Special Roles of Mental Health Professionals in Self-Help Group Development

Provision of services to self-help/mutual aid groups is a natural outgrowth of the goals, objectives and activities of consultation and education (C & E) departments of community mental health centers. The C & E services of the Ravenswood Community Mental Health Center has, during the past several years, provided several forms of assistance to a variety of developing and established self-help groups in the Chicago area. Through this experience, the roles of mental health professionals in facilitating the development and maintenance of self-help groups have been explored. The provision of assistance at several stages of group development without challenging the autonomy and voluntary nature of self-help groups is a basic requirement for all professionals involved in group development. With careful recognition of the needs and nature of such groups, mutually satisfactory long-term relationships can be established between self-help groups and mental health professionals.     

PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDES,AWARENESS AND USE OF SELF-HELP GROUPS

The aim of this project was to contribute information on an important aspect of the self-help movement: the nature of its relationship with professional mental and physical health practitioners. Focusing on the professions of psychology, social work, psychiatry, medicine and nursing, the goal was to ascertain the degree to which these professionals were aware of selected self-help groups in Toronto, the extent to which they used them and their attitudes toward these self-help groups. Data obtained from 308 professionals indicated that they have some degree of familiarity with self-help groups in the community, are prepared to inform their clients about groups which may be helpful to them, are prepared to make referrals to such groups and hold favorable attitudes toward such groups.     

PARENTS UNITED OF OREGON:

A natural history is reported for an agency-supported self-help group for sexually abusive families. Four developmental stages of the group are identified as a) development of the idea, b) operationalization of the group, C) promotion of community recognition, and d) achievement of organizational goals and group consolidation. Experiences drawn from the natural history are discussed in terms of the guidelines tbey suggest for the development of other agency-supported self-help groups.     

Chapter 14: Self-Help Group Participation Among People with Severe Mental Illness

SUMMARY

An experimental design was attempted to test the effectiveness of self-help group participation among people with severe and long-standing mental illnesses. A sample of 90 individuals was randomized to either experimental or control groups with experimentals invited to join self-help groups and given outreach to encourage participation. Control subjects were not invited to join self-help groups. Results showed low rates of 17% participation in the self-help groups for both experimental and control subjects. The small number of experimental subjects participating and the presence of cross-overs from the control group yielded a sample too small for statistical analyses and the experiment was ended. Post hoc analyses comparing subjects who participated in self-help (15), non-participating subjects (75) and a comparison group of existing self-help group members (90) showed participants to have more severe psychiatric symptoms than either non-participants or members. Participating subjects were more likely to be female, though the self-help groups had more male members. Results indicate the need for multi-site studies in self-help group research.     

The Rise of China and the Vision for an East Asian Community

This article seeks to explore how stable regional order under the possible community formation can be created in East Asia in moves towards China's ascendancy. For this objective, it takes advantage of a framework assuming that the development of an East Asian community would be possible under conditions that the states in the region develop common identity and norms, as well as multilateral institutions that guarantee the long-term interest. Moreover, the society needs to be involved in identity formation and institution-building. This article argues that China has been gradually embedded into formal multilateral institutions and less formal policy networks formed by state and non-state actors, which have been conducive to the creation of a regional community. However, both collective norms at the governmental level and shared cultural consciousness at the public level have not developed enough to have significant influences on directing China firmly to the formation of a regional community.     

It Takes a Village: Using a Community-Defined Practice Approach to Develop a Tribal In-Home Services Model for Alaska Native Families

The current evidence base for in-home services in child welfare is limited, with insufficient research on the use of in-home services among ethnically diverse populations. This article describes a case study examining the use of a community-defined practice and evidence approach to develop tribally based in-home service models with Alaska Native communities. The models were co-created by tribal elders, community members, and service providers, with technical assistance provided by the Western and Pacific Child Welfare Implementation Center (WPIC). Research findings suggest that this is an effective approach to developing culturally appropriate child welfare practices while also building local support and ownership.     

