The two-year process of establishing and implementing a by-mail outcome evaluation system in a community mental health center is described. The effect of active executive leadership and the subsequent effects of staff cooperation on client participation rates are discussed, as well as specific responsibilities of the program manager. Illustrative…

As a part of the plan for Mental Health Manpower development for the State of Rhode Island (Department of Social Gerontological Research), a patient assessment survey of a random sample of the interviewable patients at the Institute of Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) in Rhode Island was conducted by the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged (HRCA).…

The human potential movement the encourages growth beyond the conventional definitions of a normal or successful life. This movement is entering into a new phase characterized by carefully integrated sequences of the best human potential exercises, put together in a program that enables individuals to take a deep, personal look at their lives.…

This paper describes a mental health consultation program for day care centers serving children under six years. The goals of the program are discussed together with a description of the role of the day care consultant. The steps by which the program was implemented are described in detail. The impact of the program was measured on several…

Pharmaceutical education of the future should focus on (1) liberal education to give pharmacists versatility in the face of advancing technology and research; (2) problem-solving skills in the profession; (3) mental disease and wellness as major health care issues; (4) maintenance of competent teaching and research faculty. (MSE)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Linkages to Learning (LTL) model of service delivery on the behavior of 119 students, 73 in a school receiving LTL services and the remainder attending a matched control school in Montgomery County, Maryland. LTL is a model for collaborative, school-based delivery of an array of mental health, social…

The increasing prevalence of domestic violence in Israel has engendered a critical need to identify and treat battered women. This paper looks at Posttraumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) and considers its predictors among battered women. The research sample was comprised of a sample of 91 battered women between the ages of 20 and 60 who applied to the…

Summaries of four papers and a discussion presented at a symposium on expanding the research base of systems of care for children's mental health examine school-wide systems of positive behavioral support and provide data on a three-tiered Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) program for improving mental health functioning of…

This paper describes a California-based interagency program that combines mental health, educational, and probation services in an effort to reduce juvenile recidivism. The program provides interagency services at three therapeutic high schools and one juvenile facility with the goal of keeping minors at home and thereby reducing recidivism by…

This paper introduces a framework for conceptualizing a system of care for children and youth with severe emotional or behavioral disorders built on a child development perspective. The approach focuses on developmental transitions which all children and youth experience. Such transitions include entry into school, negotiating the challenges…

This study examined demographic, clinical, and criminal histories as they related to whether 244 youth (ages 12-18) referred for mental health services at a juvenile corrections facility were repeat or first-time offenders. The population of 244 patients included 144 first-time offenders and 100 repeat offenders. Results of the study found that…

This paper summarizes the process of instituting a standardized mental health assessment protocol in a community health treatment program serving maltreated youth. The assessment program was intended to: (1) provide descriptive data regarding the populating utilizing the service; (2) examine the efficacy of therapeutic interventions and monitor…

This paper discusses the results of a study that investigated the reliability and validity of the Youth Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (YCSQ). The YCSQ is administered as a telephone interview, which provides a higher response rate than mailed surveys. Participants in the study were 87 clients (ages 11-17) and their parents who had completed…

Two papers summarize a symposium on special education services and interagency systems of care for children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbance (SED) in California. The first paper, "Opening the Floodgates? The Influence of a System of Care on Referrals to Special Education" (Iris Zanglis, Michael J. Furlong, Michelle Wood,…

This paper presents baseline data on students (mean age 10 years) with severe emotional disturbances at four public schools, two in Kentucky and two in Vermont, who will be followed in an evaluation of the application of a coordinated, community-based system of care operating in both states. Data are summarized concerning the service systems…