The research behind this article examined if youth with mental disorders are receiving the services they need once they have left detention and over time, as they age; it also examines inequities in service use, focusing on demographics and types of disorders; the paper describes the research methodology, sampling and procedures, analysis, and results.
This article reports on a study to examine: (1) if youth who have mental health disorders receive needed services after they leave detention—and as they age; and (2) inequities in service use, focusing on demographic characteristics and type of disorder. The authors used data from the Northwestern Juvenile Project, a longitudinal study of 1,829 youth randomly sampled from detention in Chicago, Illinois in 1995. Participants were re-interviewed up to 13 times through 2015. Interviewers assessed disorders using structured diagnostic interviews and assessed service use using the Child and Adolescent Service Assessment and the Services Assessment for Children and Adolescents. Less than 20 percent of youth who needed services received them, up to median age 32 years. Female participants with any disorder had nearly twice the odds of receiving services compared with male participants. Compared with Black participants with any disorder, non-Hispanic White and Hispanic participants had 2.14 and 1.50 times the odds of receiving services. People with a disorder were more likely to receive services during childhood (< age 18) than during adulthood. Disorder mattered: participants with an internalizing disorder had 2.26 times and 2.43 times the odds of receiving services compared with those with a substance use disorder. Few youth who need services receive them as they age; inequities persist over time. The authors conclude that we must implement evidence-based strategies to reduce barriers to services. (Published Abstract Provided)