RT Journal
A1 Mandell DS, Xie M, Morales KH, Lawer L, McCarthy M, Marcus SC
T1 THe interplay of outpatient services and psychiatric hospitalization among medicaid-enrolled children with autism spectrum disorders
JF Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
JO Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
YR 2012
FD January 1
VO 166
IS 1
SP 68
OP 73
DO 10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.714
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.714
AB Objective 
                  To examine whether increased provision of community-based services is associated with decreased psychiatric hospitalizations among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).Design 
                  Retrospective cohort study using discrete-time logistic regression to examine the association of service use in the preceding 60 days with the risk of hospitalization.Setting 
                  The Medicaid-reimbursed health care system in the continental United States.Participants 
                  Medicaid-enrolled children with an ASD diagnosis in 2004 (N = 28 428).Main Exposures 
                  Use of respite care and therapeutic services, based on procedure codes.Main Outcome Measures 
                  Hospitalizations associated with a diagnosis of ASD (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes 299.0, 299.8, and 299.9).Results 
                  Each $1000 increase in spending on respite care during the preceding 60 days resulted in an 8% decrease in the odds of hospitalization in adjusted analysis. Use of therapeutic services was not associated with reduced risk of hospitalization.Conclusions 
                  Respite care is not universally available through Medicaid. It may represent a critical type of service for supporting families in addressing challenging child behaviors. States should increase the availability of respite care for Medicaid-enrolled children with ASDs. The lack of association between therapeutic services and hospitalization raises concerns regarding the effectiveness of these services.