University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28213, USA.
Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2012 Jan;82(1):129-36. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2011.01126.x.
In North Carolina, only 69% of high school students graduate in 4 years; however, recent data suggest that only 42% of students with mental and emotional disabilities graduate. MeckCARES, a system of care (SOC) in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, is designed to serve youth with severe emotional disturbances and their families. The SOC philosophy is a prominent family-focused approach intended to provide comprehensive, coordinated networks of services, tailored to the needs of the child and family, while emphasizing the strengthening of natural community supports. In addition to other mental health objectives, a particular goal of MeckCARES is to address specific school-based needs of system-identified youth to improve educational outcomes and reduce the risk of dropping out. This study sought to assess empirically the impact that enrollment in MeckCARES has on graduation precursors; namely, grades, suspensions, and absences. This study found that, on average, enrollment in MeckCARES is not associated with positive changes in educational variables. Implications of these findings are discussed, as are future directions. For example, additional research is needed with more sensitive measurement and data collection procedures (i.e., access to graduation rates and Medicaid information) to adequately assess the impact of enrollment in MeckCARES on educational outcomes.
在北卡罗来纳州，只有 69%的高中生能够在 4 年内毕业；然而，最近的数据表明，只有 42%的有精神和情绪障碍的学生能够毕业。MeckCARES 是北卡罗来纳州梅克伦堡县的一种关怀系统 (SOC)，旨在为有严重情绪障碍的青年及其家庭提供服务。SOC 理念是一种以家庭为重点的突出方法，旨在提供全面、协调的服务网络，以满足儿童和家庭的需求，同时强调加强自然社区支持。除了其他心理健康目标外，MeckCARES 的一个特定目标是解决系统确定的青年的特定基于学校的需求，以提高教育成果并降低辍学风险。本研究旨在实证评估入读 MeckCARES 对毕业前因的影响；即成绩、停学和缺勤。本研究发现，平均而言，入读 MeckCARES 与教育变量的积极变化无关。讨论了这些发现的意义，以及未来的方向。例如，需要进行更多的研究，采用更敏感的测量和数据收集程序（即获得毕业率和医疗补助信息），以充分评估入读 MeckCARES 对教育成果的影响。
