Richard M. Grinnell

Exploring Out-of-Home Placement as a Moderator of Help-Seeking Behavior Among Adolescents Who Are High Risk

Objective: This study investigated foster or group care placement as a predictor of help-seeking behavior among adolescents who were at high risk for physical and mental health problems. Method: Data from the 1985 to 1986 wave of the Adolescent Health Care Evaluation Study were used to compare three groups of adolescents: (a) 136 that had experienced placement, (b) 136 that were randomly selected from the larger sample, and (c) 136 matched to the placement group on key variables. Results: Adolescents who experienced placement had more physical and mental health problems compared to the random and matched groups. However, foster or group care placement was associated with help-seeking behavior only for two problems: depression and conduct disorder. Conclusion: Understanding the impact of placement on help-seeking behavior 20 years ago fills a critical gap in the current literature and provides an anchor point for examining foster care policy and programming today.

Connecting youth in foster care with needed mental health services: Lessons from research on help-seeking

Abstract This article examines how adolescents seek out help for their mental health problems by providing an overview of the research from the health and social service literature. The main goal of the paper is to explore the concept of adolescents help-seeking in relation to the foster care experience. Two models of help-seeking and health care utilization are reviewed in an effort to gain a better insight on improving the help-seeking skills for foster youth. These skills can then become “life-long skills” that the adolescents can draw upon for their enhanced independence and self-sufficiency, especially as they leave foster care and enter adulthood. However, the review of the literature leads the authors to the conclusion that youth in foster care may not be viewed as help-seekers but rather as “help-receivers.”