TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating a social work engagement approach to involving inner-city children and their families in mental health care
AU - McKay, Mary Mc Kernan
AU - Nudelman, Ruth
AU - McCadam, Kathleen
AU - Gonzales, Jude
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - This article will focus on increasing the ability of social workers to provide mental health services to urban, low-income children and their caretakers. A conceptual model for understanding the process of engagement will be presented. Further, a protocol for training social workers to conduct first interview/engagement interviews and the results of a study evaluating its impact will be highlighted. One hundred seven children and their families were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) first interviewers trained in specific engagement skills, and (2) other therapists within an urban mental health agency. Of the 33 children assigned to first interviewers, 29 (88%) came for a first appointment and 97% (n = 28) of those returned for a second appointment. In comparison, of the 74 clients assigned to the routine first interview condition, 47 (64%) came for an initial appointment and only 83% (n = 39) returned for a second appointment. The average length of treatment during an 18-week study period for first interview subjects was 7.1 sessions, as opposed to 5.4 sessions for the comparison group. The applications of this model for social work education are discussed.
AB - This article will focus on increasing the ability of social workers to provide mental health services to urban, low-income children and their caretakers. A conceptual model for understanding the process of engagement will be presented. Further, a protocol for training social workers to conduct first interview/engagement interviews and the results of a study evaluating its impact will be highlighted. One hundred seven children and their families were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) first interviewers trained in specific engagement skills, and (2) other therapists within an urban mental health agency. Of the 33 children assigned to first interviewers, 29 (88%) came for a first appointment and 97% (n = 28) of those returned for a second appointment. In comparison, of the 74 clients assigned to the routine first interview condition, 47 (64%) came for an initial appointment and only 83% (n = 39) returned for a second appointment. The average length of treatment during an 18-week study period for first interview subjects was 7.1 sessions, as opposed to 5.4 sessions for the comparison group. The applications of this model for social work education are discussed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=21444434021&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/104973159600600404
DO - 10.1177/104973159600600404
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:21444434021
SN - 1049-7315
VL - 6
SP - 462
EP - 472
JO - Research on Social Work Practice
JF - Research on Social Work Practice
IS - 4
ER -