title: Addressing the impact of trauma before diagnosing mental illness in child welfare.
abstract: Congress set requirements for child welfare agencies to respond to emotional trauma associated with child maltreatment and removal. In meeting these requirements, agencies should develop policies that address child trauma. To assist in policy development, this study analyzes more than 14,000 clinical assessments from child welfare in Illinois. Based on the analysis, the study recommends child welfare agencies adopt policies requiring that (1) mental health screenings and assessments of all youth in child welfare include measures of traumatic events and trauma-related symptoms; (2) evidence-based, trauma-focused treatment begin when a youth in child welfare demonstrates a trauma-related symptom; and (3) a clinician not diagnose a youth in child welfare with a mental illness without first addressing the impact of trauma. The study also raises the issue of treatment reimbursement based on diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holzberg
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stolbach
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maj
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kisiel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011050:Policy Making; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States