Many parents who are eligible for Medicaid coverage of treatment for mental health or substance use disorders are not receiving treatment, according to a new study.

Researchers found that fewer than half of parents on Medicaid who had substance use disorders and had been referred to authorities over suspicions of child abuse or neglect had received treatment, The New York Times reports.

The researchers analyzed data that linked child welfare records in Florida and Kentucky with corresponding Medicaid claims records from 2020. They also analyzed a random sample of Medicaid recipients with no records in the child welfare system. They found that among the more than 58,000 parents with a child referred to welfare services, more than half had a psychiatric or substance use diagnosis, compared with 33% of the comparison group.

They found 38% of those with referrals who had mental health disorders and 40% of those with substance use disorders had received counseling. About 67% of those with mental health disorders and 38% of those with substance use disorders had received medication.

The researchers concluded that interventions are needed to address the barriers that caregivers face in obtaining mental health and substance use disorder treatment, such as stigma, inconvenience, financial hardship and fear of losing parental rights.