SD10 - The Collection of Evidence-Based Treatment Modalities for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Treatment Needs


    Executive Summary:
    Adopted by the 2002 Session of the General Assembly, Senate Joint Resolution 99 (2002) directed the Virginia Commission on Youth to coordinate the collection and dissemination of empirically-based information that would identify the treatment modalities and practices recognized as effective for the treatment of children, including juvenile offenders, with mental health treatment needs, symptoms and disorders. During the 2003 General Assembly Session, Senate Joint Resolution 358 was adopted directing the Virginia Commission on Youth to make empirically based information concerning effective treatment modalities and practices for children available through the Internet. The Commission was directed to seek the assistance of the SJR 99 Advisory Group, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Secretary of Public Safety, and the Secretary of Education in posting, maintaining, and biennially updating this information.

    The Commission on Youth’s study [House Document 9 (2003)] provided a collection of empirically sound research on the treatment modalities and practices that have proven most effective for children and adolescents with mental health treatment needs, symptoms and disorders. In order for the resource to continue to be useful, it must be updated biennially, (as directed in Senate Joint Resolution 358) to reflect the recent studies conducted in the field of children’s mental health. Providing clinicians and service providers with a current resource of evidence-based treatments is important because research in the field of children’ mental health is constantly evolving and changing. The “Collection” is useful only if it is reflective of such changes.

    The Commission on Youth reconvened an advisory group to determine the scope of updating House Document 9 (2003). The advisory group examined sources of evidence-based research and identified sources of information for the following issues: evidence-based treatments for prevalent disorders facing children in foster care; challenges facing rural communities in service delivery; normal childhood development information to assist in diagnosis; what to do when parental involvement not available; treatment phases and steps; assessments tools for particular disorders; co-morbidity of child abuse/neglect with certain disorders; co-morbidity of ADHD/PTSS; importance of client relationships in treatment; replicable components of evidence-based treatments; sites in Virginia that currently employ evidence-based treatments; and listings of residential/acute inpatient hospital facilities/beds. The advisory group determined that the collection would continue to be a useful resource for the intended audience.

    [See RD 252 for report.]