Service Utilization by Young Children in Out-of-Home Placement

This study compared mental health and developmental service use by 89 young children under the age of six in either foster or kinship care (care by family members other than the biological parents). The study specifically compared usage of: (1) services in the specialty mental health sector; (2) services in the specialty developmental sector; and (3) mental health and developmental services in the medical sector. A new instrument, The Young Kids Early Services Assessment, was used. Results indicated that young children in foster care were more likely than young children in kinship care to have received specialty mental health services, but that placement status was substantially but not significantly related to the use of specialty developmental services and use of mental health and developmental services in the medical sector. (Contains 18 references.) (DB)