Reviews policies that address substance abuse among the homeless. Recommends that the changing needs of the homeless require an integration of alcoholism and drug abuse recovery services with programs for various groups, substance-free housing, and psychological knowledge incorporated into programs for those struggling with addiction and…

Reviews recent research on the epidemiology, subject characteristics, and service needs of the homeless population who are dually diagnosed to suffer both severe mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Discusses evolving approaches to providing social services, various treatments, system and legal issues, and problems with current research.…

This study compares social relationships of 677 homeless mothers with 495 housed mothers on public assistance in New York (New York). Homeless women had more disruptive social experiences but were more likely to have had recent contact with relatives/friends. Over 75 percent had visited relatives/friends in the past year. (JB)

Policymakers must identify the numbers of homeless children and youth, and acknowledge the barriers that impede the education of such children. Recommendations are made for policy at the federal, state, and local levels. Interagency collaboration among health care providers, private advocacy groups, and human resources agencies is also…

Compares attitudes toward the homeless in Japan and the United States through a survey of 268 Japanese and 254 U.S. adults and adolescents interviewed in public places. In Japan, homelessness is seldom discussed, and poverty, which may be as widespread as in the United States, is often not recognized. (SLD)

This case study of 72 homeless families and their 78 children in day care at a large welfare hotel in New York City evaluates the children's health status, separation and attachment, sleep patterns, eating patterns, emotional status, attention span, gross motor development, speech and language development, and cognitive development. (JDD)

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)

Depicts a service learning program that focuses on homelessness and housing in which the students work in an urban neighborhood (Yonkers, New York) for a week as a means for developing the students' understanding of urban politics. Believes that this program may encourage students to integrate community development work into their professional…

Statewide study of 455 Ohio children who received family preservation or reunification services found that the homeless child was more likely to be a child of color, to be younger, to have problems maintaining a bond with parents, and to be in a relative's home, and less likely to have behavior problems or successful service outcomes. Contains 22…

This study investigated the health-related concerns of adolescents living on streets as compared to poor and privileged adolescents living with their families in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The different groups of respondents were similar in terms of individuals' fear of disease and lack of concern about health in old age. AIDS and cancer were feared by…

This article offers suggestions to school board members for developing effective grassroots lobbying. Tips include: (1) hook up with an organized network; (2) set an advocacy policy; (3) select an advocacy strategy for policy issues; (4) reach out for broad support; and (5) deliver the message through the media. Guidelines are offered for writing,…

Professors and staff members of the University of Portland took the "urban plunge" when they visited the state's Adult and Family Services offices, shelters for the homeless and for battered women, an alcohol- and drug-rehabilitation center, and served lunch at two soup kitchens. A project at Notre Dame is also described. (MLW)

Describes an elementary social studies class that studied children of the Great Depression in order to create empathy with people of different eras. The class used journal writing, mural painting, and poetry writing to consider the physical and psychological hardships experienced by Depression-era children. (MJP)

Studied the plight of marginalized children in urban Russia, including orphans, children with some family ties living in group homes, and street children. Found that changing public views toward these groups since WWII have led to a deterioration in lifestyle for these children, further contributing to criminal activity and poverty in urban areas.…

Provides a foundation for school counselors to address the educational needs of homeless children in the schools, first by defining homelessness and the consequences of homelessness for children and second, by describing pragmatic means for intervention. (Author)