Mental health services for youths in foster care and disabled youths

Objectives. This study assessed whether mental health services for youths d iffer with respect to medical assistance aid category. Methods. Computerized claims for 15 507 youths with Medicaid insurance in a populous county of a mid-Atlantic state were used to establish population- based prevalence estimates of mental disorders and psychotherapeutic treatm ents during 1996. Results. An analysis of service claims revealed that the prevalence of ment al disorders among youths enrolled in foster care (57%) was twice that of y ouths receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI; 26%) and nearly 15 times that of other youths receiving other types of aid (4%). Rates of mental he alth service use were pronounced among foster care youths aged 6 to 14 year s. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and developmental disorders were the most prevalent disorders. Stimulants, antidepressants, a nd anticonvulsants were the most prevalent medications. Conclusions. Youths enrolled in fos, ter care and youths receiving SSI use far more mental health services than do youths in other aid categories. Add itional research should evaluate the complexity and outcomes of mental heal th services for youths in foster care.