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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research

Published in:

01-05-2012 | Original Paper

Are Children Improving? Results from Outcome Measurement in a Large Mental Health System

Authors: Emily V. Trask, Ann F. Garland

Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research | Issue 3/2012

Abstract

Standardized outcome assessment was implemented in a large county mental health system. This study examines changes in children’s emotional and behavioral problems after 6 months of treatment and identifies factors associated with treatment improvement. Results from 3,215 youth indicated that externalizing and internalizing problems significantly decreased from intake to 6 months and that ethnicity, gender, and age were associated with caregiver-reported changes in symptomatology. While there was improvement associated with entry into treatment, the magnitude of symptom reduction was small to medium and not associated with amount of care, providing only limited support for the impact of routine out-patient care.

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Title: Are Children Improving? Results from Outcome Measurement in a Large Mental Health System
Authors: Emily V. Trask
Ann F. Garland
Publication date: 01-05-2012
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research / Issue 3/2012
Print ISSN: 0894-587X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3289
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-011-0353-0

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