System of Care Approaches in Residential Treatment Facilities Serving Children with Serious Behavioral Health Needs

March 29, 2010 Written by Kamala D. Allen, Center for Health Care Strategies, Sheila A. Pires, Human Service Collaborative, and Jonathan Brown, PhD, Mathematica Policy Research, this article writes, providing an appropriate continuum of mental health services for the estimated one in five children and adolescents in the U.S. who have a mental health disorder is imperative. While it is well established that such services should emphasize community-based care, children and youth with challenging behavioral health problems are often placed instead in residential treatment facilities (RTFs). A system of care is a strengths-based approach that recognizes the . . .