behavior disorders. Current preventative efforts center on two strategies: modification of school environments and competence building. Implications for school psychologists are discussed. (Author/MH)

Describes the role of mental health and educational consultants working with a five-year-old selectively mute child in Head Start. Describes strategies implemented in the interdisciplinary work with the teachers, parent, speech therapist, and child. Suggests that the more flexible and adaptive the consultant, the more accepted he or she will be…

Provides tips for children's advocates to assure that managed mental health care is implemented in a manner which best meets the needs of children, families, and care providers. Explains managed care through specialized mental health and substance abuse services. Discusses elements necessary for early intervention and the need to address risk…

Argues that educators of young children need to prioritize exercise in their students' lives to enhance physical and psychological health. Guides teachers in creating developmentally appropriate exercise, creative movement activities, movement and make believe activities, and health stops. Provides specific daily activities, references, and…

Asthma is at near-epidemic proportions among poor urban children, but in Baltimore, a school-based health program is providing relief. The six-week program teaches children how to manage their disease, which in turn reduces absenteeism and decreases emergency room visits. Informal assessment indicates the program is fairly effective. (SM)

Rethinking and expanding the theory of change underlying systems of care are recommended to support development of the knowledge base for understanding what systems of care can be expected to accomplish. Three domains of knowledge are presented as necessary to understanding the relationship between systems-level change and services. (Contains…

Two alternative solutions to the issue of local control of the educational subject and content of education concerning the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are explored: local control versus a state mandate for AIDS education. Each alternative is evaluated against the criteria for choice, and a benefit-cost analysis is included. (SLD)

The special needs of young adults with concurrent mental health and substance abuse problems are discussed. This article presents federal initiatives and research findings, and describes state-of-the-art approaches to treatment and rehabilitation. Strategies for training mental health professionals to diagnose and treat dually disabled persons are…

Reviews the current state of mental health services to children, youth, and families. The development of a continuum of care coordinated across the mental and non-mental health systems that naturally occur in all children's lives may vastly improve mental health services to children, youth, and families. (Author/BJV)

The Claxton Elementary School Health Program was developed to improve school/community health. Using the Community Oriented Primary Care process, a health advisory board was organized and a comprehensive needs assessment was implemented. Teachers, parents, students, and professionals agreed on perceived health problems. The board selected two…

Data were gathered from all state Medicaid programs, 11 health insurance carriers, and 140 firms offering health insurance to employees, concerning coverage of various services needed by young children with disabilities, including ancillary therapies, mental health services, and case management. Results revealed that Medicaid offered the greatest…

Three methods of designating everyday-dysfunction cases in the Colorado Social Health Survey are compared for a sample of 4,745 adults. The clinical judgment approach was chosen as the primary method of identification, with the statistical deviation criterion a backup. The patient criterion group approach was less useful. (SLD)

Asserts that the medical advances taken for granted in the United States are not available to citizens in many nations. Describes the Task Force for Child Survival and Development at the Carter Center in Georgia and its cooperative work with the World Health Organization. (CFR)

A survey of 75 student affairs deans, 53 individuals responsible for mental health services, and 30 student representatives in 126 Canadian and U.S. medical schools sought information on personnel, individuals served, location, hours, administration, funding, confidentiality, and administrative referrals. Suggestions for improvement focused on…

The six articles of this special section address the organizational context that shapes utilization of mental health services, the relevance of data elements and results to decision making, and assuring the validity of evaluation results. Theoretical and practical concerns are considered. (SLD)