This paper describes the response of one locality, a rural county in Western Massachusetts, to the reality of rural homelessness. Jessie's House, in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, is a short-term emergency shelter providing meals, housing, and advocacy to homeless families and individuals. The shelter has a staff of three full-time residents and…

A two-phase functional analysis of a profoundly retarded 19-year-old male's pica behavior resulted in an effective staff-implemented treatment consisting of limited staff-client interaction and removal of a protective helmet which had previously been prescribed to help control pica. (Author/JW)

Barbara Stone from Wilkes Community College (North Carolina) provides recommendations derived from a survey of old age care facility residents, administrators, educators, and community officials concerning deficiencies in their care unit program. Debbie L. Floyd describes Scott Community College's (Iowa) consumer model for credit options for human…

Based on case studies of a Dutch adult-education organization and an Irish residential center for mentally handicapped people, this article discusses some implementation dilemmas that occur when organizations face challenging innovations. Conflicting pressures for centralization and local autonomy in implementation activities and for unified and…

Describes a transition in a mature Special Care Unit for Alzheimer's patients, where patient mix had become too diverse for intended programming. Since the patients were unable to become involved in premove planning and preparation activities, preparation of staff substituted for the involvement of residents. Improved discharge policies maintain…

An estimated 800,000 persons have disabilities in Haiti, but there are no data that refer specifically to those with intellectual disabilities. Traditional fears and stigma about disability are widespread. While the constitution supports the idea that people with disabilities should have autonomy and education, there are no laws to mandate…

In the Czech Republic, individuals with intellectual disabilities continue to be institutionalized in large, remote, state-run institutions and as a result are isolated from community interaction. Some practices associated with these institutions are coming to be seen as human rights violations. Although non-governmental organizations (NGOs) offer…

The paper reports on changes in the size and type of operation of residential facilities for persons with mental retardation in the United States over a recent decade (1977-1987). It also reports current (June, 1987) variability among states along these same dimensions. The decade saw a decrease of 9.6% in the number of mentally retarded persons…

Over the past two decades, the chronic mentally ill elderly have begun to receive care in residential health care facilities (RHCF) such as domiciliary care, intermediate care, and skilled nursing facilities. While there is justification for this increase, as the mentally ill elderly also present with significant physical illnesses, there are…

Examines various ways in which child-care workers can work with families of children in residential centers to facilitate children's early return home. (CM)

Appraises foster care and advocates its change from a largely custodial system to one that is essentially treatment-oriented. Development of a placement continuum from least intrusive (day care) to most intrusive (hospitalization), with a variety of intermediate options including foster home care, is crucial. (NH)

To attack their community's homeless student problem, the Houston Board of Education last February opened a "lighted schoolhouse" as a temporary shelter. Houston's superintendent, Joan Raymond, is convinced that more school districts will need to provide residential care. The 20 children using the shelter were turned over to Children's…

In this article, the authors describe and illustrate their approach to consultancy, development and training in residential child care. When working together the authors form the MOSAIC Consortium and provide training and consultancy to residential child care services. The article draws on systems theory, systems thinking and the politics of child…

Providing a safe environment for youth placed out of their home is essential to the success of at-risk youth. An environment that also offers the opportunity to empower the youth to partner in his or her own healing and help others in the environment clearly builds on the strengths inherent in youth. Transferring these strengths and reconnecting…

This paper outlines the views of key policy makers, implementers and practitioners on Valuing People (Department of Health, "Valuing people. A new strategy for learning disability for the 21st century," The Stationary Office, London, 2001). It reports a series of interviews conducted in 2003/2004 with a diverse selection of people…