(about continued)
Burden of illness of treatable of mental illnesses in these children and families is therefore much more intractable compared to other communities with more resources and less historical discrimination.

Dr Bill's Learning Centers hope by providing a holistic mental health and educational rehabilative service, (with rapid access to physical health services), to be able to help these youth and families reverse the performance failure cycle and also motivate them to complete school. By combining medical, psychiatric and educational enhancement specialist services with peer support we hope to reduce the stigma that mental health services have for families of color.

Educational rehabilitative and enhancement services will include screening, diagnosis, treatment. How will the program track children's progress? Tutors, families, and children will work together to create and maintain portfolios that document children's progress.

A flexible format allows tutors to use strategies that are tailored to address each child's learning style, skills, interests, and needs. The flexibility ensures that each child will receive individualized and developmentally appropriate support.

William P. McMiller, M.D., M.P.H.
March 2007