广西城市社区老年服务发展的历程、现状与对策

大力发展社区老年服务是广西破解“未富先老”养老难题的重要出路.经过近30年的发展,广西城市社区老年服务已初具规模,并产生了良好的社会效益,但距离满足老年人社区服务需求的目标还存在着较大差距.广西应抓住社区老年服务发展中的突出问题,采取更为积极有效的措施,努力实现人口老龄化与经济社会协调发展     

城市社区民警协调工作应把握的问题

在现代城市社区警务中,民警切实搞好各项协调活动是实现工作目标的重要保证。文章从城市社区民警协调工作的对象、方式以及艺术三个方面进行了论述,旨在为社区警务工作提供可资借鉴的理论参考。     

“邻避运动”在澳门的兴起及其治理——以美沙酮服务站选址争议为个案

由选址问题引发的邻避运动是一个世界性的现象。自回归后第二个五年来,具有邻避特征的公共设施选址争议在寸土寸金的澳门日益增多。本文以澳门美沙酮服务站选址争议为个案,从风险认知和决策模式两方面分析了社区居民反对政府选址政策的原因,进而提出在社区层面引入参与式治理,期冀从源头上应对邻避抗议运动。本文的研究价值在于:第一,对邻避运动的关注,能够拓展澳门既有的抗议研究;第二,对邻避运动的治理,能够为参与式治理的社区实践提供契机。     

EPILEPSY SELF-HELP GROUPS:

Two sequential cases of professional-self-help/mutual aid collaboration are described. The first was a federally funded demonstration project to develop epilepsy self-help groups in 15 cities. It involved a "mixed strategy" of national and local collaboration, where decision-making, and problem solving was vested in persons with epilepsy. The second related case was the "action learning workshop" that combined research with extension work. Knowledge about self-help group development and persons with epilepsy was advanced at the same time that a national network and alliance of epilepsy self-help groups was developed.     

关于社区警务几个问题的思考

“社区警务”的英文全称是Community orientedPolicing ,中文直译为“社区导向警务” ;细加分析 ,可译为“共同 (开展 )治安工作”。对于社区警务的理论基础 ,笔者认为是“治安需求”论。我国的社区警务 ,在观念上要解决社会治安、警务工作依靠谁、为了谁以及以谁为主的问题 ;在工作内容上要处理好公安 (治安 )业务与为民服务的关系 ;在任务部署上要解决治标与治本的关系问题 ;在警力配置上要做到相对固定与机动调整相结合 ;在目标考核上要以“群众满意”为最终标准。     

对一项社区警务活动的成本分析

社区警务作为一种全新的公安民警服务理念,它要求公安机关为社区提供优质、高效的服务。为此,面向社区的基层公安机关不得不思考警务活动的成本问题。文章正是通过对一项社区警务活动的成本分析入手,为警务管理工作提供选择的方案,从而为提高警务工作的效率提出有益的建言。     

Doctoral Education in Clinical-Community Psychology

SUMMARY

This paper provides an overview of doctoral clinical-community psychology programs and highlights some possible future directions in training. Clinical-community doctoral programs were categorized as: (1) formally labeled clinical-community programs, (2) clinical programs with a formal community track, or (3) clinical programs with an informal community emphasis. Many graduates from these programs obtain a basic understanding and appreciation of community psychology through required or elective courses, and through contact with students and faculty involved in community research and action. Those students who focus their research and electives around community psychology obtain a thorough and in-depth training experience in community research and action. Changes precipitated by managed care will challenge current ways that psychological services are provided allowing for more community based, innovative, and preventive approaches for which community psychology training would be particularly useful. Greater flexibility in APA accreditation guidelines provide opportunities for greater flexibility within clinical-community programs. Doctoral programs in clinical-community psychology are positioned to lead the development of a public health and human service approach to doctoral training through the integration of community and clinical psychology.     

