Funding children's mental health services in an underfunded climate: collaborative efforts

In New York State and elsewhere, the lack of outpatient services results in inappropriate psychiatric hospitalization of children. Funding for specialized mental health services for children is not federally or state-mandated and county-levied dollars often are required to generate a state match. In New York State, counties relying exclusively on traditional sources of mental hygiene funding are unlikely to develop a variety of quality programs for children. This article discusses in detail how interagency collaboration developed in Dutchess County, New York resulted in procurement of funds that financed an array of children's outpatient mental health services to county residents.