New Developments in Services Delivery Research for Children, Adolescents, and Their Families

Abstract

Discusses issues related to child and adolescent mental health services research. Child and adolescent mental health services research involves the study of access, utilization, financing, and clinical- and cost-effectiveness of mental health services provided to children and adolescents, as well as the functioning and effectiveness of child mental health, health, and social service systems of care. A number of recent trends have led to the increasing importance of this field. The increasing utilization and demonstrated need for child mental health services in the US and other Western nations has spurred rapid growth of such services. However, at the same time these needs are recognized, there are increasingly limited resources available to fund child mental health and human services. The role of services research in informing providers, policy makers, and payers on clinically and cost-effective approaches is becoming progressively important. The authors discuss several specific topics including the emergence of children's mental health systems of care; methodological challenges in child mental health services research; the impact of culture, ethnicity, and social class; and application of research findings in policy and service systems planning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)