Youth and caregiver access to peer advocates and satisfaction with mental health services.

Access to peer advocates is increasingly available to youth and their caregivers who are receiving services in the public mental health system. This study examines associations between reported access to a youth or family advocate and perceptions of satisfaction with mental health services. A cross-sectional survey of youth (N = 768) and caregivers (N = 1,231) who utilized public mental health services in New York State in 2012 was conducted. The survey includes items on access to youth or family advocates and degree of satisfaction with mental health services. A greater proportion of youth or caregivers with access to peer advocates compared to those without access responded positively on the satisfaction domains of access to services, appropriateness of services, participation in services and overall/global satisfaction. Access to peer advocates was also positively associated with agreement on the psychotropic medication comprehension domain for youth and on perceptions of child functioning and social connectedness for caregivers compared to those without access. This study adds to the growing understanding of the important role peer advocates play in engaging youth with mental health needs and their caregivers in mental health services.