Accessing Services for Youth With Emotional Disturbances in and After High School

This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 to examine the rates at which youth with emotional disturbances received services during and up to 8 years after high school. Parents' efforts to obtain services, information sources accessed, problems encountered, and the perceived sufficiency of services to meet youths' needs are described. Findings show a drop in receipt rates for several services in the first 2 years post high school, relative to those received during high school, and a continued decrease thereafter. An increase in the reported effort to obtain services accompanied this decline in receipt rates. Implications for transition planning to build a better bridge from high school to the adult service systems are discussed and aspects of a research agenda are outlined.