DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTENSIVE IN-HOME CRISIS SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

This article describes a 3-year research demonstration project origina lly funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and now funded i n part by the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and M ental Health Services Administration. This project, which was conducte d in the Bronx, New York, examined the efficacy of 3 models of intensi ve in-home services as alternatives to hospitalization for children ex periencing serious psychiatric crises. All programs were 4- to 6-week interventions. The first, Home-Based Crisis Intervention (HBCI), was m odeled on the Homebuilders model of family preservation; the second, E nhanced HBCI (HBCI+), added respite care, flexible service money, pare nt advocate and support services, and additional staff training in cul tural competence and violence management. Crisis Case Management, the third model,used case managers to assess child and family needs and li nk them to services, as well as respite care and flexible money. The s pecific features of the 3 program models, the research design, and dat a collection measures are described. The intake data on the children a nd families are presented, and implications for providing services and for future research are discussed.