This study compared mental health and developmental service use by 89 young children under the age of six in either foster or kinship care (care by family members other than the biological parents). The study specifically compared usage of: (1) services in the specialty mental health sector; (2) services in the specialty developmental sector; and…

Surveys were completed by 50 Florida educators involved in programs for students with emotional and/or behavior disorders concerning the relationship between mental health professionals and educators. Seventy-one percent of respondents reported that contact time between teachers of students with emotional/behavioral disorders was not enough. When…

The mental health care delivery system is undergoing a metamorphosis of unprecedented proportion as a result of managed care. Few empirical assessments of practitioner response exist. Utilizing managed care provider and telephone directories, agency lists, and the Internet, 200 managed mental health care providers were anonymously surveyed.…

One factor thought to contribute to the underutilization of mental health services, especially among rural Americans, is the stigma attached to mental illness and the associated help seeking process. This study investigated the effects of an instructional unit on mental illness and related issues on rural adolescents' concept of mental illness and…

The study applied a stress and coping model including acculturation to understanding the predictors of depressive symptoms, alcohol use, and life satisfaction of 108 native Salvadorans who immigrated to the United States in the past 5 years. Acculturation was negatively related to depression and alcohol use, and positively related to life…

The mental health status of African American adolescents who have been diagnosed with mild cognitive limitations was studied, and the variables that differentiated those who were well adjusted (resilient) from those who were poorly adjusted (vulnerable) are detailed in this presentation. Participating were 205 African American families, each with…

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health research focuses on studies of family participation. Individual papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "Measuring Satisfaction with Community-Based Services for Children with Severe Emotional Disturbances: A Comparison of Questionnaires for Children and…

This document presents two papers given at a 1996 conference on children's mental health. The first paper is "New Approaches to Evaluating Systems" by Heather B. Weiss. This paper discusses the need for evaluations of systems change through the development and use of evaluation databases of both comprehensive programs and system reform efforts. It…

The increase in the number of infants and toddlers experiencing nonparental care creates an urgent need for the insights of theorists, clinicians, and researchers. These insights can help caretakers promote the mental health of infants and toddlers. Although caregivers usually provide sufficient support of babies' cognitive development, they may…

Social support has been found to be positively related to well being in elderly individuals. To examine the effects of social integration (social resources, social interaction, and perceived adequacy of resources), and health, age, marital status, and socioeconomic status (SES) on mental health among urban elderly individuals, 1,727 persons from…

Professional competency in psychologists wishing to treat children and families is an area of considerable concern and disagreement. Three types of practitioners comprise the bulk of the problem: clinical psychologists, who lack specific child-oriented training; developmental psychologists, who wish to serve children but lack traditional clinical…

This study investigates prevention and treatment programs that deal with rural child sexual abuse in the State of Washington. A survey of 61 rural service providers examined agencies, services provided, problems faced in service delivery, and innovative solutions to those problems. The study compares responses from three types of agencies (mental…

This report describes how, in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, the South Carolina Department of Mental Health activated its Emergency Preparedness Plan to assist mental health centers and their staff in providing crisis counseling services to the general public. The first section explains the history and structure of the involvement by the…

Ideas for fine tuning the awareness and responsive interactions of teachers of infants and toddlers are offered. The ideas, which are supported by theory, research, and clinical experience, focus on the importance of: (1) tender, careful holding of babies; (2) prompt and accurate interpretation of the signals of distress; (3) development of keen…

The agenda for humanistic education in the 1980s needs to go beyond psychological concerns to address the political, social, ecological, and spiritual side of the human experience. The goals of humanistic education focus on the development of intelligence, self-understanding, interpersonal relationships, and a concept of physical health. Equally…