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Abstract
This investigation reports on a summative program evaluation of the KidsNet program. The KidsNet program is part of the National Evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Service for Children and Their Families project to serve youth with severe emotional disturbances using a system of care model. The purpose of the study was to evaluate if the KidsNet program was effective in providing treatment services to youth with SED. Three research questions were designed to determine KidsNet program effectiveness. The research questions sought to ascertain the characteristics of youth with SED, determine the frequency of success, and evaluate if severity of illness affected outcomes. Quantitative data from a pretest-posttest-posttest design was used to evaluate the program and data was collected from secondary archival records. Sixty-three participants were included in the sample. Based on the obtained data, the KidsNet program was not effective in treating youth with SED. Youth involved in the KidsNet program did not statistically improve following treatment and it appears that severity of illness did not impact treatment outcomes. However, the data suggests that the characteristics of the participants, due in part to the SED criteria, influenced the findings. Further consideration must be given to the definition of SED to determine appropriate screening of youth with a severe emotional disturbance with extreme functional impairment. Future research is needed to determine how to modify the SED definition, and then how the modified criterion affects treatment outcomes. Most importantly, researchers should continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the system of care model before funding and policy decisions about childrens mental health are made.