Abstract
It has been estimated that approximately 20% of children experience some form of mental health problem, with 14% in the clinical range. Residential mental health treatment is often reserved for those with the most severe presentation of disorder, and intensive home-based alternatives have been developed to cope with increasing demand. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term developmental trajectories, personal functioning, and life circumstances of the children and youth who accessed residential mental health treatment or the home-based alternative along a number of domains (e.g., clinical outcomes, school personal well-being), and determine if differences between the groups exist.
This study was funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada. We gratefully acknowledge the participation of the youth, families, and guardians in this project and sincerely appreciate the involvement of the staff at the five participating mental health centers.