title: Characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorders who received services through community mental health centers.
abstract: Despite the presence of significant psychiatric comorbidity among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), little research exists on those who receive community-based mental health services. This project examined one year (2004) of data from the database maintained by 26 community mental health centers (CMHCs) in the Midwestern US state of Kansas. Children with autism were compared to children with other ASDs - Asperger's disorder, Rett's disorder, and PDD-NOS. Children with autism predictably received more special education services than children with other ASDs, while the latter were more likely to have experienced prior psychiatric hospitalization. Children with ASDs other than autism were also significantly more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depressive disorders, and bipolar disorder. In 2004, Kansas CMHCs served less than 15 percent of the children estimated to have an ASD. Implications of these findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. sbryson@ku.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bryson
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Corrigan
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holmes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004519:Education, Special / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas; D008282:Mainstreaming, Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data