title: Psychiatric consultation for Project Head Start.
abstract: Psychiatric and/or "mental health" services for the Project Head Start program need to be adapted to the character of the population group to be dealt with. This requires special knowledge and skills, not only in relation to the psychopathology of the preschool-age child, but also to the subtleties of family pathology and the ways in which a disturbed child of this age is simultaneously "causative agent" and "victim." Because of the socioeconomic characteristics of many of the groups to be served, special adaptation to travel problems and location will need to be made. Also, because of these factors and the limitations of motivation, the standard model of psychotherapy will in most instances not be feasible. Maximum use of the nursery school teachers as therapeutic agents will be necessary. With appropriate and continuing consultation, they should emerge as pivotal educative figures for the whole family.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Psychiatry, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, Cal..
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Brown