title: Change in mental health service use after offering youth-specific versus adult programs to transition-age youths.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined changes in service use associated with providing age-specific services for youths in their transitional years, ages 18–24.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental, difference-in-difference design with propensity score weighting was used to compare mental health service utilization (use of outpatient, inpatient, emergency, and justice system services) among 931 youths enrolled in outpatient programs specifically for transition-age youths and 1,574 youths enrolled in standard adult outpatient programs in San Diego County, California, from July 2004 through December 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among youths enrolled in outpatient programs geared toward youths of transitional age, the mean number of annual outpatient mental health visits increased by 12.2 (p<.001) compared with youths enrolled in standard adult outpatient programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with traditional adult outpatient mental health programs, age-specific programs were associated with an increased use of outpatient mental health services. Future research is needed to assess the effectiveness of age-specific programs for transition-age youths and how use of these programs relates to improved clinical, educational, and vocational outcomes over time.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Policy in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0622, USA. tgilmer@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Todd P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Gilmer
authors.forename: Victoria D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Ojeda
authors.forename: Kya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fawley-King
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Piedad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002140:California; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D060305:Transition to Adult Care; D055815:Young Adult