When suicidal behavior is reported, student affairs officers on many campuses notify parents as one component of a multifaceted campus suicide prevention plan. In response to proposals to mandate parental notification, the author argues that practical considerations warrant against expanding state laws to require notification following campus…

This program was designed to provide Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention education for African-American women of child bearing age at a child care center which serves low income high risk families. The primary goal was to reduce the risk of African-American women at the child care center for contracting the Human Immunodeficiency…

This report represents the testimony of Dr. Mary Ann Hutchison, Project Director of the mental health demonstration and research discretionary grant, "Strengthening Head Start Families: Reducing High Risk Through Mental Health Prevention/Intervention," who discusses the importance of reauthorization of Head Start's mental health…

This article examines the literature regarding prevention and intervention programs that are aimed at supporting student mental health. It will also examine the practical use of these types of programs in schools, as reflected by the experiences of the MindMatters Plus demonstration schools. The aim of the MindMatters Plus initiative is to build…

Looking at prevention from the perspective of the psychoeducational skill-training model sharply diminishes the apparent differences between psychologically based treatment and prevention since both are seen strictly as educational processes. The sole important difference is timing, with treatment being delayed and relatively inefficient and…

This report presents a preliminary series of investigations dealing with the detection of populations at psychological risk. The investigation relies primarily on the variable of vulnerability, as defined empirically by self-esteem, psychological discomfort, and social skills. Two vulnerability groups, high (HV) and low(LV) are compared on their…

This Introductory Packet provides readings and related activities on support for transitions to address barriers to student learning covering both research and best practices. It explores why transitions are dangerous opportunities that can disrupt or promote development. Key transitions and related intervention strategies are presented for…

The issues of this quarterly publication and year end supplement contain professional articles on topics that concern at risk youth and emphasize preventive measures. Number 1 highlights the importance of mentoring programs for at-risk youth. Discussions on mentoring for special groups such as gifted adolescents and lesbian and gay youth are…

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 book represents the proceedings of the Conference on Advancing Research on Developmental Plasticity: Integrating Behavioral Science and the Neuroscience of Mental Health. The conference featured scientific presentations from many leading scientists in behavioral sciences, neuroscience and psychiatry, as well as a poster session for newer…

The professional community has the responsibility to explore effective, economic methods for enhancing the parent's understanding and skills in helping his child to grow with as few as possible disturbances of interrelatedness. This paper describes a procedure which has had some effectiveness in parent group discussions in a public school setting.…

The concept of health is defined as the state of body and mind which affords the individual the ability to strive toward his/her functional objectives and his/her culturally desired goals. The role of health education should be to impart knowledge which will assist individuals in making personal choices about lifestyles, values, and goals. (JN)

Consultation to school personnel following student suicides led to a program of prevention through training school personnel. The program increased the ability of resource persons available to adolescents--teachers, counselors and school nurses--to recognize signs of suicidal depression and to respond effectively to suicidal students. (Author)

A literature review describes evaluation activities in mental health services in financial, programmatic/clinical, and new constituency areas. Expanding reimbursement for alternative mental health services is offered as a way of developing a formal structure to ensure better utilization of evaluation results. (SLD)

Evaluation of the Early Screening Project in a Head Start classroom-wide mental health identification and intervention over a 12- week period found that eight children identified as being at high risk for emotional/behavioral disorders prior to intervention either significantly improved or maintained their pre-intervention functioning. No…