A Needs Assessment Of Autism Related Services And Supports In Umatilla County Oregon

The rapid growth of kinship foster care--full-time parenting of children by relatives or other adults who have a kinship bond with a child--has caught many child welfare agencies off guard. This monograph presents information needed by professionals, agencies, institutions, communities, and organizations to develop and provide services to kinship caregivers, kinship families, children, and parents. The monograph contains discussions of common clinical issues, suggests intervention strategies, examines kinship care's legal implications, and offers policy and program recommendations. Chapter 1 compares relative or kinship care to traditional family foster care, and outlines the characteristics of kinship care that necessitate changes in outlook and practice. Chapter 2 analyzes the clinical issues that must be considered in serving children, parents, and kinship caregivers. Chapters 3 and 4 provide guidance on child welfare practice with kinship families. Chapter 5 considers the effect of culturally based child-rearing practices, gender roles, and hierarchy of authority on child welfare practice with kinship families, as well as the impact of parental incarceration, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS. Chapter 6 looks at the legal rights, responsibilities, and status of kinship families, caregivers, parents, and children. Chapter 7 discusses federal and state issues for program and policy development; this chapter also examines the philosophy and values underlying provision of financial support to kinship families, the emerging federal role, state policy directions, and permanency planning. Contains 40 references. (KB)

A revision of Winter's Ecological Psychology (1996), this book applies psychological theory and research to environmental problems. After outlining current environmental difficulties, the authors demonstrate how 6 major approaches in psychology (social psychological, psychoanalytic, behavioral, physiological, cognitive, and holistic) can be applied to environmental problems. The authors demonstrate why it is critical to address environmental threats now, and offer ideas on how psychological principles can contribute to building a sustainable culture. Personal examples engage the reader and provide suggestions for changing behavior and political structures. Reorganized and updated throughout, the second edition features a new chapter on neuropsychological and health issues and a list of key concepts in each chapter. Cartoons and humorous analogies add a light touch to the book's serious message. Written for psychology and environmental studies students, the book is an excellent teaching tool in courses on environmental, conservation, or ecological issues, found in departments of psychology, sociology, environmental science, and biology. It will also appeal to anyone interested in psychology's potential contributions to mounting ecological difficulties.