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Associations of Mental Health Service Utilization and Mental Health Diagnosis with Placement Instability Among Foster Children in a Southeastern State.

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Title: Associations of Mental Health Service Utilization and Mental Health Diagnosis with Placement Instability Among Foster Children in a Southeastern State.
Authors: Soto-Ramírez, Nelís1 sotorami@mailbox.sc.edu, Xu, Yanfeng2, Martin, Taylor1, Babalola, Oluranti2, Weist, Mark3, Flynn, Cynthia1
Source: Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal. Jun2025, Vol. 42 Issue 3, p311-323. 13p.
Subject Terms: *Mental health services, *Foster home care, *Retrospective studies, *Longitudinal method, *Children, Psychiatric diagnosis, Sex crimes, Research funding, Kruskal-Wallis Test, Multivariate analysis, Descriptive statistics, Sociodemographic factors, Confidence intervals, Data analysis software, Psychology of foster children, Regression analysis
Geographic Terms: Southern States
Abstract: Placement instability for children in foster care is high, with children experiencing nearly 4.5 placement moves per 1,000 days in care on average. While prior research has demonstrated a predictive relationship between mental health problems and placement instability, few studies have examined the associations of specific mental health diagnoses or utilization of mental health (MH) services. To this end, this study seeks to investigate associations between MH service utilization, mental health diagnosis, and placement instability (rate of placement moves) for foster children. We analyzed statewide integrated administrative data to examine MH service utilization and mental health diagnosis on placement instability among foster children. We used SAS 9.4 to conduct descriptive, bivariate, and multiple linear regression models to address the objectives of the study. The retrospective cohort was composed of 1,002 children in foster care. The multivariable linear regression reveals that receiving in-patient services, receiving out-patient services, being diagnosed with conduct disorder, being Black children, older children, and female children, being placed in intensive case management, being sexually abused, having a single household family structure at time of removal, and having a high number of intakes significantly increased the rate of placement moves. The findings of this study have significant implications for the provision of mental health services to foster children and the promotion of placement stability, highlighting the role of child welfare professionals in fostering protective factors and mitigating risk factors to promote placement stability. Implications for practice and policy improvement are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Associations of Mental Health Service Utilization and Mental Health Diagnosis with Placement Instability Among Foster Children in a Southeastern State.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Soto-Ramírez%2C+Nelís%22">Soto-Ramírez, Nelís</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> sotorami@mailbox.sc.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xu%2C+Yanfeng%22">Xu, Yanfeng</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martin%2C+Taylor%22">Martin, Taylor</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Babalola%2C+Oluranti%22">Babalola, Oluranti</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Weist%2C+Mark%22">Weist, Mark</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Flynn%2C+Cynthia%22">Flynn, Cynthia</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Child+%26+Adolescent+Social+Work+Journal%22">Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal</searchLink>. Jun2025, Vol. 42 Issue 3, p311-323. 13p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Southern+States%22">Southern States</searchLink>
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  Data: Placement instability for children in foster care is high, with children experiencing nearly 4.5 placement moves per 1,000 days in care on average. While prior research has demonstrated a predictive relationship between mental health problems and placement instability, few studies have examined the associations of specific mental health diagnoses or utilization of mental health (MH) services. To this end, this study seeks to investigate associations between MH service utilization, mental health diagnosis, and placement instability (rate of placement moves) for foster children. We analyzed statewide integrated administrative data to examine MH service utilization and mental health diagnosis on placement instability among foster children. We used SAS 9.4 to conduct descriptive, bivariate, and multiple linear regression models to address the objectives of the study. The retrospective cohort was composed of 1,002 children in foster care. The multivariable linear regression reveals that receiving in-patient services, receiving out-patient services, being diagnosed with conduct disorder, being Black children, older children, and female children, being placed in intensive case management, being sexually abused, having a single household family structure at time of removal, and having a high number of intakes significantly increased the rate of placement moves. The findings of this study have significant implications for the provision of mental health services to foster children and the promotion of placement stability, highlighting the role of child welfare professionals in fostering protective factors and mitigating risk factors to promote placement stability. Implications for practice and policy improvement are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10560-024-00962-3
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 311
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mental health services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foster home care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Retrospective studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Longitudinal method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychiatric diagnosis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sex crimes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
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      – SubjectFull: Kruskal-Wallis Test
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      – SubjectFull: Multivariate analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
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      – SubjectFull: Sociodemographic factors
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      – SubjectFull: Confidence intervals
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – SubjectFull: Psychology of foster children
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      – SubjectFull: Regression analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Southern States
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Associations of Mental Health Service Utilization and Mental Health Diagnosis with Placement Instability Among Foster Children in a Southeastern State.
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              Text: Jun2025
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              Y: 2025
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