This study was begun at the request of the Mental Health Division (henceforth known as MHD) of the State of Oregon. The purpose was to conduct a follow-up study on six Day and Residential Treatment Service (henceforth known as DARTS) Centers which are funded by MHD. The purpose of the research was to assess whether or not the Centers are an effective treatment tool. The information acquired by this study will be used to provide information to MHD and the DARTS Center Directors to assist their decision making regarding program direction, and to provide MHD with specific information to be used in preparation for the upcoming state legislative session.

The purpose of this study was to assess the adjustment of 157 children discharged from Edgefield Lodge in an effort toward accountability to both clients served and the public. Level of adjustment of the children was determined by checking the records of various community agencies including the Police, Sherriff, Youth Service Centers, Juvenile Court, Children’s Services Division, and the schools. Using the information gathered, the adjustment of each child was scored using the Community Adaptation Scale which was developed for that purpose. Theses adjustment scores were the main outcome variable in the study.

In order to document the need for additional treatment centers for severely disturbed children, the Oregon Mental Health Division decided to submit a grant to the National Institute of Mental Health to request an extensive, retrospective follow-up study of an innovative diagnostic approach, the Child Diagnostic Center. When the grant was not funded, the State Office for Child Study and Treatment Centers recruited graduate students to conduct portions of the proposed follow-up study.

Concerned by the increase in the average daily populations at Maclaren School for Boys and Hillcrest School for Girls, Children's Services Division has requested research related to children who have been released from child care centers and private institutions. Child care centers were originally developed as alternatives to the state institutions. As children were diverted to various child care centers, the populations of these two institutions decreased, and plans were made to merge the two schools, thus closing Hillcrest. With the increase in populations at both schools, this is no longer feasible. As much time and effort is spent in placing children outside of the state schools, C.S.D. would like to have some measure of how effectively its workers are diverting children from the correctional system. A speculation exists among many C.S.D. workers that youngsters are not staying in these child care centers long enough to benefit from the varied programs the centers offer. With these factors in mind, a research design was developed which would cover these variables: 1. The child's placement 2. His length of stay (including dates of placement and release) 3. His disposition upon release 4. His living situation one year following his release

The age-old question persists: Does an agency operated treatment program contribute significantly to a child’s personal development and adjustment following release from the institution? Since it is the agency’s responsibility to weigh the needs of the disturbed child and provide appropriate services according to those needs, their basic question--whether residential treatment or another mode of treatment is more effective--remains unanswered and, in many instances, uncontested. If residential child care benefits the disturbed child, which characteristics of that agency are conducive to the improvement of the child’s behavior and re-adaption? The following study will attempt to isolate such characteristics. We will provide behavior samples of twenty-one emotionally disturbed children before, during, and following treatment at The Parry Center. These behaviors are presented descriptively, and will relate to prior environmental influences (adjustment to home, school, etc.); treatment factors (those conducive to behavior change, those detrimental); and post-residential success. We will also compare these descriptions with The Parry Center’s recent research study: Eighteen Boys…A Descriptive Follow-Up Study (June 10, 1970.).