Colleen C Katz, Geetha Gopalan, Eden Wall, Hannah Leoni-Hughes, Tamsin Pargiter, David Collins
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Transition-age youth with foster care involvement (TAY, ages 17-22) are at heightened risk for suicidal behavior. Despite this, mental health screenings are not standardized across child welfare (CW) systems and existing assessment tools are not designed for use with this specific population. As such, TAY are unlikely to be adequately screened for suicide risk and connected with needed services. In this paper, we sought to identify screening and assessment tools that could be effective for use with TAY in CW settings. Using PubMed and PsycINFO, we conducted a search of the current literature to identify some of the most commonly used screening and assessment tools for youth. We then narrowed our focus to those tools that met predefined inclusion criteria indicating appropriateness of use for TAY in CW settings. As a result of this process, we identified one brief screening tool (the ASQ) and four assessments (the SIQ-JR, the C-SSRS, the SHBQ, and the SPS) that demonstrated specific promise for use with TAY. The strengths and limitations of the tools are discussed in detail, as well as the ways that each could be used most effectively in CW settings. We highlight three key points intended to guide social work practice and policy: (1) systematic, routine assessment of mental health and suicide risk across CW settings is critical; (2) the protocol for assessing suicidal behavior in TAY must account for the wide variations in context and service provision; and (3) CW workers administering assessments must be thoughtfully trained on risk identification and the protocol implementation.
期刊介绍:
The Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal (CASW) features original articles that focus on social work practice with children, adolescents, and their families. Topics include issues affecting a variety of specific populations in special settings. CASW welcomes a range of scholarly contributions focused on children and adolescents, including theoretical papers, narrative case studies, historical analyses, traditional reviews of the literature, descriptive studies, single-system research designs, correlational investigations, methodological works, pre-experimental, quasi-experimental and experimental evaluations, meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Manuscripts involving qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods are welcome to be submitted, as are papers grounded in one or more theoretical orientations, or those that are not based on any formal theory. CASW values different disciplines and interdisciplinary work that informs social work practice and policy. Authors from public health, nursing, psychology, sociology, and other disciplines are encouraged to submit manuscripts. All manuscripts should include specific implications for social work policy and practice with children and adolescents. Appropriate fields of practice include interpersonal practice, small groups, families, organizations, communities, policy practice, nationally-oriented work, and international studies. Authors considering publication in CASW should review the following editorial: Schelbe, L., & Thyer, B. A. (2019). Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal Editorial Policy: Guidelines for Authors. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 36, 75-80.