Needs assessment of adolescent outpatient mental health services: Factors related to treatment engagement and retention

This study analyzes the results of a needs assessment of adolescent outpatient mental health services in Brooklyn, New York. The original assessment was conducted by a task force of the Brooklyn Children's Committee, an advocacy group of the New York City Mental Health Council charged with addressing the needs of children and adolescents in the borough of Brooklyn. The goal of the current study was to gain a clearer understanding of the service needs of New York City adolescents and to develop recommendations on how to gear New York City outpatient mental health services to better serve this population. According to the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2006), it has been estimated that nearly 21 percent of U.S. children between the ages of 9 and 17 have a diagnosable mental or addictive disorder that is associated with impairment in their lives. Approximately 79 percent of children with mental disorders aged 7 to 17 do not receive needed mental health care (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2006). It is estimated that only about one in five of such children receive treatment from a professional specifically trained to work with children or teens (Burns et al., 1995). This study analyzed the survey and focus group responses of outpatient mental health providers, providers of support and recreational services, and adolescents with and without histories of outpatient mental health treatment. Within the limited scope of the study, the four major areas that were identified as needing expansion or enhancement were services (i.e., extending program hours, offering non-clinical activities, employing youth advocates, partnering with recreational programs), environment (e.g., youth-friendly program space), therapeutic relationship and treatment process (e.g., staff trained to work with adolescents, use of stigma-free language), and stigma (e.g., peer-delivered psychoeducation on mental health, advertising mental health services in schools, over the radio, or online). The implications of these recommendations were then considered for future research, service delivery, professional training, and legislative and regulatory agencies.