School-based mental health services for children living in high poverty urban communities.
Studied the effectiveness of a school-based mental health service model, PALS (Positive Attitudes toward Learning in School), focused on increasing initial and ongoing access to services, and promoting improved classroom and home behavior for children referred for Disruptive Behavior Disorder (DBD) from three high poverty urban elementary schools. Classrooms were randomly assigned to PALS or referral to a neighborhood mental health clinic, with children identified by teacher referral and follow-up parent andeher ratings. Results indicated significant service engagement and retention for PALS (n=60) versus families referred to clinic (n=30), with over 80% of PALS families retained in services for 12 months. PALS services were correlated with positive changes in children's behavior as rated by parents, and with improvements in children's academic performance as rated by teachers. Implications for the design and delivery of mental health services for children and families living in high-poverty urban communities are discussed.
Atkins
Marc S
MS
Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. matkins@psych.uic.edu
Frazier
Stacy L
SL
Birman
Dina
D
Adil
Jaleel Abdul
JA
Jackson
Maudette
M
Graczyk
Patricia A
PA
Talbott
Elizabeth
E
Farmer
A David
AD
Bell
Carl C
CC
McKay
Mary M
MM
D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; D002648:Child; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D015146:Midwestern United States; D011203:Poverty; D012572:School Health Services; D014505:Urban Population