Examining the association between suicidal behaviors and referral for mental health services among children involved in the child welfare system in Ontario,Canada |
| |
| Institution: | 1. School of Social Work, King''s University College at Western University Canada, 266 Epworth Ave., London, Ontario N6A 2M3, Canada;2. Kempe Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13123 East 16th Avenue, B390 Aurora, CO 80045, USA;3. Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1V4, Canada;4. School of Social Work, King''s University College at Western University, 266 Epworth Ave., London, Ontario N6A 2M3, Canada |
| |
| Abstract: | Although various studies have investigated factors associated with mental health service utilization, few studies have examined factors associated with referral for mental health services among maltreated children. The objective of this study was to examine the association between suicidal thoughts and self-harming behavior and referral for mental health services among children involved in the Child Welfare System in Ontario, Canada. Data for this study were obtained from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2013. An estimate 57,798 child maltreatment investigations was analyzed using binary logistic regression with referral for mental health service as the outcome variable. Of the 57,798 cases, 4709 (8.1%), were referred for mental health services. More than seven out of ten maltreated children who engaged in self-harming behavior and two out of three maltreated children who expressed suicidal thoughts were not referred for mental health services. In the multivariate logistic regression model, children who expressed suicidal thoughts had 2.39 times higher odds of being referred for mental health services compared to children with no suicidal thoughts (AOR = 2.39, 99% C.I. 2.05–2.77) and children who engaged in self-harming behavior had 1.44 times higher odds of being referred for mental health services compared to children who did not engage in self-harming behavior (AOR = 1.44, 99% C.I. 1.24–1.67), both after controlling for child demographic characteristics, maltreatment characteristics, and child functioning concerns. Given that referral is the initial step towards mental health service utilization, it is important that child welfare workers receive the necessary training so as to carefully assess and refer children in care who expressed suicidal thoughts or engaged in self-harming behavior for appropriate mental health services. The paper discusses the results and their implications for child welfare policy and practice. |
| |
| Keywords: | Referral for mental health service Suicidal thoughts Self-harming behavior Child maltreatment Child welfare |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
