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Insurance coverage and mental health services use by adolescents with serious emotional disturbance

Publication ,  Journal Article
Burns, BJ; Costello, EJ; Erkanli, A; Tweed, DL; Farmer, EMZ; Angold, A
Published in: Journal of Child and Family Studies
January 1, 1997

This paper examines the relationships between insurance coverage, need, and mental health services in a community-based sample of 1,015youths who were 9, 11, and 13 years old at the beginning of the study. They were followed over a two-year period. A strong measure of need based on a standardized diagnostic interview was available and repeated over three annual waves. Data on service use was collected quarterly across two years. Major findings included: (a) high need (serious emotional disturbance [SED]) was strongly related to use of any mental health services; (b) services use was much more likely to occur with public (Medicaid) insurance coverage than either private or no insurance; (c) considerable unmet need was observed even for youths with SED; (d) school-based mental health services potentially substituted for professional mental health services; and (e) there was little unnecessary use of mental health services in the low need group. The major policy implication of these findings is that the regulation of insurance benefits should be based on level of need, rather than on arbitrary limits which are likely to either reduce the probability of or appropriate amount of care for youths who most need mental health services. © 1997 Human Sciences Press, Inc.

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Published In

Journal of Child and Family Studies

DOI

ISSN

1062-1024

Publication Date

January 1, 1997

Volume

6

Issue

1

Start / End Page

89 / 111

Related Subject Headings

  • Family Studies
  • 52 Psychology
  • 2004 Linguistics
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services
 

Citation

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Burns, B. J., Costello, E. J., Erkanli, A., Tweed, D. L., Farmer, E. M. Z., & Angold, A. (1997). Insurance coverage and mental health services use by adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 6(1), 89–111. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025024808146
Burns, B. J., E. J. Costello, A. Erkanli, D. L. Tweed, E. M. Z. Farmer, and A. Angold. “Insurance coverage and mental health services use by adolescents with serious emotional disturbance.” Journal of Child and Family Studies 6, no. 1 (January 1, 1997): 89–111. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025024808146.
Burns BJ, Costello EJ, Erkanli A, Tweed DL, Farmer EMZ, Angold A. Insurance coverage and mental health services use by adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 1997 Jan 1;6(1):89–111.
Burns, B. J., et al. “Insurance coverage and mental health services use by adolescents with serious emotional disturbance.” Journal of Child and Family Studies, vol. 6, no. 1, Jan. 1997, pp. 89–111. Scopus, doi:10.1023/A:1025024808146.
Burns BJ, Costello EJ, Erkanli A, Tweed DL, Farmer EMZ, Angold A. Insurance coverage and mental health services use by adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 1997 Jan 1;6(1):89–111.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Child and Family Studies

DOI

ISSN

1062-1024

Publication Date

January 1, 1997

Volume

6

Issue

1

Start / End Page

89 / 111

Related Subject Headings

  • Family Studies
  • 52 Psychology
  • 2004 Linguistics
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services