A level of care instrument for children's systems of care: Construction, reliability and validity

Theodore Fallon, Andres Pumariega, Wesley Sowers, Robert Klaehn, Charles Huffine, Thomas Vaughan, Nancy Winters, Mark Chenven, Larry Marx, Albert Zachik, William Heffron, Katherine Grimes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Child and Adolescent Level of Care System/Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Instrument (CALOCUS/ CASH) is designed to help determine the intensity of services needed for a child served in a mental health system of care. The instrument contains eight dimensions that are rated following a comprehensive clinical evaluation. The dimensions are risk of harm, functionality, co-morbidity (psychiatric, substance abuse, development disability and medical), environmental stressors, environmental supports, the child's resiliency, and the child and family's willingness to engage in treatment. An algorithm connects the ratings to a level of care recommendation. The instrument specifies six levels of care defined flexibly enough to consider whatever services are available. The results of psychometric testing using raters with a broad range of clinical experience and training from four different systems of care around the country are presented. The testing demon-strates excellent reliability when rating vignettes. Using children and adolescents in live system of care clinical settings, the CALOCUS/CASH demonstrates reasonable validity when compared with the Child Global Assessment Scale, and the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)143-155
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Child and Family Studies
Volume15
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The field study was supported in part by a Federal grant from the Center for Mental Health Services Branch of Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration contract #282-98-0029, sub-task C through the American Institute for Research. All the logistical support for the development of the instrument and national field study came from the unflagging work of Kristin Kroeger-Ptakowski and through the workgroup on Community Based Systems of Care of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Keywords

  • Intensity of services for children and adolescents
  • Level of care
  • The Child and Adolescent Level of Care System/Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Instrumen

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

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