Children's mental health services: a parent perspective.

Parents of severely emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children rarely have the opportunity to participate in the policy-making processes that affect their children's welfare. In the present study, a structured parent interview was developed as part of Washington State's Child and Adolescent Services System Program (CASSP). Thirty-five parents of disturbed children provided information about their children's problems and services histories. Respondents identified unmet needs and barriers to timely, effective intervention. The nature and quality of services received were examined in the context of CASSP service standards. The study confirmed that parents of disturbed children can provide information rich in implications for system change.