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Social workers interested in postmodernism have been provided an abundance of theory, but little to guide them in direct practice in diverse child welfare roles. In this article, two Ps and three Rs of practice based on postmodernist principles are discussed: positioning, power, resource sharing, resistance, and reflection. Professionals working in the delivery of frontline human services are struggling to work both with and in communities to celebrate diversity and localized constructions of reality while fulfilling professional and agency mandates. Informed by the broad theory of postmodernism, the two Ps and three Rs of practice allow workers to be mandated agents of the system, while deconstructing their privileged position.

Explores current social work practice and human service innovations based on interviews with practitioners in Chicago, New York City, and St. Louis. Offers rationale for reorientation of social workers' helping relationship and how it can contribute to human services reform. Examines strategies and innovations that can help professionals make this reorientation operational. (JDM)

Explores the diminishing role of federal government following a series of legislative mandates to maximize equal educational opportunity. Also examines the escalating poverty rate resulting from the economic restructuring of the country. Calls for systemic reform in education, health and human services followed by an integration of these services. (Author/KW)

Offers a survey and critique of three approaches for increasing family care of elderly people: filial support legislation, incentives for family caregivers, and service-rationing provisions. Results indicate that policies that require or encourage relatives to provide care may have adverse consequences for elderly people and their families. (RJM)

Reviews the literature on knowledge diffusion and provides examples from two successful technology transfer projects in Pennsylvania. Presents concrete, specific steps that can guide innovators in the human services, and provides principles that can enlighten the way in which managers and service providers introduce and nurture changes in human service organizations. (JPS)

Agencies that served as field placements for the Simmons College School of Social Work (n=101) responded to questionnaires asking about the effects of major funding cuts on their agencies and their training of social work interns. Although more than half reported supervisory cutbacks and increased dependence on less experienced staff, the agencies expressed continued commitment to training interns. (JPS)

Conducted study of rural homelessness in Ohio. Of 919 homeless adults interviewed, 247 were heading family units; 480 children were in these families. More than two-thirds of families were headed by single parents. Found differences in demographic characteristics of rural homeless population as compared to urban counterparts. Findings have implications for providing short-term emergency assistance and longer-term policy making. (Author/NB)

Surveyed Family Service America member agencies to assess impact of impetus to look to private sector for provision of services. Found that family service agencies experienced tremendous growth in 1980s in both client caseloads and areas of service provision. Family service agency client was likely to be minority person seeking counseling within framework of services provided through workplace. (Author/NB)

Conducted qualitative study of 17 social workers to develop understanding of how practitioners evaluate themselves in their day-to-day practice. Found acknowledged difficulty in really knowing one's effectiveness; perceived incompatibility between valuation and practice; and presence of implicit model of self-evaluation comprising five components (intuition and experience, personal and professional issues, client change, business aspects, and therapist-client relationship). (Author/NB)

Used data from 1982 New Beneficiary Survey and from Social Security Administration to trace experience of social workers and members of four other professional groups who started to receive Old Age Insurance benefits or became Medicare-only beneficiaries in 1980-81. Found that earnings capacity of social workers consistently lagged far behind two male-dominated groups of physicians and lawyers. (Author/NB)

Surveyed participants (n=213) in human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) educational programs to determine whether education could help reduce fear and increase comfort in work with HIV/AIDS clients. Found positive increase in self-assessed attitude scores within groups. Multiple group comparisons indicated significant differences between groups that appeared related to program content and length. (Author/NB)

Presents analysis and typology of community-based care for young Hispanic mother with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Develops conceptual framework that examines retrospectively needs generated by AIDS over time, appropriateness of services, and assessment of interventions. Presents conclusions regarding definition and implementation of community-based, culturally sensitive, family-centered human immunodeficiency virus case management. (Author/NB)

Conducted in-depth interviews with 90 Korean families in New York to differentiate common needs of all immigrants from unique needs of Korean immigrants. Examined family relationships; child rearing; and practical aspects of language, employment, and health. Service needs for Korean immigrants included family and individual counseling, day and after-school child care, youth programs, and parenting education. (Author/NB)

Notes that primary role that case management plays in coordination of services is determined by level of service integration and by level of resources in service delivery system. Describes conditions under which case management serves as mechanism for rationing services, marketing function, brokering function, or development role. Discusses movement toward integrated systems of care. (Author/NB)

Conducted case study of philanthropic giving among 29 companies in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Found that most corporations used informal rather than formal process for making funding decisions, with many firms relying on tradition, social contacts, and intuition to guide allocations. Findings suggest ways that social services administrators can enhance development planning at their agencies. (Author/NB)

Provides overview of case management, its history, and contemporary models. Examines challenges that case management poses for social work profession: covering up issue that health and human services delivery system is nonsystem; maintaining client-centered perspective in cost-obsessed environment; dealing with quality control; coping with resource-poor environments; and dealing with diversity among case management personnel. (Author/NB)

Describes continuing education program in Maine that sought to address some training needs of social workers, licensed under grandparenting provision in state licensing law, who lacked social work education. Notes that program consisted of seminar series integrating curriculum content on case management with emphasis on social work theory, skills, and values. (Author/NB)

Describes framework for stages of migration which helps workers obtain knowledge of needs, experiences, and circumstance of new immigrant groups and future newcomers. Notes that framework enables practitioners and organizations to examine relevance of previous immigrant group experiences and attendant service delivery patterns to current experiences and program responses. (Author/NB)

Examined factors associated with service use among 186 urban African American elderly people. Interviews with elders and caregivers indicated that many elders were unaware that older adult services were available, that those elders who were socially isolated and who suffered from poor health used services more, and that most elderly respondents were satisfied with services they received. (Author/NB)

Examines current trends in data collection and information use in human services organizations. Describes issues for managers who are planning information systems, including practitioner resistance to automation. Proposes that conceptual integration of agendas for human services automation, practice evaluation, and service effectiveness enables development of coherent information systems that are more fully useful to all organizational levels. (Author/NB)

Explored farm families' attitudes and beliefs about success and failure, locus of responsibility for need, beliefs on predictability and causes of need, attitudes about deservingness and priorities of groups in need, and degrees of acceptability for seeking help. Findings from 42 households with 44 farm families highlighted influence of 1980s farm crisis on farm families' attitudes and beliefs. (Author/NB)

Compared homeless and nonhomeless youths who sought help at runaway shelters in eight states. Both groups reported range of personal, family, and school problems, but problems of homeless group were more chronic than those of nonhomeless group. Most homeless youths lacked stable, supportive family to which they could return. (Author/NB)