A Collaboratively Designed Child Mental Health Service Model: Multiple Family Groups for Urban Children with Conduct...

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Mental Health Services Research
• Family Therapy

Background:

• Childhood behavioral difficulties are a primary reason for referrals to urban outpatient mental health clinics.
• Existing services often struggle with family engagement and retention.
• There is a need for effective, adaptable service models in real-world urban settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present preliminary outcomes of a Multiple Family Group (MFG) service delivery approach.
• To examine changes in child oppositional behavior and parenting stress over time.
• To assess the feasibility of MFG in diverse urban child mental health settings.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study was conducted across thirteen urban outpatient clinics.
• The study focused on parent reports of child oppositional behavior and parenting stress.
• Multiple Family Group (MFG) is a flexible, protocol-driven intervention developed with community input.

Main Results:

• Preliminary data indicates potential positive outcomes for child oppositional behavior.
• Parenting stress trends are being analyzed over the study's duration.
• The MFG approach was designed to enhance family engagement and treatment retention.

Conclusions:

• The Multiple Family Group (MFG) approach shows promise for addressing childhood behavioral difficulties in urban settings.
• Collaborative development with families and providers is key to real-world implementation.
• Further research is needed to confirm the efficacy and long-term impact of MFG services.