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Facilitating mental health service use for caregivers: Referral strategies among child welfare caseworkers

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  • Bunger, Alicia C.
  • Chuang, Emmeline
  • McBeath, Bowen

Abstract

Unmet needs for mental health care are common among caregivers involved in the child welfare system. Although child welfare caseworkers are well positioned to identify service needs and refer caregivers to treatment, little is known about the types of referral strategies used in practice, or their effectiveness for promoting mental health service use. The current study examined child welfare caseworkers' use of different referral strategies and the extent to which these strategies are associated with caregivers' receipt of mental health services within a national sample of child welfare cases. Analyses of the second cohort of families from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being suggest that child welfare workers more often use informational strategies for referring caregivers, including suggesting treatment or providing information about treatment options. However, social referral strategies such as providing caregivers with direct assistance in completing applications and making and attending appointments were associated with a greater likelihood of caregivers receiving mental health services. Findings support evidence from other service contexts that service use is facilitated by caseworkers' direct support for arranging services. Implications for research and for child welfare managers and administrators are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Bunger, Alicia C. & Chuang, Emmeline & McBeath, Bowen, 2012. "Facilitating mental health service use for caregivers: Referral strategies among child welfare caseworkers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 696-703.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:34:y:2012:i:4:p:696-703
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.12.014
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cheng, Tyrone C. & Lo, Celia C., 2020. "Mental health services receipt among caregivers in the child welfare system: A longitudinal analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    2. Pullmann, Michael D. & Jacobson, Jedediah & Parker, Elizabeth & Cevasco, Molly & Uomoto, Jacqueline A. & Putnam, Barbara J. & Benshoof, Trishia & Kerns, Suzanne E.U., 2018. "Tracing the pathway from mental health screening to services for children and youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 340-354.
    3. Cheng, Tyrone C. & Lo, Celia C., 2021. "With their children placed in kinship care, did parents get the services they needed?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    4. McBeath, Bowen & Collins-Camargo, Crystal & Chuang, Emmeline & Wells, Rebecca & Bunger, Alicia C. & Jolles, Mónica Pérez, 2014. "New directions for research on the organizational and institutional context of child welfare agencies: Introduction to the symposium on “The Organizational and Managerial Context of Private Child Welf," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 83-92.
    5. Espeleta, Hannah C. & Bakula, Dana M. & Cherry, Amanda S. & Lees, Julie & Shropshire, Deborah & Domm, Kathleen & Ruggiero, Kenneth J. & Mullins, Larry L. & Gillaspy, Stephen R., 2023. "Caregiver perceptions of the pediatric medical home model to address the health services needs of youth in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).

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