Abstract
In recent years a number of programs have been developed to deal with various aspects of the lives of poor children and adolescents (for example, preschool education and job training). This paper reviews selected programs in order to examine their potential significance with respect to psychiatry and mental health. It conceptualizes the manner in which such programmatic interventions foster psychological growth and reach children who have been unreachable by more conventional mental health techniques. The paper develops a point of view which sees large-scale programs (for example, Head Start and Job Corps) as phase specific interventions having significant mental health relevance.
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Dr. Scherl was formerly Deputy Director for Health Affairs (Actg.), Office of Economic Opportunity. He is also Under Secretary, Executive Office of Human Services, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Dr. Macht was formerly Principal Psychiatrist, Deputy Medical Director, Job Corps, Office of Economic Opportunity.
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Scherl, D.J., Macht, L.B. An examination of the relevance for mental health of selected anti-poverty programs for children and youth. Community Ment Health J 8, 8–16 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01464078
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01464078