When do You Refer for Mental Health Treatment and Evaluation? (From Child Abuse and Neglect: Guidelines for Identification, Assessment, and Case Management, P 187-190, 2003, Marilyn Strachan Peterson and Michael Durfee, eds. -- See NCJ-200932)

• NCJ Number: 200964
• Author(s): Anthony J. Urquiza Ph.D.; Jean McGrath Ph.D.; Sherri Y. Terao; Jayanthi M. Kasiraj Ph.D.; Celeste Wiser M.D.
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: Volcano Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview; Instructional Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter identifies the indicators for mental health treatment for children, including indicators for a psychological evaluation and a psychiatric evaluation, lists the primary objectives of a clinical or psychosocial assessment and development of treatment plans, and briefly reviews the primary treatment modalities.

Abstract

Indicators of mental health treatment for children include a history of neglect and physical and/or sexual abuse; the death of a sibling or parent; a history of torture; a child or parent history of alcohol and/or drug abuse; depression, sadness, withdrawal and avoidance of others; acting-out behavior; mistreatment of animals; and firesetting. Studies across several States have found that between one-half to two-thirds of the children who enter foster care exhibit behavior or social incompetency that warrants mental health services. Some experts have called for the universal mental health screening of children who enter foster care. The first phase of mental health treatment is the clinical or psychosocial assessment. The primary objectives of this assessment are listed. Sometimes the clinical or psychosocial assessment indicates a need for a psychological evaluation to obtain more detailed information on the child's psychological functioning or when a diagnosis is unclear. Psychiatric evaluations are sometimes required to evaluate complex issues that may need to be addressed with hospitalization or medication for the relief of symptoms. Forensic evaluations may be needed to determine whether there is sufficient information to file charges related to child maltreatment and whether the child is sufficiently capable of providing valid and reliable information. The purpose of mental health treatment is to alleviate psychological and behavioral symptoms and to facilitate the development and maintenance of healthy functioning. Primary treatment modalities are individual therapy, dyadic therapy (parent-child interaction therapy), group therapy, and family therapy. Home-based and family-centered service approaches may also be useful in supporting children and families. A relevant case vignette with follow-up questions is provided. 2 resources