Youths living away from families in the US mental health system: opportunities for targeted intervention.
This study examines the clinical characteristics of youths who lived away from families at the time of admission to specialty mental health services, and investigates the association between type of nonfamily living situation and admission to residential versus outpatient programs. Of 3995 youths sampled from 1598 mental health programs in the United States, 14% lived away from their own families, either in foster care, group care settings, or correctional settings, or were emancipated. As a group, youths living away from families were more seriously emotionally disturbed and more likely to receive treatment in residential care programs. Youths who lived in foster care were more likely to be admitted to outpatient programs, while youths who lived in group care settings or correctional settings were more likely to be admitted to residential care programs, controlling on demographic and clinical characteristics. Targeting resources to enhance the availability and therapeutic capacity of foster care may facilitate community living, and decrease time spent in institutional settings.
Pottick
Kathleen J
KJ
School of Social Work and Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, 30 College Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. kpottick@ifh.rutgers.edu
Warner
Lynn A
LA
Yoder
Kevin A
KA
D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016352:Group Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006208:Halfway Houses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012114:Residential Treatment / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States