Objective: Latino families may be at risk of experiencing stressors resulting from the immigration process, such as those related to documentation status and acculturation, that may increase their need for mental health services. However, little research exists on the mental health needs and service use of Latino children. This study examined how parental nativity and legal status influence mental health needs and service utilization among children in Latino families investigated by child welfare. Methods: Data from the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a nationally representative, prospective study of families investigated by childwelfare agencies for maltreatment, were used to examine mental health need and service use in a subset of Latino children who remained in the home following a maltreatment investigation (N=390). Results: Although children of immigrants did not differ from children of U.S.-born parents in levels of clinical need, they had lower rates of mental health service receipt. After the analyses accounted for other relevant variables, the odds of receiving services were significantly lower (odds ratio=.09) for children whose parents were undocumented compared with children whose parents were U.S. citizens. Conclusions: This study contributes to growing discourse on Latino family needs within the child welfare system. Analyses support earlier research regarding the effects of parent nativity on mental health service use and advance the literature by identifying parent legal status as a unique barrier to child service receipt.

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Parents prospective study educational status immigrant mental health service Prospective Studies human wellbeing immigration Odds Ratio statistics and numerical data health service controlled study Child Protective Services Mental Health Services Hispanic Americans Health Services Needs and Demand child protection family study Surveys and Questionnaires United States Humans family Hispanic Adolescent parent male preschool child patient referral female Child, Preschool Referral and Consultation Child Welfare questionnaire legislation and jurisprudence major clinical study Child Abuse migration utilization Emigration and Immigration Child