Christine M. Walrath

Gender, occupational, and socioeconomic correlates of alcohol and drug abuse among U.S. rural, metropolitan, and urban residents

Objective. To estimate the prevalence and correlates of alcohol and drug abuse and dependence among rural, urban, and metropolitan U.S. residents. Methods. The National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) (1990–1992) yielded lifetime risks of psychiatric disorders in a probability sample of 8098 respondents in the 48 contiguous states using DSM‐III‐R for diagnosis. Logistic regressions of alcohol and drug disorders were performed to compare their correlates in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas after stratifying by demographic and socioeconomic variables. Results. Household income was protective only in rural areas. High occupation strata were positively associated with alcohol disorders. Urban and metropolitan women were less likely to report drug disorders. There was no gender difference in rural drug abuse and dependence. Also, high occupation strata were positively associated with drug disorders. Conclusion. Lack of gender differences in rural drug disorders may indicate an increase in drug availability, access, and use among rural women. Workplace alcohol and drug disorders, especially among metropolitan sales, crafts, and service workers should be of concern to policymakers. These results underline the usefulness of using multiple indicators of socioeconomic positions in epidemiologic studies of substance use disorders.

School-based mental health services in Baltimore: Association with school climate and special education referrals

This study investigated the association between school-based mental health services and two proposed but untested outcomes of these services: (a) school climate and (b) patterns of referrals to special education. Results from a climate survey found that teachers and staff in eight elementary schools with expanded school mental health (ESMH) services gave higher ratings on the survey’s mental health climate subscale than respondents from schools in a matched comparison group. No differences were found for the General Climate subscale of the survey. Results also indicated that teachers in ESMH schools referred fewer students to the special education neligibility process because of emotional and behavioral issues and that fewer students in ESMH schools were found eligible for special education for emotional and behavioral disabilities. Results of this study provide beginning evidence for the positive impact of ESMH programs on these two school wide indicators of functioning.

Evidence-based Treatments in the Field: A Brief Report on Provider Knowledge, Implementation, and Practice

This study examined familiarity, perceived effectiveness, and implementation of evidence-based treatments for children in community settings. A sample of service providers in agencies affiliated with federal programs to improve childrens mental health services was identified using a snowball sampling procedure. Forty-four percent of the sample (n = 616) responded to a Web-based survey designed to collect data on evidence-based treatments. High familiarity with, relatively high-perceived effectiveness, and generally high use of evidence-based treatments were reported. Partial implementation of treatment protocols within the context of few agency mandates and widely ranging supports for the implementation of evidence-based treatments was found. Results support the inclusion of more complex models of diffusion, dissemination and implementation in research, and development efforts for evidence-based treatments.

Children with reported histories of sexual abuse: utilizing multiple perspectives to understand clinical and psychosocial profiles.

OBJECTIVE The current study examines multiple empirically based perspectives (i.e., child, caregiver, and clinician) of behavior and functioning as they contribute to the clinical and psychosocial profile of children (aged 5 to 17.5 years) with reported histories of sexual abuse. METHOD A large, multi-site data set of children referred into Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services both with and without reported histories of sexual abuse, was examined. Seven hundred and fifty-nine children with a reported history of sexual abuse were compared to 2722 without such a history on caregiver and child reported behavior, clinician rated functioning, diagnosis, demographic variables, and life challenges. RESULTS The multiple perspectives contributed unique and specific information to regression models: caregiver-reported behavior contributed information about externalizing behavior while child-reported behavior added information about internalizing behavior and clinician ratings about self-harmful behavior. Children with reported histories of sexual abuse were also more likely to be female, Caucasian, and have reported histories of life challenges (e.g., physical abuse, substance use, running away). Child sexual abuse was associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety diagnoses, and lower rates of substance abuse, conduct, and attention deficit disorder diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that the profile of children entering into Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services with reported histories of sexual abuse, as compared to those without such histories, is complex and best understood via multiple perspectives. Caregiver, child and clinician rated information, when taken together, provide a comprehensive clinical and psychosocial profile around which to plan and implement individualized service plans.

Gender differences in patterns of risk factors among children receiving mental health services: latent class analyses.

