Responses of children with different intake profiles to mental health treatment

Objective: The study examined the relative change in functioning of childre n with serious emotional disturbances served in a system of care who were r eferred from a variety of sources and who had different intake profiles, in cluding diagnoses, demographic characteristics, and levels of risk. Methods : A total of 203 children who had received services for at least six months from the East Baltimore mental health partnership were included in the stu dy, The children's functioning was assessed using the Child and Adolescent Functioning Assessment Scale (CAFAS) at both baseline and six months. Univa riate analyses were used to compare demographic and functioning characteris tics at baseline of children referred from different sources. Repeated-meas ures general linear analysis was conducted to determine differences in chan ges in functioning by demographic and clinical characteristics as well as r eferral source. Results: On average, children demonstrated significant func tional improvement from baseline to six months, regardless of referral sour ce, presenting problem, risk factors, age, or gender. The amount or proport ion of change did not differ significantly as a function of these factors. Conclusions: The results indicate that children in this system of care refe rred from different sources with different diagnoses, demographic profiles, and levels of risk had similar rates of improvement during the first six m onths of services.