counties of Missouri's rural delta. This welfare-to-work
program, which includes a day-care facility and an outreach program
in secondary schools, is part of the Adult Education Center located
on the campus of a vocational-technical school. SPIRALS offers
participants a chance to break the welfare cycle by providing
support groups on personal growth and parenting, pre-employment and
job-training, and job-search assistance. Sixty-three percent of the
participants found jobs after completing the program; 95 percent
significantly raised their mathematics and reading scores or passed
the General Educational Development exam. About one-half of the
women are enrolled in training programs, many in the health
field.
NEW
YORK
Healthcare
Intervention Services (HIS) identifies people with alcohol and drug
problems through a screening questionnaire that is part of the
admissions process in 18 New York hospitals. Those screened
positive are evaluated by addiction professionals and if necessary
are referred, on a voluntary basis, for treatment and follow-up.
When discovered early, the financial and personal costs of
addiction are lower and the prognosis for recovery is better. HIS
has been particularly successful in identifying younger patients,
women, and minorities, who are often overlooked by traditional
methods. More than 330,000 people have been screened, and over
32,000 have been found positive for substance abuse. Of these, more
than 11,000 have accepted referral to treatment and another 4,000
have received informational materials.
Contact:
Marguerite
Saunders
Commissioner
New York
State Office of
Alcoholism
and Substance
Abuse
Services
Executive
Park South
Albany, New
York 12203-8200
New York
City's Transit Authority Station Manager Program enables passengers
in 178 of the subway system's 469 stations to avoid red tape and
speak directly with managers during peak hours to ask questions and
lodge complaints. In addition to their regular duties, managers
work with community organizations and public and private leaders
interested in upgrading the subway system. The program has fostered
a sense of pride and ownership in the stations. Maintenance is
better, there are fewer fare-evaders and broken turnstiles, and
riders report a stronger sense of security.
Contact:
Carol E.
Meltzer
Chief Station
Officer
Division of
Stations
370 Jay
Street, Room 427
Brooklyn, New
York 11201