In 2002, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law investigated the impact of expanding child mental health services in Medicaid on the actual availability of services to children. To assess family satisfaction, focus groups were held in two states: Oregon and New York. Both states have a comprehensive Medicaid mental health benefit for children…

In 2002, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law investigated the impact of expanding child mental health services in Medicaid on the actual availability of services to children. To assess family satisfaction, focus groups were held in two states: Oregon and New York. Both states have a comprehensive Medicaid mental health benefit for children…

The Northeast Conference on Rural HIV Service Delivery was attended by 51 health and social service professionals, people with HIV, and federal and state health officials with expertise or interest in developing HIV care capacity in rural areas. Low population density, low prevalence of HIV/AIDS, rugged topography and climate, and limited health…

Worldwide data reveal that child mortality (ages 1-5) accounts for about 10-15% of all deaths in developing countries, and less than 1% of all deaths in developed countries. Strategies for reducing child mortality include improving health services, improving environmental conditions, enhancing the social conditions of children, and protecting and…

Summarizes the private health insurance market, focusing on recent trends. Efforts should be made to preserve the current private health insurance system through comprehensive reforms that reduce cost and shift from public programs; control costs by competition, managed care, and global spending limits; and guarantee coverage for all groups. (SLD)

Evaluated the need for school-based health centers in rural New York state. Examination of existing data, community organizational activities, parent telephone surveys, school staff surveys, and focus groups with community members, school staff, and 6th- to 12th-grade students indicated that respondents had varying opinions about school-based…

As part of its mission to increase the availability of primary care providers in rural and other underserved areas of the country, the national Area Health Education Center Program has developed new rural-focused initiatives, including expanded student experiences in underserved areas, rural-track residencies, and telehealth links to rural…

Survey of 602 African-American, Hispanic, and White mothers in rural Florida examined the effects of community, family, sociodemographic, and medical-care variables on self-reported health status. Race/ethnicity and community structural indicators (including populations with limited-English-proficiency or low education) were more important than…

Ascertains the dental health needs of the following refugee groups in Fresno County, California: (1) Cambodians; (2) lowland Lao; and (3) Hmong. Discusses successful health marketing and educational strategies aimed at these groups. A Dental Screening program instructed community health specialists, provided dental health education, and performed…

Efforts of health professionals are shifting away from programs that "deliver health" toward those that build the capacity of communities to work together to create healthy places. The Healthy Communities Initiative (HCI) is a community development model in central Alberta (Canada) that involves the creation of a widely shared vision of…

Presents 11 recommendations related to improving child health that are based on a synthesis of 58 research reports published 1988-92. Suggests that the development of policies that reduce inadequate health care for women and children, unintended pregnancy, deficient education, and poor nutrition will ultimately improve the life circumstances, and…

Analyzes implications of the birthrate for teenage mothers, and examines the limitations of key statistical indicators. Evidence suggests that the rate of childbearing among U.S. teens may be increasing after a decade of stability. To deal with this effectively, it may be necessary to enhance life options of teenagers. (SLD)

Factors contributing to the gap between white health status and black health status include the following: (1) a lack of culturally sensitive health information; (2) denial by blacks of early warning signs of disease; (3) delays by blacks in seeking care; and (4) decreased access of blacks to high quality health care. (SLD)

Social ecological theory, social-work community organization models, and health-promotion models are brought together to address ways to generate change at the individual and policy levels, and to provide guidance for community health-promotion programs. An eight-year cancer-prevention project is presented as a case study. (EMK)

The present study addresses the question of equality of access, as it relates to waiting time for specialised mental health treatment for children and adolescents. The aim was to investigate whether demographic, clinical factors and service-related factors were associated with waiting time. Data was based on a documentation system in which all…