How do states deliver mental health services to children who need intensive mental health services?
The 1999 U.S. Surgeon General’s report estimates that less than one quarter of children ages 9 to 17 who have a serious emotional disturbance are treated for their disorders. Children with SED who are not treated often become involved in the juvenile justice or child welfare systems. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at the Department of Justice estimates that 2.3 million juvenile arrests were made in 2001 and that as many as 80 percent of youth in the juvenile system have mental health problems. Serving children with SED through the juvenile justice system rather than providing comprehensive and appropriate treatment through Medicaid often costs the state more money because of the lack of federal matching funds for juvenile justice programs. In some cases, parents must relinquish custody of their child to gain public insurance under broader mental health benefits. Child welfare agencies often are the last resort for parents of children with SED who have no ment
