Five California counties have joined forces in a project offering 24-hour therapeutic care or therapeutic foster care as an alternative to hospitalization. Evaluations of these demonstration projects are under way. Research assessing the general state of affairs and the extent of problems has also been lacking, says Olson, whose organization is completing a two-phase study with 12 states, assessing their current capabilities to handle child mental health services. The study, Unmet Needs, looks at demographics, the number of kids in states with mental health services, services being offered, and funding issues. Due out this spring, the report finds most of the states have serious gaps in provision of services.
Services are fragmented, and many families are being left out.
Benoit, who also sits on the research council at the National Institute of Mental Health, says the organization will soon release several recommendations on what direction child mental health research should take. The Devereux Foundation has undertaken a study identifying youngsters at high risk of developing mental illnesses. We tend to see kids through juvenile justice, child welfare, or education, but failures that take place in any one of those systems creates problems that are not well understood. Yet, an inkling of doubt remains as to whether the Bush Administration will pick up the torch on child mental health. Burd says Bush's emphasis on education and plans to broaden the Americans with Disabilities Act are promising signs that child mental health will not go ignored.