Discussed are attempts made by staff at the Community Mental Health Center of the New Jersey School of Medicine to develop an ongoing working relationship with pediatric neonatologists, house staff, and nursing staff in order to promote their attunement to mental health needs and obtain access to their expertise. After a description of the center…

In the mid-70's mental health programs in Florida underwent a major change with the implementation of a Unit Treatment Rehabilitation (UTR) model of patient care, which emphasizes the re-socialization of patients and a team approach to mental health care. In response to this change, an innovative program was developed through coordination between…

This paper presents an overview of a systematic primary prevention program for promoting social competency in junior high school students, including a summary of goals, method, techniques, leadership requirements, and evaluation research. The Social Skills Training Program is described as a curriculum-based, small group program which teaches…

A role playing technique designed to promote good mental health in exceptional children is described. It is explained that the life coping skills approach emphasizes that exceptional children are first of all children. A sequence for guiding role playing is provided (building comfort, building involvement, introducing interaction among players,…

Recognizing the needs, deficiencies, and diversity of school health services is prerequisite to any analysis of need. More uniform programs and more equitable access for all school children to whatever minimal standard of health services should be provided: periodic examination, some limited medical care on the school grounds, intensive health…

This speech focuses on the thesis that most good teachers cannot explain the psychological principles underlying their sound teaching practices. They appear to be unaware of the large body of theoretical and experimental evidence supporting one educational procedure over another. Through reference to a film showing a teacher teaching social…

This paper explores the popular stereotypes and research relating to the single child family. Advantages small families experience include more money available for each child, more attention from parents, healthier children, higher intelligence among the children, and less family tension. Concern over only children centers on their being spoiled…

A plea for the improvement of mental health services for children is presented in this paper, which claims that children's needs in general are not adequately recognized. Quoting from a report of the Joint Commission on Mental Health of Children, the paper cites growing concern over the number of mentally ill and emotionally disturbed children in…

Mexican women tend to have limited access to medical and mental health care resources. Some of the common clinical issues experienced by Mexican woman are psychological conflict, depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic symptoms. Appropriate treatment approaches for therapy varies depending on the nature of the presenting problem. If clinical issues…

This paper discusses the results of a study that investigated the effectiveness of four Elementary Mental Health Operations (ELMHO) programs in Pinellas County, Florida. ELMHO programs were designed to provide school-based mental health services to children and their families to help elementary students with emotional disabilities learn to cope…

This paper discusses the results of a study that examined the mental health needs of 796 adolescents who interacted with four types of service sectors that typically function as gateways to mental health services (education, child welfare, juvenile justice, and primary health). Prevalence estimates collected from the youth themselves were compared…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that examined the mental health referral patterns of youth referred to a public sector mental health system as the result of a judicial consent decree. The study included two samples of youth ages 13-17 from the entire state of South Carolina. The first group included incarcerated youth recruited from…

Four brief papers in this symposium examine clinical research, community mental health services, and policy issues of young children's mental health problems. First, "Risk Factors for Poor Mental Health Outcomes in Young Children Entering School" (Lynne C. Huffman, Sarah L. Mehlinger, and Amy S. Kerivan Marks) reviews the research and identifies…

During the late 1980s and the early 1990s, the "New Religious Right" increasingly exerted influence on the development and implementation of educational policies and programs in the United States, particularly at the local level. The movement will probably continue to directly and indirectly affect several important school activities in…

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health focuses on early intervention approaches. Papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "Child Maltreatment and Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and Other Drugs: Some Preliminary Findings" (Patrick A. Curtis and Mary Wood Schneider); (2) "Evaluation…