The plight of the chronically mentally ill is discussed in this document. Chronic mental illness is defined as producing major impairments in functioning for an extended period of time. It is noted the chronically mentally ill are expected to negotiate a bureaucratic maze to receive help. The history of treatment of the mentally ill is traced from…

Mental health services for children and adolescents from the states' perspective is the topic of this document. The introduction provides statistics on mental health service needs and utilization in this population, while highlighting underserved needs. The history of mental health services provision and funding is traced from isolated state…

This issue of "Bill of Rights in Action" explores issues raised by empires and imperial law. The first article, "Clash of Empires: The Fight for North America," looks at the clash of empires and the fight for North America during the 18th century. The second article, "When Roman Law Ruled the Western World," examines…

This brief clarifies the U.S. system for indirect cost reimbursements to universities for research. In Canada the system of research support derives from historical decisions on federal-provincial roles, and the responsibilities and mechanisms for funding indirect costs is less than clear. When this issue is raised, comparisons with the U.S.…

Involuntary commitment laws, once seen as reform, now questioned as roadblocks to needed treatment, are discussed. The ineffectiveness of state's commitment laws, lack of community resources for treating the mentally ill, and homelessness among the mentally ill are discussed in the introduction. The history of the right of a state to commit…

In light of reduced or eliminated federal funding, this report discusses mental health services provisions. The history of mental health service funding is presented. Funding responsibility is traced from communities, to states, to private health insurance, to federal assistance, to community provision with state and federal funds, and finally to…

This issue both reports on the activities of the Division of Historical and Anthropological Services since its creation in 1979 and documents the record of New York State governmental efforts in history and anthropology that will serve as a resource for future study. "Keepers of the Flame: History and State Government in New York" (Paul…

The data presented in this report come from the Bureau of the Census in the annual Survey of Industrial Research and Development. Information includes: (1) R&D expenditures by U.S. firms rose 12% between 1977 and 1978 to a total of $33.4 billion; (2) the increases in U.S. industrial R&D activity reflected in R&D funding were confirmed in…

This newsletter from the Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) first discusses The No Child Left Behind Act's strong emphasis on reading skills, in its central article, "Reading a Central Focus of No Child Left Behind Act." It explains that through the authorization of two new programs, Early Reading First (for…

This theme issue of the "Bill of Rights in Action" looks at labor issues. The first article examines the unionization efforts of the Wobblies in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. The second article explores the protests of the Luddites during Britain's Industrial Revolution. The final article looks at whether…

This issue brief explores the problem of child pornography and teenage prostitution and examines some of the strategies federal, state, and local governments employ to address these social problems. After a brief review of Congressional actions and Supreme Court decisions, state statutes affecting pornography and prostitution are reviewed, and…

The increasing presence of the mentally ill among the nation's homeless is the topic of this report. The problems presented by deinstitutionalization are discussed, including: (1) the homeless mentally ill as a disruptive element of society; (2) mentally ill persons who shuttle between the hospital and the community; (3) young chronic patients who…

This "Inside the Vault" newsletter contains two issues. Issue 1 contains a lead article, "Reading the Fed's Playbook," a question-and-answer section, and a bulletin board. The Federal Reserve's primary mission is to ensure that enough money and credit are available to sustain economic growth without inflation. The article…

Throughout all levels of American government, a shift is taking place from the rigid, wasteful, centralized bureaucracies of the industrial era to the more flexible, entrepreneurial, decentralized government needed to succeed in today's world. This shift has been brought about by an unprecedented, ongoing fiscal crisis that has created a sudden…

The problem of mentally ill offenders is discussed in this report. Mentally ill offenders are described as generally not violent, with their behavior resulting in charges such as shoplifting, vagrancy, and trespassing. Factors increasing the number of mentally ill offenders are discussed, including the inability of families and communities to…