The results of a national survey of U.S. social work schools and programs are reported. Programmatic innovations are inventoried; regional comparisons are offered on practitioner and program responses; factors that facilitated or hindered those responses are reviewed; and the purported anti-rural bias of social work is assessed. (Author/MLW)

Data from Current Population Surveys indicate that rural poverty increased from 1989 to 1993, one quarter of rural children live in poverty, the proportions of people in rural areas living alone and in single-parent families have increased, nonmetropolitan poverty remains highest in the South, and rural minorities continue to face especially…

Debate about rural policy is often based on persistent presumptions about conditions in "rural England," generally associated with economic decline, low incomes, and a lack of services. Such generalisations are rarely justified for rural areas as a whole and we term them as "stylised fallacies." The impression of their…

This report examines the use of self-employment as a vocational rehabilitation option in rural areas. Self-employment is one of the fastest growing employment opportunities, as evidenced by the approximately 15.6 million people who reported being self-employed in 1990. Data from the 1980s comparing employment patterns in rural and urban areas…

The literature of social work and rural sociology lacks conceptualization of the term "rural" and treats the term imprecisely. According to a 1960 survey, authors dealing with rural/urban differences do not agree on the attributes of "rural." However, if the rural concept is to be a useful analytical tool and guide to social work practice, its…

Despite recent efforts to encourage federal funding of psychological services for underserved populations such as the elderly and residents of rural areas, ample evidence suggests that rural areas are underserved by psychologists. Drawing on data from rural and urban areas in Pennsylvania, this paper argues that master's level training can provide…

This government report presents information on age, sex, labor force activities, and race and ethnic origin of the rural and rural farm population for 1987. Also included are fertility characteristics for the June 1987 Current Population Survey (CPS) supplement and data from the March 1987 CPS supplement on marital status, household, family…

The percentages of adults needing adult basic education (ABE) programs in rural areas may not differ from those found in metropolitan areas, but the delivery of the system may be different. For example, the rural ABE teaching staff probably will be recruited from the ranks of the regular elementary or high school teachers to teach at night also,…

An analysis of 1960 census data for persons with Spanish surnames in Texas reveals a significantly high rate of poverty when compared with other ethnic groups and national averages. An analysis by county shows greater economic disadvantagement in the southern part of the state where the concentration of Mexican Americans is higher. Rural Mexican…

The four papers in this publication discusses Montana's social structure as it relates to culture, income, urbanism, and communal religious communities. "Montana Social Structure and Culture" includes rural and suburban life styles; the history of rural community organization; rural-small town communities; urban physical conditions;…

In most of the United States, rural areas are experiencing economic and social changes that raise new policy questions for both government and private organizations. Often, these changes have industrial or urban roots and require knowledge and skills not part of the background of most rural people, with the likely outcome that farmers and other…

The literature suggested that marriage provides alternative occupational achievement for women who opt by choice or by circumstance to attain socioeconomic position through their husbands' occupations, and that an advantageous social contact setting is crucial for access to promising mates so that a woman's personal attributes can be beneficial…

When evaluating the potential of a developing nation's rural youth, a distinction must be made between youth living in the countryside and those of rural origin migrating to the cities. Moreover, consideration must be given to the effect of: geographical mobility upon national development requirements; rural vertical mobility upon the…

Reviews historical patterns in the employment of rural women and explains the policy implications of their unique labor market experiences. Analyzes current differences between rural and urban female employment, emphasizing the narrow range of occupations open to rural women and their resulting employment deprivation and vulnerability to poverty.…

Outlines the high incidence of poverty among the rural elderly, their sources of income, and their helping networks. Calls attention to rural-urban differences, farm/nonfarm resident distinctions, regional differences, and characteristics of recent immigrants versus long-term residents. Urges social work interventions that address the distinctive…