- System of Care Assessment Study examines whether programs have been implemented according to system of care program theory and documents how systems develop over time to meet the needs of the children and families they serve.
- Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study describes the children enrolled in the funded systems of care in terms of their demographics, functional status, living arrangement, diagnosis, risk factors, and mental health service history.
- Child and Family Outcomes Study examines how the system affects child clinical and functional status and family life. Outcome data are used to assess change over time in symptomatology, diagnosis, social functioning, substance use, school attendance and performance, delinquency, and stability of living arrangements.
- Services and Costs Study describes the types of services used by children and families, their utilization patterns, and associated costs. The study assesses also the extent to which information about various services is captured through local management information systems (MIS).
- Service Experience Study examines data about the characteristics of services received and child and family ratings of service experiences, including the cultural competence of service providers, and satisfaction with services provided.
- Sustainability Study explores the extent to which systems of care are maintained after funding from the CMHS grant program has ended. The study identifies features of systems of care that are more likely to be sustained and factors that contribute to or impede the ability to sustain the systems of care developed with grant support.
In addition to the core study components, as issues emerge and the need to refine strategies becomes apparent, other studies are added to the evaluation.
Current Ongoing Studies Added to the National Evaluation
- Treatment Effectiveness Studies examine the effectiveness of specific evidence-based mental health treatments for children and families provided to selected groups of children with specific diagnoses served within CMHS-funded systems of care.
- Evidence-Based Treatment Surveys assess the mental health clinician’s knowledge, training, and use of evidence-based treatments in their practice.
- Primary Care Provider Study investigates the role of primary health care providers in systems of care and examines the barriers to integration of primary care and mental health services for children and their families.
- Culturally Competent Practices Study assesses system of care service providers’ level of competence across several domains of cultural competence, including the role that organizations and agencies play in hindering or facilitating culturally competent service provision.
- Family Education and Support Study has been proposed to examine the relative impact of community-based treatments focused within system of care sites.
Other studies conducted for the national evaluation have examined managed care, treatment adherence and service experience, the similarities and differences in outcomes for children served in selected systems of care and matched comparison communities, and community satisfaction with the national evaluation. Through the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Reporting initiative, a training workshop and workbook are being developed; grantees will receive training in CQI; and the relationship between CQI, system performance, and child and family outcomes will be studied. The Wraparound Fidelity Study examined the service mechanisms and outcomes associated with the wraparound process. The Family-Driven Study, led and driven by family members, examined how families experience systems of care.
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