title: Effects of Parent Immigration Status on Mental Health Service Use Among Latino Children Referred to Child Welfare.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Latino families may be at risk of experiencing stressors resulting from the immigration process, such as those related to documentation status and acculturation, that may increase their need for mental health services. However, little research exists on the mental health needs and service use of Latino children. This study examined how parental nativity and legal status influence mental health needs and service utilization among children in Latino families investigated by child welfare.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a nationally representative, prospective study of families investigated by child welfare agencies for maltreatment, were used to examine mental health need and service use in a subset of Latino children who remained in the home following a maltreatment investigation (N=390).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although children of immigrants did not differ from children of U.S.-born parents in levels of clinical need, they had lower rates of mental health service receipt. After the analyses accounted for other relevant variables, the odds of receiving services were significantly lower (odds ratio=.09) for children whose parents were undocumented compared with children whose parents were U.S. citizens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study contributes to growing discourse on Latino family needs within the child welfare system. Analyses support earlier research regarding the effects of parent nativity on mental health service use and advance the literature by identifying parent legal status as a unique barrier to child service receipt.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Finno-Velasquez and Dr. Hurlburt are with the School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (e-mail: finno@usc.edu ). Dr. Cardoso and Dr. Dettlaff are with the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finno-Velasquez
authors.affiliation: Dr. Finno-Velasquez and Dr. Hurlburt are with the School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (e-mail: finno@usc.edu ). Dr. Cardoso and Dr. Dettlaff are with the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston.
authors.forename: Jodi Berger
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Dr. Finno-Velasquez and Dr. Hurlburt are with the School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (e-mail: finno@usc.edu ). Dr. Cardoso and Dr. Dettlaff are with the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston.
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dettlaff
authors.affiliation: Dr. Finno-Velasquez and Dr. Hurlburt are with the School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (e-mail: finno@usc.edu ). Dr. Cardoso and Dr. Dettlaff are with the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hurlburt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000068216:Child Protective Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004522:Educational Status; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010290:Parents; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States