@article{5a8ef053518f41e18dd9f8db42b7ac4b,
title = "Evaluation of a University-Community Partnership to Provide Home-Based, Mental Health Services for Children from Families Living in Poverty",
abstract = "A university-community partnership is described that resulted in the development of community-based mental health services for young children from families living in poverty. The purpose of this pilot project was to implement an evidence-based treatment program in the homes of an at-risk population of children with significant emotional and behavior problems that were further complicated by developmental delays. Outcomes for 237 children who participated in the clinic's treatment program over a 2 year period are presented. Comparisons are included between treatment completers and non-completers and the issues of subject attrition, potential subject selection bias, and the generalizability of the results are addressed. The need for more professionals who are trained to address mental health issues in very young children who live in very challenging conditions are discussed.",
keywords = "Mental health treatment outcomes, Poverty, University-community partnership, Young children",
author = "Fox, {Robert A.} and Mattek, {Ryan J.} and Gresl, {Brittany L.}",
note = "Funding Information: The purpose of this study is to describe a pilot, university-community partnership to implement an evidence-based treatment program (Fox and Nicholson 2003) through a community-based agency for young children living in poverty, many of whom also presented with a developmental delay. The university partner was a private university that offered master{\textquoteright}s programs in community counseling with an emphasis on children and adolescents and a doctoral program in counseling psychology. A faculty member from the university served as the founder and director of the Behavior Clinic (as this partnership subsequently became known) and was provided partial release time from teaching to direct the clinic{\textquoteright}s activities. In addition, the university provided a research assistant to develop and implement a data base for the clinic and to assist in training graduate students who served as clinicians along with the community agencies{\textquoteright} licensed professional counselors. Master{\textquoteright}s students from this university as well as other local universities applied for training at the clinic through supervised internships and practica. The community partner was a large Birth-to-Three organization that annually offered a variety of therapy services (e.g., speech, occupational, and physical therapy; special education) to over 1,400 children identified with special needs. This agency was chosen because it had over a 40-year presence in the community and a reputation of providing excellent clinical services to low-income families. This agency provided office space for the Behavior Clinic as well as infrastructure support (utilities, copying/mailing, computer support). For this pilot project, the clinic was funded by grants from several local foundations and a grant from the state. The study also was approved by the university{\textquoteright}s Institutional Review Board (IRB). Families were not charged for any clinical services. This study reports the outcomes of a 2-year effort to provide individual, in-home, parent and child therapy for toddlers and preschoolers from mostly single-parent, low-educated families living in the inner city of a large urban area. As part of this study, we also examined family attrition and followed a small group of children 1 year after completion of the treatment program.",
year = "2013",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1007/s10597-012-9545-7",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "49",
pages = "599--610",
journal = "Community Mental Health Journal",
issn = "0010-3853",
publisher = "Springer Netherlands",
number = "5",
}