title: Using litigation to improve child mental health services: promises and pitfalls.
abstract: Litigation against state governments has been one of the strategies to improve services for children with emotional and behavioral problems. The results of such litigation have been spotty in terms of expanding and improving services. Cases in North Carolina and Hawaii are used as examples of successful litigation that had substantial impacts, resulting in new, more appropriate services and expanded budgets. The similarities and differences in these two cases are discussed, as are the elements that appear to contribute to success and the risks associated with such litigation.
authors.affiliation: Program for Child and Family Research, Department of Psychiatry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27705, USA. lbehar@psych.mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Lenore B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Behar
mesh_terms: D002017:Budgets; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D009657:North Carolina; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012944:Social Support; D013219:State Government