Return rates and outcomes from ethnicity-specific mental health programs in Los Angeles.

Abstract

The present study compared the return rate, length of treatment, and treatment outcome of ethnic minority adults who received services from ethnicity-specific or mainstream programs. The sample consisted of 1516 African Americans, 1888 Asian Americans, and 1306 Mexican Americans who used 1 of 36 predominantly White (mainstream) or 18 ethnicity-specific mental health centers in Los Angeles County over a 6-year period. Predictor variables included type of program (ethnicity specific vs mainstream), disorder, ethnic match (whether or not clients had a therapist of the same ethnicity), gender, age, and Medi-Cal eligibility. The criterion variables were return after one session, total number of sessions, and treatment outcome. The study indicated that ethnic clients who attended ethnicity-specific programs had a higher return rate and stayed in the treatment longer than those using mainstream services. The data analyses were less clear cut when treatment outcome was examined. The findings support the notion that ethnicity-specific programs seem to increase the continued use of mental health services among ethnic minority groups.