title: Increasing access to child mental health services for urban children and their caregivers.
abstract: This article presents the results of a study that evaluated the effects of two engagement interventions on the initial attendance and ongoing retention in child mental health services of 109 primarily children of color and their families. Both the combined intervention (telephone and first interview) and the telephone-alone intervention were associated with significant increases in attendance at initial intake appointments over the usual intake procedure, but only the combined intervention was related to the greater ongoing use of services. Implications for future research and recommendations for modifying procedures in outpatient child mental health centers are also presented.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago 60612, USA. mary.mckay@uic.edu
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stoewe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McCadam
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonzales
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012947:Social Work; D013689:Telephone; D014505:Urban Population