Knowledge of youths' access to mental health services is an underdeveloped, but nationally important, issue that will impact the way youths' services are funded and provided. This research career proposal addresses youths' entry into and pathways through mental health services provided by both specialty and nonspecialty sectors (mental health, public health, child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and drug and alcohol). To date, services research has neglected the role of social workers and nonspecialty mental health professionals in the provision of mental health services. A K02 Award will allow Dr. Stiffman the time to build upon her previous work, adding breadth to its significant contributions in this area. The research will test hypotheses with data from ongoing studies and address knowledge needed to provide better access to mental health services in multiple service sectors. The hypotheses relate to service access; the role of the gateway provider, and Medicaid/managed care: 1. Youths' use of services for their mental heath problems is determined by: their need, their predisposing characteristics, and service enabling characteristics; 2. Youths' access to services for their mental health problems is determined by: their need as perceived by gateway providers; and those gateway providers' resources, service connections, and service knowledge; 3. The use of specialty mental health services is positively associated with the availability and accessibility of Medicaid and managed care reimbursed services. This study will also explore service access questions about which too little is yet known to frame specific hypotheses, but which are important to improving access and delivery of services. During the K02, exploratory analyses will help frame these as hypotheses for new studies: 1.) What are the multisector configurations of services and their complementary or supplementary relationships?; 2.) What is the relationship of problem persistence to service configuration change over time? and; 3.) What is the relationship of barriers (which will change over time) to changes in service configurations?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research (K02)
Project #
5K02MH001797-02
Application #
6391453
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1-SRV-C (01))
Program Officer
Ringeisen, Heather
Project Start
2000-08-04
Project End
2005-07-31
Budget Start
2001-08-01
Budget End
2002-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$117,126
Indirect Cost
Name
Washington University
Department
Type
Schools of Social Work
DUNS #
062761671
City
Saint Louis
State
MO
Country
United States
Zip Code
63130
Bunger, Alicia C; Stiffman, Arlene R; Foster, Kirk A et al. (2010) Child Welfare Workers' Connectivity to Resources and Youth's Receipt of Services. Adv Soc Work 10:19-38
Yu, Mansoo; Stiffman, Arlene R (2010) Positive family relationships and religious affiliation as mediators between negative environment and illicit drug symptoms in American Indian adolescents. Addict Behav 35:694-9
Yu, Mansoo; Stiffman, Arlene Rubin (2007) Culture and environment as predictors of alcohol abuse/dependence symptoms in American Indian youths. Addict Behav 32:2253-9
Stiffman, Arlene Rubin; Alexander-Eitzman, Benjamin; Silmere, Hiie et al. (2007) From early to late adolescence: American Indian youths'behavioral trajectories and their major influences. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 46:849-58
Stiffman, Arlene Rubin; Freedenthal, Stacey; Dore, Peter et al. (2006) The role of providers in mental health services offered to American-Indian youths. Psychiatr Serv 57:1185-91
Silmere, Hiie; Stiffman, Arlene Rubin (2006) Factors associated with successful functioning in American Indian youths. Am Indian Alsk Native Ment Health Res 13:23-47
Stiffman, Arlene Rubin; Freedenthal, Stacey; Brown, Eddie et al. (2005) Field research with underserved minorities: the ideal and the real. J Urban Health 82:iii56-66
Stiffman, Arlene; Brown, Eddie; Striley, Catherine Woodstock et al. (2005) Cultural and ethical issues concerning research on American Indian youth. Ethics Behav 15:1-14
Freedenthal, Stacey; Stiffman, Arlene Rubin (2004) Suicidal behavior in urban American Indian adolescents: a comparison with reservation youth in a southwestern state. Suicide Life Threat Behav 34:160-71