NCJ Number
164998
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 20 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1996) Pages: 675-688
Date Published
1996
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study examined predictors of the use of mental health services among children and adolescents in foster care.
Abstract
Of particular interest was whether the type of maltreatment was related to the use of services. Subjects were 662 children ages 2-17 who were in foster care for at least 5 months. Service- use, demographic, and behavioral data were collected through interviews with the subjects' caretakers. Type of maltreatment data were collected from child welfare case records. Fifty-six percent of the subjects had received mental health services. Children removed from their homes due to sexual and/or physical abuse were more likely to receive services than were those who were removed due to neglect and caretaker absence. Clinically significant behavioral problems were associated with greater likelihood of receiving services, except for the sexually abused group, who were likely to receive services regardless of their behavior problem score. Sexually abused youth also received a higher number of outpatient visits than did neglected youth. In sum, youth who have experienced "active" types of maltreatment are more likely to receive mental health services than are those with "passive" types of maltreatment, even when the effect of severity of mental health problems is controlled. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 26 references