title: Parents' mental health and psychiatric expertise in child welfare family rehabilitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parents' mental health disorders are not well known within child welfare services.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  First, to assess the mental health disorders and treatment needs of parents participating in the child welfare-centred family rehabilitation; Second, to evaluate the work of psychiatric nurses and the effectiveness of consultations by psychiatrists in such cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 2010, a total of 141 parents participated in child welfare-centred family rehabilitation. The primary psychiatric disorders of parents not currently receiving psychiatric care were assessed, as was the appropriate treatment for them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of parents in child welfare-centred family rehabilitation suffered from severe mental health disorders, often unrecognized and untreated. As much as 93% of parents were referred to mental health or substance abuse treatment, almost half of them to secondary care. The work of psychiatric nurses and consultations by psychiatrists were found to be useful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most parents suffered from severe unrecognized and untreated mental health disorders. There is a high demand for adult-psychiatric expertise in child welfare.
authors.affiliation: Kirsi Riihimäki, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) , Finland .
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Riihimäki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008603:Mental Health; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Child protection; Child welfare; Mental health disorders; Parent