Citation

Rosenblatt A, Attkinsson CC. J. Child Fam. Stud. 1992; 1(1): 93-113.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF01321344

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper presents an overview and an initial set of findings from an evaluation in three California counties of a replication of an integrated system of care for youth suffering from serious emotional disturbance. The development of the innovative system of care was pioneered in Ventura County, California, and the replications were legislatively enabled through AB377 (Assembly Bill 377). This paper focuses on one set of variables being studied in the evaluation: the characteristics of the youth enrolled in the care systems. This variable is important because personnel in the counties are explicitly deciding which youth are eligible for services given limited available public resources. Within the model system of care, clinical severity and risk status (being at-risk of or in out-of-home placement) are used as the criteria for enrollment with the intent of serving those most in need as effectively as possible. The gender, age, clinical diagnosis, ethnicity, and global assessment of functioning (GAF) scores of these youth are presented. In general, the youth served are male, have low GAF scores, and predominantly receive clinical diagnoses of affective disorders and disruptive behavior disorders. African-Americans are overrepresented in the care systems relative to the general population and Asian-Americans are underrepresented.