Residential Trajectories of Participants in North Carolina's Willie-M. Program A Semi-Parametric Group Based Model

• Published in: Journal of social service research Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 53 - 68
• Main Authors: Nash, James K., Thompson, Shealy, Kim, Jong Sung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: St. Louis, MO Taylor & Francis Group 29.11.2006; Haworth Press
• Subjects: Behavior Problems; Child protection; Child Welfare Services; Child. Socialization; Children; Community Services; Delivery Systems; Demographic aspects; Emotional disturbance; Emotional-Behavioural problems; Mental Health; North Carolina; Personality. Social role; residential restrictiveness; serious emotional disturbance; Social problems and social policy. Social work; Social psychology; Sociology; Sociology of the family. Age groups; trajectories; Treatment Programs; wraparound; Wraparound programmes; North Carolina; United States Of America; Behaviour; trajectories; Mental Health; Residential Mobility; Longitudinal Analysis; Child care; residential restrictiveness; Model; serious emotional disturbance; Children; Social Worker; Child; wraparound
• ISSN: 0148-8376; 1540-7314
• DOI: 10.1300/J079v33n01_06

A semi-parametric mixture model was fit using data on 611 children with serious emotional disturbance who participated in North Carolina's Willie-M. Program from 1995 to 2000 to identify patterns of residential restrictiveness over time. Results revealed 4 distinct restrictiveness trajectories: low/stable, high/stable, increasing, and decreasing. Correlates of trajectory group membership included age, IQ, initial behavior, and region of the state. Number of diagnoses and change in behavior did not predict group membership. Interpretation of results is guided by a consideration of the goal of wraparound systems of care to provide services and supports in community based and normalizing settings.