SERVICE COORDINATION IN CHILDRENS MENTAL-HEALTH - AN EMPIRICAL-STUDY FROM THE CAREGIVERS PERSPECTIVE

Service coordination from the perspective of parents and other caregiv ers whose children have serious emotional disabilities was examined in this study. Service coordination was assessed with a self-report inst rument administered to 266 caregivers. Analyses focused on the relatio nship of service coordination to child and family characteristics, ser vice system complexity, family participation, overall satisfaction wit h services, and comprehensiveness of needs met. Although complexity of services was not related to service coordination, the severity of chi ldren's problems was inversely related and family participation was po sitively related to service coordination. In addition, service coordin ation significantly predicted satisfaction with services and comprehen siveness. The findings illustrate the utility of including the family perspective in the assessment of systems of care.