In 1981, the United States reached a dubious economic milestone--the federal debt surpassed one trillion dollars for the first time. It took more than 200 years to build up that much debt. The federal debt doubled to two trillion by 1986, hit the three trillion level in 1990, and stands at an estimated five-and-a-half trillion for 1998. Just as…

The guidelines are intended to assist individuals seeking government or private agency help to obtain funding for the purchase of communication aids or prostheses. First, the need for a communication aid and selection of an aid or prosthesis are considered. Five steps are identified in the process of securing funding and include: (1) selecting a…

From the earliest times when commodities such as tobacco and beaver pelts were used as money, to the present when credit and debit cards are commonplace, money has played a central role in the U.S. experience. This booklet provides an historical overview of the concept of money as it has evolved in the United States. The booklet is divided into…

In response to requests for information from people and organizations all over the United States on how to contribute to the healthy development of young children, the Families and Work Institute has gathered concrete suggestions from leaders in diverse fields into this booklet of action tips. This effort was undertaken to support the "I Am Your…

The Surgeon General's report on children with special health needs proposes seven action steps needed to implement a community-based family centered health care approach. Recommended are the following actions: Pledge a national commitment to all children with special health care needs and their families; Encourage building community-based service…

Appropriate for secondary school social studies, this booklet considers the decline of certain basic industries in the United States and the unemployment which accompanies this decline. The document contains five sections. Section one, "The Blue-Collar Blues," examines the uneven nature of the current economic recovery, which has left many…

Partners in Quality is a research and development project sponsored by the Canadian Child Care Federation and its affiliates to explore how child care providers, parents, and other partners can work together to support and improve quality in child care. This booklet, in both English and French, is the fourth in a series to support child care…

The community networking model presented in this report was prepared to aid community members in strenthening and developing the networking process among business, community service agencies, government, churches, arts, recreation, and education. The model is designed to be used in a workshop in which participants are grouped in teams of…

The growth of local alliances (partnerships of business, industry, labor, professional associations, educators, and other concerned groups) is evidence of a widespread public concern for improving the quality of science and technology education. This document defines the concept of local alliances and discusses aspects of the founding and…

Appropriate for secondary school social studies, this booklet covers the causes, problems, and possible solutions for the high cost of American health care. The topic is discussed in five sections. The first section, "The $350 Billion Health Care Bill," discusses how the nation's priority on health care has led to the emergence of medicine as…

Pornography is an issue that is drawing increased attention from parents, teachers, church members, women's groups, and elected officials, and these groups are expressing concern about the effect pornography has on young people, families, and society as a whole. In response to public concern, this self-help education guide is designed for families…

This document focuses on employer/employment services in vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. Vocational rehabilitation is undergoing transformation in employment services to respond to redefined priorities, diverse populations, changing labor markets, state-of-the-art technologies, legislative mandates, and economic factors. Changes in…

This document is designed to help states and communities develop technical assistance relationships and secure assistance that is responsive to the unique needs of the jurisdiction being served. It is based on the experiences of individuals who have studied and participated in service integration efforts at the state and community levels. It draws…

In this manual, the Friends of Black Children Project presents ideas for promoting and facilitating cooperation between social service agencies and black communities who are concerned about the disproportionate number of black children who remain homeless and unadopted. The guide is divided into four sections. Section I presents an overview of the…

Published in cooperation with the American Civil Liberties Union, the guide sets forth the rights of American Indians under the present law and offers suggestions on how these rights can be protected. Using a question and answer format, the book covers the changes in Indian policies from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 to the present day,…