This guidebook, prepared by a faculty committee at Michigan State University (MSU) in 1995-96, is intended to encourage discussion of quality outreach among faculty, staff, administrators, and university collaborators. Its specific purpose is to develop an understanding of what constitutes quality outreach, to enhance unit-level planning for…

This handbook presents standards for kinship foster care services. The handbook begins with introductory sections describing standards development, detailing how to use the standards, and differentiating standards of excellence; Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc. (COA) standards for accreditation; and state…

This guide focuses on methods to teach students with Down Syndrome to maximize their inclusion in school and the community. Following an introductory section, the 10 chapters provide information and practical guidelines on the following topics: (1) acknowledging the label but teaching the student; (2) medical facts about Down Syndrome (e.g.,…

Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) provides an integrated system of child-centered, family-focused, and community-based services targeted to at-risk children from birth to age seven at twelve sites across the country. To access families that are often not in the mainstream of service access and use, SESS programs partner with primary care…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of OPTICA (Our Path Together Initiating Cultural Access) programs. For each program an information sheet indicates the goal, total participation, status of the goal, and activities of the program. Programs included: (1) Hands On: ASL Creative Story Telling, a program that used children's…

This issue brief considers how to involve English language learners in community-connected learning, a set of strategies to engage young people in learning experiences beyond the classroom. Such strategies include internships at work sites, and project-based learning in classrooms. In successful community-connected learning strategies, students…

This publication presents information compiled from early childhood projects funded by the Office of Special Education Programs on resources that support the inclusion of children with special needs and their families in regular educational or community environments. These 113 resources can be used for a variety of purposes, including inservice…

This handbook, which is intended to assist staff at Neighborhood Networks centers who are responsible for helping unemployed or low-income individuals make the transition from public assistance to self-sufficiency, outlines a 13-step approach to the design and delivery of job readiness programs. The handbook may be used as a guide to direct…

This publication outlines the complete community networking process: planning, developing partnerships, funding, marketing, content, public access, and evaluation, and discusses the variety of roles that the local public library can play in this process. Chapter One, "The Importance of Community Networking," describes the importance of community…

These 13 issues of the Children's Defense Fund Report from 1997 discuss concerns related to child advocacy and provide information on problems in children's lives in the United States. Regular features include the editorial column "A Voice for Children," a status report on federal legislation related to children, descriptions of…

This report is one of several North Carolina Community College System accountability measures designed to report on critical success factors. Critical success factors are those issues that are instrumental for an institution to prosper and accomplish its goals. The data presented in this report are indicators of the "health" of the…

These five newsletters comprise volume 20 of "CDF Reports." They discuss concerns related to child advocacy and provide information on problems in children's lives in the United States. Regular features include the editorial column "A Voice for Children"; a status report on federal legislation related to children; descriptions…

Five million young people--1 out of every 4 in the country--are without constructive occupation at school, work, or home. An examination of 1930 United States Census and Federal Office of Education figures, brought up to date by sampling studies in various communities, discloses that--Of the 20,100 000, 16 to 24 years of age, inclusive, in the…

Compares the history and current status of deinstitutionalization efforts for the mentally ill, criminal offenders, and the aged. Suggests that ideologies for all three groups are similar, but that practices have diverged. Points out that ideologies frequently distort perceptions of practice. (Author/MJL)

School counselors often must decide if they can help a client or if they should refer him to another community agency. The counselor may act as interpreter, negotiator, advocate, advisor or educator in helping individuals who seek access to community services. (JAC)