Latent class analyses were used to analyze data from a sample of children participating in the national evaluation of the Comprehensive Communities Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program (N = 6786). Lifetime risk experiences of the child were analyzed to identify 4 classes of boys and girls with similar risk patterns. While low-risk, status-offense, abuse, and high-risk classes were identified for both boys and girls, there were nearly half the number of girls in the low-risk class, almost as many in the status-offense class, twice as many in the abuse class, and more than 3 three times as many in the high-risk class as there were boys. These findings suggest that there are specific groups of children entering services who differ as a function of their lifetime risk exposure. In addition, the relationship between class membership and child functioning, and class membership and family lifetime risk experiences. Understanding these differences provides critical information to the service planning process. In addition, it may result in immediate improvement in the triage of children into services and a better understanding of their behaviors during and after treatment.

Suicide Attempts in the "Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families" Program

OBJECTIVE To compare clinical characteristics of youths who had attempted suicide recently, previously but not recently, repeatedly, or never. METHOD The sample comprised 4,677 youths receiving services between 1993 to 1998 in 22 communities and participating in the national evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program. Data on suicide attempts, demographics, and clinical characteristics were obtained from intake interviews and referring agencies. Chi-square and univariate analyses of variance were used for between-group comparisons. RESULTS Twenty-one percent of the sample had a history of attempted suicide. Previous and repeat attempters were more likely to have a history of family violence and substance abuse. Repeat attempters were most likely to have depression, while never and previous (but not recent) attempters were more likely to have conduct disorder. Other clinical differences were also found. CONCLUSIONS Among children receiving mental health services, those who attempt suicide experience more and different types of distress, depending on the recency and frequency of attempts. Clinicians should be aware that depression is not a necessary factor in predicting suicide attempts and that suicide risk is also associated with violent and aggressive behaviors.

The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Program

In response to calls for greater efforts to reduce youth suicide, the Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Memorial Act has provided funding for 68 state, territory, and tribal community grants, and 74 college campus grants for suicide prevention efforts. Suicide prevention activities supported by GLS grantees have included education, training programs (including gatekeeper training), screening activities, infrastructure for improved linkages to services, crisis hotlines, and community partnerships. Through participation in both local- and cross-site evaluations, GLS grantees are generating data regarding the local context, proximal outcomes, and implementation of programs, as well as opportunities for improvement of suicide prevention efforts.

Impact of the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Program on Suicide Mortality

OBJECTIVES We examined whether a reduction in youth suicide mortality occurred between 2007 and 2010 that could reasonably be attributed to Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) program efforts. METHODS We compared youth mortality rates across time between counties that implemented GLS-funded gatekeeper training sessions (the most frequently implemented suicide prevention strategy among grantees) and a set of matched counties in which no GLS-funded training occurred. A rich set of background characteristics, including preintervention mortality rates, was accounted for with a combination of propensity score-based techniques. We also analyzed closely related outcomes that we did not expect to be affected by GLS as control outcomes. RESULTS Counties implementing GLS training had significantly lower suicide rates among the population aged 10 to 24 years the year after GLS training than similar counties that did not implement GLS training (1.33 fewer deaths per 100 000; P = .02). Simultaneously, we found no significant difference in terms of adult suicide mortality rates or nonsuicide youth mortality the year after the implementation. CONCLUSIONS These results support the existence of an important reduction in youth suicide rates resulting from the implementation of GLS suicide prevention programming.

Impact of Maltreatment on Children Served in Community Mental Health Programs

Despite a decline in the incidence of child abuse over the last decade, victimization rates remain troubling.This study used a subset of data from the national evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program to investigate and compare the demographic, psychosocial, and service use characteristics and outcomes of children with varying abuse histories referred into community-based mental health services. The lifetime estimate of abuse histories—physical, sexual, or both—among these children is 36.5%.A high level of clinical need across abuse subtypes and a gradient of increasing child and family risk factors differentiated children with and without an abuse history. Children with a reported history of both physical and sexual abuse consistently presented a more troublesome picture of personal and family challenges. Implications for the assessment of clinical needs and the identification of evidence-based interventions to meet the unique needs of these children are discussed.

Understanding Expanded School Mental Health Services in Baltimore City

This article explores the nature of expanded school mental health (ESMH) services in Baltimore City, which at the time of the study were incorporated into 40% of the city’s public schools. A provider survey was distributed to ESMH clinicians to gather information on the characteristics of service providers and recipients, types of services being provided, and their proposed outcomes. Provider reports indicated an impressive service capacity, augmentation of traditional school-based services, and the continual need for increased mental health service hours in their buildings. In addition, the most frequently voiced benefits of the ESMH programs were increased mental health awareness and improved school climate. Implications of the findings for future programming development and research are discussed.