Need for and actual use of mental health service by adolescents in the child welfare system

Although foster youth are at increased risk of mental illness, little is known about need for and actual use of mental health services by adolescents in the child welfare system. Analyzing a random sample of 113 foster youth in a large Midwest state, the author found that foster youth experienced severe mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and loss of behavioral/emotional control. In this study, need for services, as measured by the presence of a mental health problem, was only partially related to mental health services received. Logistic regression analyses indicated that four factors including anxiety, child abuse history, poor psychological well-being, and time in care were significantly related to mental health service use.