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Studies in the News for

California Department of Mental Health

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Studies in the News is a service provided to the Legislature and Governor's Office by the State Library's Research Bureau. Weekly lists of current articles related to legislative issues will be supplemented by monthly lists focusing on a specific area of public policy. Prior lists can be viewed from the California State Library's Web site at www.library.ca.gov/CRB/SITN/.

This service works as before:

• In addition to our regular Studies in the News, you may request any of our five monthly "Supplements" in the following areas by sending a reply to this e-mail (Please mark your choices).

• _____ Education Policy

• _____ Health Care Policy

• _____ Children and Family Policy

• _____ Environment, Growth Management and Transportation Policy

• _____ Employment, Training, Vocational Education, and Welfare to Work

• You may get copies of these studies by e-mailing a request to <chenningfeld@library.ca.gov> (Christie Henningfeld oversees the State Library's Capitol office), by calling 319-2691, or by stopping by room 5210 in the Capitol.

• If you would like us to try to get other studies, please e-mail information about each study you want to <chenningfeld@library.ca.gov>.

• Please use the same avenues if you want to be off the distribution lists.

• The list which follows shows only current additions to the collection. If you would like a cumulative list, or a cumulative list for only selected topics, please e-mail <chenningfeld@library.ca.gov>.

HEALTH

MENTAL HEALTH

A Difficult Passage: Helping Youth with Mental Health Needs Transition into Adulthood. By Michelle Herman. Prepared by the National Collaborative On Workforce and Disability for Youth for the National Conference of State Legislatures. (The Conference, Washington, DC) September 2006. 6 p.

Full Text at: http://www.ncsl.org/print/health/forum/youthmentalneeds.pdf

[“For most teenagers, turning 18 or 21 years old is a milestone of accomplishment and hope, ushering in the start of an advanced education or a career. But for young adults with mental health conditions (such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, major depressive of anxiety disorders, or conduct disorder) the transition from adolescence to adulthood can be much more difficult. The dangers of ending up jobless, homeless or even in jail loom large.

This report states that more than 3 million young adults aged 18 to 21 have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition. Almost 70 percent of high school students with identified mental health needs have vocational or employment goals but more than half of these end up dropping out of high school, and only 5 percent to 20 percent enter postsecondary education.”]

[Request #S20756]

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Quality Care for Special Kids: Profiles of Children with Chronic Conditions and Disabilities. By Stephanie Peterson, Shanna Shulman, and Henry Ireys. Prepared for Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, New Jersey) January 2007. 2 p.

Full Text at: http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/qualitycareupdate4.pdf

[“Many health plans coordinate care for their members with chronic conditions and disabilities to help them use covered services efficiently. Although most models of care coordination have been developed for adults, children who have chronic physical and mental health conditions also benefit from coordinated care. Many public health departments have developed care coordination programs for children with special health care needs, but few such programs have been adopted by commercial health plans despite evidence showing that many parents of these children want more help coordinating care.

Effective care coordination can lead to better health outcomes, lower plan expenditures, reduced parent absenteeism from work, and improved parent satisfaction with plan benefits. Plans may therefore wish to identify opportunities for coordinating care for children with special health care needs without raising administrative costs.”]

[Request #S20758]

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"Cultural Competence in Mental Health Care: A Review of Model Evaluations." By Kamaldeep Bhui and others. IN: BMC Health Services Research, vol. 7, no. 15. (2007)pp.1-10.

Full Text at: www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6963-7-15.pdf

["This research is a systematic review that included evaluated models of professional education or service delivery. Of 109 potential papers, only 9 included an evaluation of the model to improve the cultural competency practice and service delivery. All 9 studies were located in North America. Cultural competency included modification of clinical practice and organizational performance. Few studies published their teaching and learning methods. Only three studies used quantitative outcomes. One of these showed a change in attitudes and skills of staff following training. The cultural consultation model showed evidence of significant satisfaction by clinicians using the service. No studies investigated service user experiences and outcomes. The authors conclude that there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of cultural competency training and service delivery. Further work is required to evaluate improvement in service users’ experiences and outcomes."]

[Request #S20760]

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“Foster Youth Emancipating from Care: Caseworkers’ Reports on Needs and Services.” By Sonya J. Leathers, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Mark F. Testa. IN: Child Welfare, vol. 85, no. 3 (May/June2006) pp. 463-498.

