Out of Home Treatment and Family Bonds: Parent Perspectives and Practice Standards
(December 2005)

Culturally Competent Children's Mental Health Services: Advances & Challenges
(December 2005)

Improving access to linguistically and culturally appropriate children's mental health services is increasingly pertinent as the population of the United States becomes more culturally diverse. This article discusses culture and development, disparities in children's mental health services, and cultural competence as applied to services and systems of care.

Neighborhood Residence and the Problems of School-Age Children (October 2005)

This article presents a multilevel longitudinal study of how neighborhood characteristics and social processes affect children's developmental outcomes. The researchers found that concentrated disadvantage was associated with more mental health problems among children, and that collective efficacy mediated the effect of concentrated disadvantage.

The Stigmatization of Mental Illness in Children and Families
(October 2005)

Addressing the stigma that surrounds mental illness is an ongoing challenge. This article reviews theory and research on stigma and mental health, with a focus on the stigmatization of mental illness in the family. A future research agenda and recommendations for stigma reduction are also discussed.

The Experiences of Parents of Young People with Mental Health Problems
(September 2005)

This article presents findings from an interview study designed to investigate the experiences of parents of teenagers with mental health problems. Analysis of the interview data revealed a process of "parental deskilling" and "parental reskilling" in response to relations with service providers and the role changes experienced by parents.

Outcomes for Youth Following Psychiatric Emergencies
(September 2005)

This article presents results of an investigation of outcomes for youth following referral for emergency mental health services, and randomly assigned to either home-based multisystemic therapy (MST) or hospitalization. The findings indicate that outcomes for youth receiving intensive mental health services are influenced by a complex array of clinical and psychosocial factors.

Quality and Individualization in Wraparound Team Planning
(August 2005)

This article presents the findings of a national study of 26 wraparound teams serving children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Analysis of data gathered at 72 wraparound teams meetings indicates considerable variation in the quality of planning processes across teams. The authors discuss systemic, organizational, team, and individual issues relevant to developing the effectiveness of wraparound teams.

Diversity of Outcomes Among Adolescent Children of Mothers With Mental Illness
(July 2005)

This research investigates mental health of adolescent children of mothers with a diagnosed mental illness. Five subgroups of youth are identified using cluster analysis of psychosocial outcomes. Increased understanding of outcome predictors may be valuable in designing services that are more family-focused and thus better positioned to address the complex needs of this group.

Transition services for youth receiving child mental health services
(July 2005)

This article discusses national data from state-level child mental health administrators on the transition services available for youth receiving child mental health services. The authors conclude that the majority of youth do not receive the services required to support their transition to adulthood, and they recommend ways to address this important issue.

Identifying Mental Health Problems in a Diverse Group of Youth Aged 11-17 Years
(May 2005)

In this article, the authors present the results of an investigation of systematic ethnocultural differences in caregivers' reports of their children's mental health problems. The results indicated significant differences in reporting rates among African American and Latino parents, in comparison to European American parents.

An Evaluation of Integrated Services for Children and Adolescents in the Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Systems
(May 2005)

In these two articles, the authors compare outcomes for children and adolescents receiving mental health services, either through a system of care or community mental health center. The results indicate that integrated services can reduce involvement in the justice system and costs for some groups of children.

Domestic Violence and Children's Mental Health
(April 2005)

This article discusses data, from 40,636 children, collected between 1990 and 1995 by the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The results of the intake assessment indicate that children may experience a range of problems in emotional, social, educational, and physical health domains, and thus require access to a coordinated range of services if these needs are to be addressed.

Building on Caregiver Strengths
(April 2005)

This article presents the results of a survey of caregivers of 258 children receiving mental health services for emotional and behavioral disorders. The authors discuss possible links between caregiver characteristics, such as coping style, and their children's care arrangements in the preceding 12 months.

A Longitudinal Study of Young Children and Mental Health Care
(April 2005)

This article presents research on parent reports of the need for mental health care and access to treatment for 316 children, identified as high-risk and studied over a six year period, up to the age of seven. Overall, the results indicated a high need for mental health services. There was evidence of group disparities in access to treatment for girls and for African-American children.

Assessing Strengths-Based Delivery of Services for Children and Families
(March 2005)

This article describes the development and testing of The Strengths-Based Practices Inventory (SBPI) in Early Head Start settings. The results of this study indicate that the 16-item SBPI is a reliable and valid measure of parents' perceptions, and may be a useful tool for the assessment and development of strengths-based services for children and families.

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Family and Youth Use of Urban Mental Health Services
(February 2005)

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Stigma and Mental Illness
(January 2005)

This article reviews research on how the stigma associated with mental illness can impact families. The authors discuss some of the dilemmas of research in this field, the current state of knowledge about stigma and research-based evidence on the effectiveness of different strategies to reduce stigma.

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Staff Perspectives on Consultation and Integrated Mental Health Services in Early Childhood Settings
(January 2005)

In this article, the researchers examine the relationship between integrated mental health consultation programs and provision of mental health services. Based on the interviews of Head Start staff, the authors found that programs with an integrated mental health consultation model were more likely to have a strong vision for mental health services, to describe promising mental health practices, and to perceive their mental health practices as effective.

Low Income Mothers Coming to Primary Care: Depression and Reports of Problems with their Children
(January 2005)

In this article, the researchers investigate the links between maternal depression among women who have a scheduled appointment with a primary care physician, and their reports of problems with their children. Based on the data from this sample, the researchers conclude that prevention or successful treatment of major depressive disorder among mothers receiving primary care could reduce the risk of negative child outcomes by as much as 55%.