Reconciling Discrepancies between Entry into Foster Care and Mental Health Service Use for Black and Latinx Youth

Abstract

Black and Latinx youth who are the subject of a child welfare investigation are more likely to be placed into foster care compared to non-Latinx White youth. Foster care placement can facilitate mental health service use, yet youth from marginalized and oppressed racial/ethnic groups in foster care are still less likely to receive mental health services compared to non-Latinx White youth. This study aims to reconcile this discrepancy in Black and Latinx youth, who are (a) overrepresented in foster care yet (b) less likely to receive mental health services. For the first aim, it was predicted that mental health need would moderate the relationship between race/ethnicity and foster care placement. In the second aim, it was predicted that race/ethnicity would moderate the relationship between foster care placement and mental health service use. Data come from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II), a longitudinal and national probability study, with participants including youth who came into contact with the child welfare system between February 2008 and April 2009. Caregiver, caseworker, and youth reports were obtained, including information on youth demographics, foster care placement, youth mental health need, and mental health service use. Internalizing need was associated with a decreased likelihood for foster care placement for non-Latinx White youth compared to those with no need; findings showed the opposite for Latinx youth. Race/ethnicity did not significantly moderate the relationship between foster care placement and mental health service use, although there was some evidence that the association of non-kinship foster placement and mental health services was stronger for Black and Latinx youth. Implications for child welfare reform in terms of foster care placement and mental health service use are discussed.