Full Text at: Academic Search Premier

[“This article presents findings from a survey mailed caseworkers, who answered questions about special needs, independent living skills, educational attainment, services for 416 randomly selected foster youth in Illinois. A third of the adolescents had a mental health disorder, developmental disability, or other special need that the caseworkers believed would interfere with their ability to live independently. Additionally, urban youth were underserved relative to other youth. Youth with more behavior problems and educational and job skill deficits were less likely than other youth to continue to receive child welfare services past age 18, suggesting that services must be provided throughout adolescence to meet the needs of the most vulnerable clients. Readiness for independent living is affected by both the adolescent’s tangible life skills, such as how to obtain and keep a job, and intangible life skills, such a problem-solving, self-esteem, and anger and grief management. Additionally, these skills cannot be assessed independently from characteristics of the adolescent that might impede attaining or using them. Many foster care youth have significant educational, behavioral, and mental health needs that may cause difficulties with successfully attaining independence.”]

[Request #S20761]

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“Young, Black, and Male in Foster Care: Relationship of Negative Social Contextual Experiences to Factors Relevant to Mental Health Service Delivery.” By Lionel D. Scott, Jr. and Larry E. Davis. IN: Journal of Adolescence, vol. 29, no. 5 (October 2006) pp. 721-736.

Full Text at: [“Among a small, cross-sectional sample of young Black males transitioning from foster care (n = 74), this study explored the relationship of their negative social contextual experiences to two factors relevant to the delivery of mental health services to

[“Among a small, cross-sectional sample of young Black males transitioning from foster care (n = 74), this study explored the relationship of their negative social contextual experiences to two factors relevant to the delivery of mental health services to them: cultural mistrust of mental health professionals and attitudes toward seeking professional help. Three domains of young Black male’s negative social contextual experiences were measured: proximal negative experiences, distal negative experiences, and negative imagery experiences. Results of multivariate an analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) controlling for custody status, counseling status and history, and psychiatric history showed that young Black males reporting a high frequency of negative social contextual experiences reported significantly greater cultural mistrust of mental health professionals and significantly less positive attitudes toward seeking professional help for mental health problems than young Black males reporting a low frequency of negative social contextual experiences. Implications and future research directions are discussed.”]

[Request #S20762]

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“Addressing the Developmental and Mental Health Needs of Young Children in Foster Care.” By Laurel K. Leslie and others. IN: Journal of Behavioral Pediatrics, vol. 26, no. 2 (July 2006) pp. 140-151.

Full Text at: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1519416

[“Research over the past two decades has consistently documented the high rates of young children entering the child protective services/child welfare system with developmental and mental health problems. There is an emerging evidence base for the role of early intervention services in improving outcomes for children with developmental and mental health problems in the general population that heavily relies on accurate and appropriate screening and assessment practices. The Child Welfare League of America, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have all published guidelines concerning the importance of comprehensive assessments and appropriate referral to early intervention services for children entering out-of-home care. Recent federal legislation (P.L. 108–36) calls for increased collaboration between child welfare and public agencies to address the developmental and mental health needs of young children in foster care. This paper provides a framework for health, developmental and mental health professionals seeking to partner with child welfare to develop and implement programs addressing these critical issues.”]

[Request #S20763]

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Transforming Housing for People with Psychiatric Disabilities Report. By Michael Allen. Prepared for the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (The Center, Rockville, Maryland) 2006. 60 p.

Full Text at: http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/ken/pdf/SMA06-4173/Housing_booklet.pdf

[“Board and care homes, which are also known as adult homes, emerged as a tentative solution to the problem of housing low-income people with psychiatric disabilities in an environment that offered few alternatives. The lack of stable housing can have a devastating impact on poor people with psychiatric disabilities so this intermediate approach to housing-intermediate between full institutionalization and integrated community living - was certainly better than the dire alternative of homelessness. Faced with the choice of re - institutionalization, many State and local mental health authorities either became housing providers or relied on the private board and care industry to house people who no longer needed institutional care, but who did not have sufficient income to sustain housing.

This report summarizes the problems of board and care homes for people with psychiatric disabilities and lists ten recommendations identified to improve the quality of life of board and care residents. There is also an in-depth discussion of the history and demographics and common concerns of Board and care homes for residents with psychiatric disabilities. There is also a discussion of measures that have been taken to promote integration and good living conditions of persons with psychiatric disabilities in communities and delineates recommendations for improving the quality of life for board and care residents.”]

[Request #S20764]

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Juvenile Diversion: Programs for Justice-Involved Youth with Mental Health Disorders. By Kathleen Skowyra and Susan Davidson Powell, National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. (The Center, Delmar, New York) June 2006. 6 p.

