Quality Indicators of Children's Mental Health Services: Do They Predict Improved Client Outcomes?

Abstract

Demonstrations of high-quality services have surpassed cost control as the primary task of health care. In this study we evaluated the relationship between several traditionally accepted standards of quality of children's mental health care and client mental health outcomes. Three customary performance guidelines (therapeutic relationship, satisfaction, and parent involvement) that are believed to be indicators of quality care were tested for their ability to account for improvement of mental health outcomes among adolescent clients. In addition, we examined service utilization to determine whether it represents an intermediate outcome of the treatment process.The results showed statistically significant, yet weak and inconsistent, relationships between these commonly accepted measures of quality and client outcomes among adolescents receiving outpatient treatment. We did not find service utilization to be a mediator. Limitations of the study and implications of the results are discussed.