Mental Health Services Utilization by Maltreated Children: Research Findings and Recommendations

Many maltreated children have, or are at risk for, emotional and behavioral disorders. Some of these children need mental health services but do not receive them because of service delivery and use barriers. Knowledge about the factors related to service utilization is needed to increase access to a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child maltreatment 2003-08, Vol.8 (3), p.195-203
Main Author: Staudt, Marlys M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Behavior Problems
Child
Child Abuse
Child abuse & neglect
Child Abuse - prevention & control
Child Abuse - psychology
Child Abuse - statistics & numerical data
Child Welfare Services
Child, Preschool
Eligibility Determination
Emotionally Disturbed
Foster care
Foster Children
Foster Home Care
Guidelines as Topic
Health Care Utilization
Humans
Medicaid
Mental health care
Mental Health Services
Mental Health Services - utilization
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - etiology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy
United States - epidemiology
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Summary:Many maltreated children have, or are at risk for, emotional and behavioral disorders. Some of these children need mental health services but do not receive them because of service delivery and use barriers. Knowledge about the factors related to service utilization is needed to increase access to and use of services. Studies on mental health services utilization by maltreated children in foster care or otherwise monitored by child protective services are reviewed to ascertain service use correlates. Children in foster care had higher use rates than comparison groups of Aid to Families With Dependent Children not in foster care. Need and nonneed variables predicted service use. Race was the most consistent nonneed predictor. Future research needs include the development of conceptual models to guide research on service access and use. More work is needed on the conceptualization and operationalization of mental health services, need for services, and service use.
ISSN:1077-5595
1552-6119
DOI:10.1177/1077559503254138