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

OBJECTIVES: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the notion that ethnicity-specific programs seem to increase the continued use of mental health services among ethnic minority groups.