RESEARCH UPDATE

Child Welfare Outcomes 2002–2005: Report to Congress

The seventh in a series of annual reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this report provides information regarding State performance on key national child welfare outcomes and change in performance over time. The current report includes data on 15 new outcome measures that were developed for the second round of the Child and Family Services Review, as well as the 12 original measures.

Present, Engaged, and Accounted For: The Critical Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades

This research report, funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, focuses on the prevalence, consequences, potential contributing factors, and possible responses to high rates of school absence of students in kindergarten through third grade.

Family Therapy Helps Relieve Depression Symptoms in Bipolar Teens

Research presented in this article from ScienceDaily suggests that family therapy is effective when coupled with medication for the treatment of bipolar disorder among teens.

Report on Declining Number of Youth in Custody (PDF)

This report from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) reviews data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement and indicates that overall numbers and rates of custody for youth have declined nationwide over the past decade. In addition to the broad perspective, the report analyzes custody trends by individual States, gender, race/ethnicity, and offense type.

Transcending Violence: Emerging Models for Trauma Healing in Refugee Communities (PDF)

This paper from the National Center of Trauma Informed Care provides a framework for deeper understanding of culture, context, and the refugee experience. It outlines how a public health approach applies to refugee trauma by looking at current models for addressing trauma within refugee populations, as well as emerging new approaches for healing stemming from work with refugee communities.

Study Reveals that School Pressure is the Number One Reason Teens Use Drugs

The number one reason teens see for using drugs is to cope with the pressures and stress of school, according to the 20th Annual Partnership for a Drug-Free America study. An accompanying survey given to parents shows that parents underestimate the impact of stress on their children’s lives.

Teens with Treatment-resistant Depression More Likely to Get Better with Switch to Combination Therapy

This report from the National Institute of Mental Health shares the results from a recent study conducted with youth ages 12 to 18, and finds that those with difficult-to-treat depression who do not respond to a first antidepressant medication, are more likely to get well if they switch to another antidepressant medication and add psychotherapy.