Full Text at: http://www.ncmhjj.com/pdfs/publications/DiversionRPB.pdf

[This report addresses the “over 2.3 million youth are arrested each year. Approximately 600,000 of these youth are processed through juvenile detention centers and more than 100,000 are placed in secure juvenile correctional facilities. Existing data suggest that 70 percent of these youth suffer from mental health disorders, with 25 percent experiencing disorders so severe that their ability to function is significantly impaired….

“While it is recognized that some youth in the juvenile justice system have committed serious crimes and may not be appropriate for diversion to the community, many youth are in the system for relatively minor offenses.... Given the needs of these youth and the documented inadequacies of their care while in the system, there is a growing sentiment that whenever possible and matters of public safety allow, youth with serious mental health disorders should be diverted into effective community-based treatment.”]

[Request #S20765]

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Juvenile Mental Health Courts: An Emerging Strategy. By Joseph J. Cocozza and Jennie L. Shufelt, National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. (The Center, Delmar, New York) June 2006. 6 p.

Full Text at: http://www.ncmhjj.com/pdfs/publications/JuvenileMentalHealthCourts.pdf

[“Investigations by the U. S. Department of Justice have called into question the ability of many juvenile justice facilities to adequately respond to the mental health needs of youth in their care. These and other reports have documented the mental health crisis that now exists within the nation’s juvenile justice system, and have shed light on an issue that went virtually unnoticed for decades. This exposure has put new public pressure on elected officials, policy makers and practitioners to develop more effective responses for these youth.

One strategy receiving attention is the use of mental health courts. Mental health courts are specialized courts that utilize a separate docket, coupled with a team approach and regular judicial supervision to respond to individuals with mental illnesses who come in contact with the justice system….While there has been no large-scale examination of how these courts are developing, the kinds of services that are offered, and how successful they are in reducing recidivism, there is significant interest in these courts as a way to provide effective mental health services to youth.”]

[Request #S20766]

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Profiles of Medicaid’s High Cost Populations. By Jeffrey S. Crowley and Molly O’Malley, The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. (The Commission, Menlo Park, California) December 2006. 57 p.

Full Text at: http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/7565.pdf

[“This paper examines the role that Medicaid plays in addressing six populations with serious health needs resulting in high costs. These high cost populations profiled are: 1) preterm births that occur with increasing frequency and people who are born prematurely often have lifelong acute care and long-term services needs; 2) children receiving foster care who often have extensive needs and the state has taken responsibility for protecting their welfare; 3) people with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries; 4) people with mental illness who expose the potential for increased public costs when individuals cannot access the services they need; 5) people with intellectual disabilities; and, 6) people with Alzheimer’s disease.

For each population profiled, the condition and need for services and support is described, as well as the role of Medicaid in meeting those needs. The profiles of real people are included with these conditions and descriptions of model programs or cutting edge practices designed to meet the needs of these high cost populations with exceptional needs. As these populations will show and as policy makers think about the type of health care system our nation needs, it is important to consider Medicaid’s role in anchoring the broader health system.”]

[Request #S20767]

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State Regulation of Residential Facilities for Adults with Mental Illness. By Henry Ireys and others, Mathematica Policy Research. DHHS Pub. No. (SMA) 06-4166. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, Maryland) 2006. 68 p.

Full Text at: www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/residfaciladults.pdf

["The specific purpose of this study was to conduct a national survey of State officials to identify methods that States use to monitor residential facilities for adults with mental illness. Officials in departments of mental health, social services, and health and human services responded to structured questions on facility characteristics and programs, licensing and oversight procedures, and sources of financing. The survey was fielded between November 2003 and March 2004. This report presents the results of the survey."]

[Request #S20768]

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[The following studies, reports, and documents have been ordered or requested, but have not yet arrived. Requests may be placed, and copies will be provided when the material arrives..]

“The President’s New Freedom Commission: Capitalizing on Opportunities to Advance School-Based Mental Health Services.” By Carrie Mills and others. IN: Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, vol. 9, nos. 3-4 (November 2006) pp. 149-161.

["The report from President George W. Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFC), Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America (2003), proposes goals and recommendations for improving mental health services. This report has significant implications for the delivery of mental health services through the schools. A focused discussion of the potential opportunities and challenges of implementing NFC recommendations related to school-based mental health is presented. Strategies for addressing five key areas at the intersection of school mental health and the Commission’s recommendations include: stigma reduction, suicide prevention, expansion and improvement of school mental health, and screening and treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders."]

[Request #S20771]

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