Marginalization of Childless Elderly Men and Welfare Provision: a study in a North China village

Rural reforms have benefited certain groups and marginalized others, creating great disparity in rural China. The welfare situation of childless elderly men, mostly never married, remains little known and largely unnoticed. This study enquires preliminarily into the question of how childless elderly men cope with the changing economic, political, and institutional contexts brought about by the market reforms that started in 1978. With the adoption of a political economy approach to the analysis of welfare resources allocation, and an institutional approach to the analysis of changes in welfare institutions and individual lives, this paper looks into various roles of the state, community, and family in welfare production. The in-depth village study suggests that though the state, community, and family are expected to care for the needy, neither formal nor informal assistance from the community or extended families to the childless elderly is necessarily sufficient, automatic, or forthcoming. Collective land and housing plots seem to be the only resources that the childless elderly have to exchange for care.     

Defining the limits of local government power in China: The relevance of international experience

This paper looks at the impact of decentralization on China's market system. It is argued that as the Chinese central government relaxed its control over the economy through decentralization, local governments turned many of the transferred powers to restrict market competition. This paper proposes that an umbrella legislation of Interregional Commerce be enacted and a Fair Trade Commission be created to ensure that government policies at all levels be pro‐competition. As an institutional prerequisite, the government organizational reform should be extended to more sectors of the economy.     

论社区警务改革战略

随着城市建设发展的不断深入 ,社区警务工作对抑制和预防犯罪的作用愈加明显。应该明确社区警务改革的必要性 ,建立与新型社区管理体制相适应的社区警务机制。通过调整民警结构挖掘警力资源 ,规范民警职责 ,协调警种职能 ,完善运行机制 ,健全保障措施 ,增强警务成本意识 ,提高公安民警整体素质 ,从而促进社区警务改革顺利进行。     

警察协助分类的再探讨

警察协助在内容上分为执法协助和一般职务协助。在此初步探讨的基础上进一步深化,从主体视角观察,分为内部协助义务和对外职务协助。从性质视角观察,根据裁量性强弱,分为羁束协助和裁量协助;根据时间性紧迫,可以区分为日常协助和紧急协助。警察协助未来的发展方向应当是主体间的协助义务动态化,协助义务的性质不断明确化。     

A Needs Assessment of Human Service Agencies in an Urban Community

Research and interventions aimed at maximizing the impact and organizational effectiveness of human service agencies, as well as the system of agencies in a community, could have far reaching effects on the large number of individuals served by these agencies. But prior to any type of active intervention it is imperative to document the needs and resources of these agencies. The present study was conducted to better understand (1) the functioning of individual agencies, (2) their role in the human service community, (3) the general workings of the urban human service community prior to any type of intervention, and (4) to provide a baseline to monitor changes in the human service community. Ninety-two nonprofit human service agencies were surveyed in an urban setting. The results indicated that agency administrators were deeply concerned about funding problems, issues of accountability, and personnel concerns while reporting staff expertise, public relations, and efficient use of resources as agency strengths. Suggestions for interventions centered on using various agency strengths, as well as other community experts, to assist human service agencies. Special areas of concern were preventing the discontinuation of services through agency closings and developing a "networking" approach to help agencies adapt to recent changes in social policy.     

构建区域创新体系的理论与实践

本文的研究焦点是通过对区域创新体系理论的探索,阐述我省构建区域创新理论体系的必要性,在分析我省区域创新体系构成的基础上,提出构建我省区域创新体系的政策性措施.区域创新体系作为国家创新体系的一部分,其主要由企业、科研机构、大学、中介服务机构、相应的金融机构和政府部门等构成.文章从我省科技资源状况的实际出发,建议通过引导企业成为技术创新主体,发挥体系各构成机构的作用等一系列政策措施,从而依托区域创新体系在我省走出一条新型工业化道路.