Considers natural, informal, and formal rural helping systems in an effort to clarify and elaborate concepts that are useful in understanding the context of rural practice. Describes and gives examples that influence available services: functionalist, historicist, acculturation, exchange, and ecological effects. (NEC)

This two-part document outlines the Alberta government's proposed policy statement and presents Native peoples' views on the education of the more than 23,000 Native students that attend Alberta provincial schools. Based on discussions with Native people, information gathered from 180 meetings, and letters and papers, Alberta's Native Education…

The annotated sourcebook provides 51 journals and publication citations for individuals seeking to learn or to teach others about cultural issues in social work practice with American Indians and about the Indian Child Welfare Act. The citations, which date from 1969-1984, are divided into four sections pertaining to family/cultural issues in…

Numerous factors influencing health status and health care in Mexico are reviewed in this paper. Part I covers socioeconomic influences including agricultural and land tenure patterns, oil production, population growth rate, and the extent of poverty. Part II discusses the political environment, emphasizing the effects of politics on strategies…

The Paraprofessional Program of the Institute for Human Development has proven to be an effective means of providing early intervention services in northern Arizona's sparsely populated, culturally diverse rural communities. The program model includes identification and comprehensive professional evaluation of young handicapped children and hiring…