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Referral Source Differences in Functional Impairment Levels for Children Served in the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program

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Abstract

We report one of the first multi-site investigations into referral source variation in functional impairment for children with serious emotional disturbance served in systems of care settings. Baseline data collected as part of the national evaluation for the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program was used to assess the comparability of functional status for children referred from traditional mental health versus non-mental health agencies. Results indicate that children referred from child welfare and family groups have significantly lower levels of overall dysfunction than those referred from mental health, while children referred from school and juvenile justice agencies have comparable levels. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mental Hygiene, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

    Christine Walrath (Research Associate)

  2. Department of Mental Hygiene, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

    Susan dosReis (Post Doctoral Fellow)

  3. Department of Mental Hygiene, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

    Richard Miech (Assistant Professor) & Qinghong Liao

  4. ORC Macro, Atlanta, GA

    E. Wayne Holden (Senior Analyst)

  5. Child, Adolescent and Family Branch, Center for Mental Health Services, Rockville, MD

    Gary De Carolis (Chief)

  6. Child, Adolescent and Family Branch, Center for Mental Health Services, Rockville, MD

    Rolando Santiago (Program Director for Evaluation)

  7. Department of Mental Hygiene, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

    Philip Leaf (Professor)

Authors
  1. Christine Walrath
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  2. Susan dosReis
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  3. Richard Miech
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  4. Qinghong Liao
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  5. E. Wayne Holden
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  6. Gary De Carolis
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  7. Rolando Santiago
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  8. Philip Leaf
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Walrath, C., dosReis, S., Miech, R. et al. Referral Source Differences in Functional Impairment Levels for Children Served in the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program. Journal of Child and Family Studies 10, 385–397 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012533127953

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012533127953

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