This article provides a national perspective on the schools and school programs for students with emotional disturbances (ED) who are served in special education, using nationally representative data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). The authors describe…

This introductory article to this special issue considers four reasons why there has been little research on the academic needs of students with emotional and behavioral disorders: (1) student behavior interferes with instruction; (2) students influence teacher behavior; (3) lack of teacher preparation; and (4) lack of research. (Contains…

A study involving 574 children (ages 5-17) who received mental health services examined whether caregiver variables predicted child mental health service utilization patterns, particularly caregiver strain. Results found caregiver strain to be associated with the combination of services used, sequencing of services, gaps in care, and cost of…

This article describes the outcomes associated with a 3-year demonstration project designed to examine the efficacy of three models of intensive in-home services for treating children (ages 5-17) experiencing a psychiatric crisis. Results found 82% of children were maintained at home and family adaptability, children's self-concept, and parental…

This article traces historical attempts to form a comprehensive child mental health policy in the United States and discusses the latest unsuccessful attempts at the creation of such a policy through the managed behavioral healthcare revolution and the Child and Adolescent Service System Program and Child Mental Health Services initiative.…

This article presents a framework to be used in studying public policy in children's mental health. It focuses the stages of policy development and implementation, the relationships among different governmental levels, the relationships among different service sectors, and variables affecting the likelihood a policy will achieve its intended…

Rethinking and expanding the theory of change underlying systems of care are recommended to support development of the knowledge base for understanding what systems of care can be expected to accomplish. Three domains of knowledge are presented as necessary to understanding the relationship between systems-level change and services. (Contains…

This article examines how researchers can apply analytical and methodological tools traditionally used in health policy analysis to study the multiple levels of systems-of-care impacts for students with emotional and behavior disorders. Where possible, results from existing systems-of-care education studies illustrate how these analyses and…

This article uses the issue of custody relinquishment to illustrate ways in which research can be used in the policy change process. In the case studies profiled, research was most effective when combined with family stories. The stories gave the problem life and the research helped find families with stories. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article examines federal, state, and local initiatives that have influenced child welfare policy and practice on a national scale, with particular emphasis on those policies that offer opportunities for better coordination of services between mental health and child welfare agencies. The special circumstances of child welfare clients are…

This study examined the effectiveness of a modified and comprehensive version of the "Open Court Reading Curriculum" with two groups of children with emotional and/or behavior disorders. Results showed moderate gains in reading achievement but no changes in observed problem behaviors. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

In this introductory article, the main features of positive behavior support are described, including a prevention-focused continuum of support, proactive instructional approaches to teaching and improving social behaviors, conceptually sound and empirically validated practices, systems change to support effective practices, and data-based…

This article explores how the school-based wraparound approach and a school-wide systems approach to positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) work together to create more effective school environments and improved outcomes for students with or at risk of behavioral challenges. Complementary aspects of these wraparound and PBIS…

This study examined conformity to the Program Standards for Treatment Foster Care among 42 statewide programs. Findings suggest fair to good overall conformity, with considerable variation among programs. A discussion of methodological and substantive considerations for future research and evaluation using this approach is included. (Contains…

This paper describes implementation of a combined active training and consultation project with 64 school staff members in a large urban district. Participation was broadly associated with increased staff knowledge of effective behavior management and instructional strategies, successful implementation of skills at the classroom level with…