@article{ref1,
title="Mothers with self-reported axis I diagnoses and child protection",
journal="Archives of psychiatric nursing",
year="2009",
author="Lewin, L. and Abdrbo, Amany",
volume="23",
number="3",
pages="200-209",
abstract="PURPOSE: To describe mothers with serious mental illness (SMI) and their children, who are involved with child protective services. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of 122 files from a large metropolitan Department of Child and Family Services. FINDINGS: The most frequently occurring diagnoses in these mothers were polysubstance dependence (39.3%) and dual diagnoses (mental illness with substance abuse; 19.7%). There was an overrepresentation of African American mothers (60%) compared with the county population and a greater prevalence of child neglect (59.0%) compared with national prevalence. Most mothers and children had been exposed to domestic violence (62.6%). Mental health services were seldom utilized, and foster care was the most common placement (36.5%). Also, there was close spacing of the age of the children, with an average of 1.25 years between siblings. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying common descriptive factors of mothers with mental illness can assist in responding to mothers with SMI and their children. There is a need to coordinate services of the Department of Child and Family Service and mental health providers that address parenting and the support of children.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0883-9417",
doi="10.1016/j.apnu.2008.05.011",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2008.05.011"
}