Outcomes for youth residential treatment programs using administrative data from the child welfare system: a risk-adjustment application

Adm Policy Ment Health. 2008 May;35(3):189-97. doi: 10.1007/s10488-007-0155-6. Epub 2008 Jan 5.

Abstract

This study assessed whether administrative data from the public child welfare system could be used to develop risk-adjusted performance reports for residential mental health programs for adolescents. Regression methods were used with 3,759 residential treatment spells for 2,784 children and youth to determine which outcomes could be adequately risk adjusted for case mix. Expected outcomes were created for each residential program given its case mix; then, expected and achieved outcomes were compared. For most programs, achieved results did not differ significantly from expected results for individual outcomes. Overall, outcomes achieved were not impressive. Only one quarter of spells resulted in a youth being maintained in a single less restrictive setting in the year following discharge. Methodological implications of this study suggest further refinements are needed for child welfare administrative data in order to develop risk-adjusted report cards of program performance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child Welfare* / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health Services* / statistics & numerical data
  • Missouri
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care*
  • Risk Adjustment / methods*
  • Risk Adjustment / statistics & numerical data