Patterns of treatment services and costs for young offenders with mental disorders.
OBJECTIVE
This study describes mental health treatment service delivery patterns and costs for youth in a juvenile justice system.


METHODS
A secondary data analysis on a random sample of juvenile offenders (N = 312) was completed. Service patterns and costs were described. Selected variables were examined for their ability to predict who received treatment.


RESULTS
Only 23% of youth diagnosed with a mental disorder received any treatment. Older youth and African American youth received fewer services, and race was the only significant predictor for receiving treatment (p = .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Mental health treatment services were scarce, and the data reflects a race bias in the provision of services. Although the law protects the right to treatment for these individuals, provision of services remains a challenge.
Shelton
Deborah
D
University of Connecticut, School of Nursing in Storrs, CT, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006285:Health Planning; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D018579:Patient Selection; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011287:Prejudice; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies