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Help-Seeking for Children with Mental Health Problems: Parents’ Efforts and Experiences

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Abstract

Parents who contacted 1 of 15 children’s mental health agencies in Ontario, Canada reported on where and why they were seeking mental health services for their 4- to 17-year-old children. Parents contacted an average of four agencies (±1.7; range = 1–14) in the previous year. Approximately one-half of parents were looking for either multiple types of treatment, or help for different problems, across agencies. The complex pattern of help-seeking evidenced in our study likely increases the burden on the mental health care system and on families, and may reduce the likelihood that families will connect with the most appropriate treatment.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by grants from the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (RC1-0959-06), the Consortium for Applied Research and Evaluation in Mental Health, and the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. At the time this study was conducted G.J. Reid was supported as the Bill and Anne Brock Professor in Child Health, C.E. Cunningham was supported by the Jack Laidlaw Chair in Patient-Centred Health Care, J.I. Tobon was supported by a graduate award from the Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at CHEO, and M. Stewart was supported by the Dr. Brian W. Gilbert Canada Research Chair. G.J. Reid is supported by the Children’s Health Foundation. J.I. Tobon is supported by Canadian Institutes for Health Research Studentship. This project would not have been possible with out the support of the participating children’s mental health centres and in particular, the intake staff who recruited parents for the study. We greatly appreciate the efforts of the research staff and students who took part in this project. The assistance of Children’s Mental Health Ontario and The Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at CHEO is also appreciated. The Advisory Board for the project was invaluable and included: Helen Lowe, Nadia Mazaheri, Gail Ure, Marian Archibald, Lynn Ryan Mackenzie, Shannon Stewart, William Tucker, Claire Wallace-Piccin, and Tom Walters. Finally, we thank the families who participated in this project for their time and willingness to share their experiences with us. Charles E. Cunningham owns a share in BCPFI Inc.

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Author notes

  1. Dianne C. Shanley

    Present address: School of Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, Westminster Hall, Room 319E, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada

    Graham J. Reid

  2. Department of Family Medicine, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Graham J. Reid, Moira Stewart, Judith B. Brown, Barbara Lent & Evelyn R. Vingilis

  3. Department of Paediatrics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Graham J. Reid

  4. The Children’s Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada

    Graham J. Reid

  5. McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Charles E. Cunningham

  6. Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, Westminster Hall, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada

    Juliana I. Tobon, Richard W. J. Neufeld & Dianne C. Shanley

  7. Thames Valley District School Board, London, ON, Canada

    Barrie Evans

  8. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Moira Stewart & Evelyn R. Vingilis

  9. School of Social Work, Kings’ University College, London, ON, Canada

    Judith B. Brown

  10. Department of Psychiatry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Richard W. J. Neufeld

  11. School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Gregory S. Zaric

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Reid, G.J., Cunningham, C.E., Tobon, J.I. et al. Help-Seeking for Children with Mental Health Problems: Parents’ Efforts and Experiences. Adm Policy Ment Health 38, 384–397 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-010-0325-9

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