Background: Many children have mental health problems that interfere with normal development and functioning, but it is widely believed that only a minority of children needing help receive behavioral health services. Numerous efforts are underway to reform the mental health system to meet the needs of children and adolescents, but these efforts are handicapped by the absence of recent data on how need, expenditures, and utilization differ across states and communities, and how those differences relate to financing and organization of behavioral health services.

Study Goals: This project studies geographic and temporal variations across states and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).

Methodology: We will analyze existing data from the Community Tracking Study, conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change, and the National Survey of America's Families, conducted by the Urban Institute.

Current status: Ongoing.