RESEARCH UPDATE
Promising Practices for Basic Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies Helping Transition Age Youth
The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) monitored 23 State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies in 2007 as authorized by Section 107 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. These agencies, their stakeholders, and RSA identified promising programs and services that help youth with disabilities transition from school to employment. These promising practices are unique to the VR agencies providing the programs; contact information is provided for each practice. Profiles include practices from Alabama, Maryland, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont.
» Learn more about the promising practices.
A Wealth of Health Resources Online
The National Institutes of Health has updated their A Wealth of Health Resources Online Fact Sheet (PDF). It includes listings of various Web sites that offer information on and gateways to health resources, research databases, journal archives, education materials, and clinical studies.
» Access the Fact Sheet (PDF).
Trauma Among Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: Critical Issues and New Directions
A new research brief from the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice states that for youth involved with the juvenile justice system, the prevalence of trauma exposure is believed to be higher than that of their similarly aged peers in the general population. Further, while the use of standardized mental health assessment instruments is increasingly common in juvenile justice systems, very few juvenile justice agencies, facilities, or programs are routinely screening for trauma or offering trauma-specific treatment interventions to the youth in their care. The purpose of this paper, according to its authors, is to discuss the prevalence and impact of trauma and traumatic stress among youth in the juvenile justice system and to describe emerging responses for identifying and treating these problems.
» Access the research brief (PDF).
What Works: Evidence on Early Child Interventions
The U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse recently reviewed 17 early childhood interventions (curricula and practices) aimed at children ages 3 to 5 in center-based child care. Each review covered oral language, print knowledge, phonological processing, early reading/writing, cognition and math. The Clearinghouse identifies the programs that offered evidence of strong positive effects.
» Learn more about the intervention reviews.
Physician and Patient Characteristics Associated with Discussion of Psychosocial Health During Pediatric Primary Care Visits
According to recent research, primary care providers often miss the chance to address child mental health problems but the literature has not illuminated specific instruments for intervention. This article, based on 800 primary care visits to 54 providers in 13 diverse health clinics, examines issues associated with the discussion of children’s behavior, mood, getting along with others, school performance, family stress, and parent stress. Results show that the discussion of these topics was more common when the child displayed hyperactivity symptoms and when the provider was female or had greater confidence in mental health treatment skills. Furthermore, the presence of restrained physical pain interfered with the discussion of psychosocial health, even when parents were seeking help for their child’s mental health problem and when youth displayed mental health impairment according to a standardized assessment. The article notes that primary care providers need clinical skills that can be used to effectively communicate with families about mental health and overcome the competing demands of physical and mental health problems.
» Access the article.
Tobacco: The Smoking Gun
Depression, alcohol use, and marijuana use are all more prevalent among adolescents who smoke tobacco, according to a report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA). The study found that among youth aged 12-17, teens who smoke tobacco are nine times more likely to have abused alcohol in the past year, and 13 times more likely to have abused marijuana than teens who do not smoke. Smoking tobacco also doubles the incidence of depression among teenagers.
» Learn more about the report.
Runaway and Homeless Youth: Demographics, Programs, and Emerging Issues
In recognition of November as National Runaway Prevention Month and National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, the Congressional Research Service’s (CRS) January 2007 report to Congress again shifts the focus to these two groups of at-risk youth. The report begins with an overview of the runaway and homeless youth population and describes the challenges in defining and counting the runaway and homeless youth population, as well as the factors that influence homelessness and leaving home. It also provides background on the evolution of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act from the 1970s and describes the administration and funding of the Basic Center, Transitional Living, and Street Outreach programs that were created from the act. Finally, in anticipation of the possible reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program in the 110th Congress, the report concludes with a discussion of 1) the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program’s changing personnel needs; 2) funding for Maternity Group Homes; 3) evaluation of youth outcomes; and 4) the issue of runaway and homeless youth as "disconnected" youth.
» Access the report (PDF).