Interagency Collaboration between Child Welfare Agencies, Schools, and Mental Health Providers and Children's Mental Health Service Receipt

Abstract

This article uses data from a national, longitudinal study of families involved with the U.S. child welfare system to examine how collaboration between local child welfare agencies, schools, and community mental health providers influences children's receipt of necessary mental health services. The findings suggest that child welfare agency collaboration with schools has a significant effect on children's use of both school-based and outpatient mental health services. Person-centered practices such as having a care coordinator or cross-training increased children's odds of receiving either school-based mental health services or other outpatient mental health services. In contrast, administrative ties decreased children's odds of receiving such services. Different collaborative mechanisms may be more appropriate for coordinating care between child welfare agencies and mental health providers.

Keywords:

• INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION
• CHILD WELFARE
• SCHOOLS
• MENTAL HEALTH