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The research base regarding the effectiveness of intensive community based services for children with serious emotional and behavioral disturbances is limited. The incremental development of systems of care in Indiana provides an opportunity to compare the outcomes of children served in child and family wraparound teams with the outcomes of a matched sample of children receiving usual public mental health services. Functional assessment data from a state database was examined using logistic regression models. The level of development of local systems of care and wraparound services was used as a fidelity measure. Findings suggest the circumstances in which intensive behavioral health services and supports for youth and families are effective.
About the author
Betty A. Walton, PhD, LCSW, Indiana University, is a consultant for the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction. This study explores who benefits from intensive community based services and related circumstances. Results influenced policy and strategies to improve services for youth with serious emotional and behavioral needs
