A national survey of state mental health authority programs and policies for clients who are parents: a decade later

Kathleen Biebel, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Joanne Nicholson, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Jeffrey L. Geller, University of Massachusetts Medical School
William H. Fisher, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Abstract

This study presents a survey of State Mental Health Authorities' (SMHA) programs and policies addressing the needs of adult clients in their role as parent. Six program and policy areas (parent status identification, parent-focused residential programs, parent functioning assessment, outpatient services for parents, policies for hospitalized parents, and policies for hospitalized pregnant women) are examined. Results of the most recent 1999 survey are compared with results from a similar 1990 survey. This comparison reveals that the majority of SMHAs continue to overlook adult clients in their parenting role, and few SMHA programs and policies address issues of parenting.