A program of comprehensive school-based mental health services in a large urban public school district: The Dallas model

Adolescent Psychiatry, 1999 by Pearson, Glen, Jennings, Jenni, Norcross, James

Step 7. Follow-up evaluation and treatment plan revisions are completed regularly (30 to 90 days) depending on the needs of each student and family. (The Texas Uniform Assessment requires a complete reassessment every 90 days regardless of the needs of the student.)

PROGRAM EVALUATION

The YFC program is evaluated annually by the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Information Systems of the Dallas Public Schools. Context, process, and outcome evaluation information is included in an annual report, the purpose of which is to review what services are provided, how the program is implemented, and the relationship between services and school success outcome measures. Context evaluation questions center on program goals and priorities, data from the project partners, and a review of literature concerning school-based mental and physical healthcare. Process evaluation questions address how the program is implemented, what quality assurances are in place, and how staff training addresses program needs. Outcome evaluation questions concern customer satisfaction and student school success outcomes (grades, attendance, behavior). Evaluation methodologies include interviews, questionnaires, follow-up data, attendance and discipline referral data, and student grades. Texas MH/MRC program evaluation data are collected and reported separately from the district's program evaluation; in addition to satisfaction and school success data, the MH/MRC program evaluation reports CBCL score changes, arrest rates, and certain "critical incident" occurrence rates (e.g., running away, placement outside the home).

Program Results

The staff at each YFC enters demographic information, presenting problems, and services received into the database during the traditional school year (August-May). Results reported here are based on the 1996-1997 school year.

SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS AND INTERVENTIONS

Student and family demographics are shown in Figure 1. One thousand six hundred sixty-two students and their families received intensive mental health services during the school year. The majority of the students were eligible for free or reduced-fee lunch (73%), met poverty guidelines (68%), and were considered at risk for dropping out of school (60%). Additionally, 27% were speakers of other languages, 24% were in special education, and 4% were in special programs for talented and gifted students. The patient group was 66% male, 43% African American, 38% Hispanic, 18% Anglo, and 1% Asian American. Information related to parents' employment status was collected for 819 families and is reported in Figure 2. Data suggest that these children were from families of working poor, with 79.8% reporting an employed parent or guardian versus 20.2% with no employed parent or guardian. Additionally, 21.7% reported both parents working. Information bearing on family type is summarized in Figure 3. Of the 1,100 families reporting, 42.4% were single-parent, 30.8% were nuclear, 13.3% were blended/married, 8.3% were multigenerational, 2.5% were blended/ unmarried, and 2.7% were of unspecified family type. Finally, as demonstrated in Figure 4, our families were overwhelmingly lacking in private health insurance (97% uninsured).