Improving mental health services in primary care: reducing administrative and financial barriers to access and collaboration.

The Statistics Approximately 70% of children and adolescents who are in need of treatment do not receive mental health services. Of those who seek treatment, only 1 in 5 children use mental health specialty services. Thus, approximately 75% to 85% fail to receive specialty services, and most of these children fail to receive any services at all. For the families that seek services, 40% to 50% terminate treatment prematurely because of lack of access, lack of transportation, financial constraints, child mental health professional shortages, and stigma related to mental health disorders. Only a small proportion of these children receive treatment from mental health professionals. The vast majority of these children receive services from primary care clinicians. In 2005, 25.3% of children 4 to 17 years of age who received nonpsychopharmacologic treatment for emotional or behavioral difficulties in the past 12 months were seen by their pediatric or general medical practice.