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The authors describe a real-world application of virtually integrated primary and behavioral health care implemented within an accountable care organization (ACO) system. Cost-of-care data from before and after a 6-month intervention were analyzed for 121 Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus ACO members. The intervention was associated with a significant shift in the distribution of health care costs, from inpatient and emergency care to outpatient and preventive care. The program demonstrates a flexible and replicable approach to integration that can help expand effective primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors sought to ascertain the availability of outpatient child psychiatric appointments in three U.S. cities. Using a simulated-patient methodology, investigators called 322 psychiatrists who were listed in a major insurer's database for three U.S. cities, and they attempted to make appointments for a child with three payment types: Blue Cross–Blue Shield, Medicaid, and self-pay. Initial appointments were available 11% of the time, and it was most difficult to obtain an appointment under Medicaid coverage. Nineteen percent of phone numbers were wrong, and 25% of psychiatrists were not accepting new patients. These results are concerning given the current mental health crisis among youths and suggest the need for more psychiatrists, higher reimbursement rates for psychiatric services, and continued efforts to increase access to care. This study also highlights the need for insurance companies to maintain accurate information in their databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A national emergency in child and adolescent mental health was declared in the United States in 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Open Forum discusses potential solutions to better support child and adolescent mental health by improving or expanding school-based mental health services, child psychiatry access programs, virtual mental health services, and new models of care (e.g., integrated youth services hubs and crisis stabilization units). The success of such programs is dependent on stable funding, strong leadership and accountability, robust and well-trained workforces, systems integration, and attention to health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined telepsychiatry use among children enrolled in Medicaid before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective analysis was conducted of claims data from the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System for children (ages 3–17) with any mental health service use in 2019 (N=5,606,555) and 2020 (N=5,094,446). The number of children using mental health services declined by 9.1% from 2019 to 2020. Mental health services in all care settings (inpatient, outpatient, residential, emergency department, intensive outpatient/partial hospitalization) declined except for telehealth, which increased by 829.6%. In 2020, 44.5% of children using telehealth were non-Hispanic White, 16.1% were non-Hispanic Black, and 19.7% were Hispanic. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, trauma, anxiety, depression, and behavior/conduct disorder were the most prevalent psychiatric diagnoses among children using telehealth services. Although telehealth use increased substantially in 2020, overall mental health service use declined among Medicaid-enrolled children. Telehealth may not fully address unmet mental health service needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide rates and frequency of pediatric emergency department (ED) visits for suicidal thoughts and behaviors have increased among Black preadolescents in the United States in recent years. This study examined whether characteristics of ED visits and treatment management of preadolescents with suicidal thoughts and behaviors differed by race. An electronic medical record query identified patients ages 8–12 (N=504) who visited a pediatric ED with a psychiatric-related chief complaint in 2019. The authors examined suicidal thoughts and behaviors that were reported with the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions tool, ED clinical impression, and ED disposition overall and by race. Compared with other racial groups, Black preadolescents were less likely to report suicidal thoughts, despite equivalent lifetime histories of suicide attempts, and were more likely to be brought to the ED by police and discharged (instead of being admitted to inpatient psychiatric care). Research to better understand racial disparities in suicide risk among preadolescents can inform prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high prevalence of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders in the United States, coupled with the severe and pervasive shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists, has led 46 states and territories to launch programs providing child psychiatry consultation to pediatricians. Although these programs aim to increase access to psychiatric expertise, evidence of favorable program outcomes beyond user satisfaction has been limited. Findings from the authors' child psychiatry consultation program suggest that such programs may enable pediatricians to manage most cases referred for consultation, thereby extending the behavioral health workforce to the primary care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined predictors of readmission to a psychiatric inpatient unit of an urban children's hospital within 1 year of discharge among a racially diverse sample of youths. The authors retrospectively analyzed 2 years of electronic health record data of inpatient psychiatric unit admissions (N=1,604). Multivariate logistic regression and random-effects multinomial logistic regression were used for analyses. The estimated odds ratios for any readmission within 1 year of discharge were significantly higher for Black youths, youths insured by Medicaid, and youths with a length of stay longer than 7 days. Factors remained strongly predictive when examining multiple readmissions versus no readmissions. Black youths, youths insured by Medicaid, and youths with longer stays were more likely than other youths to be readmitted. Findings suggest the need for interventions such as care coordination to target predictors of readmission and the need to examine inequities in the health care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study examined racial-ethnic disparities in access to and utilization of treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other psychiatric diagnoses among children with ADHD.Methods: Nationally representative, cross-sectional data from the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2011-2019 were used to examine racial-ethnic disparities in access to and utilization of treatment by children ages 5-17 with ADHD (N=5,838). Logistic regression models were estimated for access outcomes, and generalized linear models were estimated for utilization outcomes. Multivariable regression models adjusted for race-ethnicity, age, sex, and treatment need in accordance with the Institute of Medicine definition of health care disparities.Results: In adjusted analyses, compared with White children with ADHD, Black, Hispanic, and Asian children with ADHD had significantly lower rates of any past-year treatment visit for ADHD or for other psychiatric diagnoses. They also had lower rates of having accessed ADHD medication. Compared with White children, Black and Asian children with ADHD used fewer ADHD medications, and Black and Hispanic children with ADHD had lower overall mental health treatment expenditures.Conclusions: Disparities in ADHD treatment among children from racial-ethnic minority populations may be driven primarily by disparities in access rather than in utilization. Once treatment had been accessed, disparities in utilization were largely accounted for by differences in socioeconomic status. These findings suggest that interventions targeting access to treatment among children from racial-ethnic minority populations may help close existing care gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The authors aimed to examine racial-ethnic differences in filled psychotropic prescriptions among a pediatric Medicaid population.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients ages 0-21 with at least one North Carolina Medicaid claim from October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018 (N=983,886). The primary outcome was a filled psychotropic prescription. Separate multivariable modified Poisson regression models generated adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for patient demographic characteristics.Results: Black and Hispanic patients were significantly less likely to receive any filled psychotropic prescription (ARR=0.61, 95% CI=0.60-0.62; ARR=0.29, 95% CI=0.28-0.29, respectively) compared with White and non-Hispanic patients. Furthermore, Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to receive filled prescriptions in the four included drug classes compared with White and non-Hispanic patients.Conclusions: Future studies should focus on understanding the factors contributing to racial and ethnic differences among pediatric patients receiving filled psychotropic prescriptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) programs increase access to mental health care by providing training, consultation, and resource-referral support to primary care providers (PCPs). The authors compared trends in services provided by two PMHCA programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maryland and Mississippi PMHCA programs had 2,840 contacts with PCPs from January 2019 to March 2021. Descriptive trends on PMHCA program utilization, service type, clinical severity, diagnostic complexity, and PCP contact reasons were reported. Both programs observed significant increases in call volume during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before COVID-19. Increases were observed in calls regarding patients with multiple diagnoses (Maryland, 20% to 37%; Mississippi, 0% to 11%) as well as patients with mood and anxiety symptoms. Changes in PMHCA program usage suggest that PCPs identified more complex mental health concerns, particularly regarding mood and anxiety, during the pandemic than before COVID-19. Trends underscore the importance of PMHCA programs in supporting PCPs with managing pediatric mental health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveThe study examined state variation in rates of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) determinations, allowances, and receipt of benefits for ten selected child mental disabilities in 2013.MethodsSSI administrative and U.S. Census Bureau data collected by a multidisciplinary consensus committee convened by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in 2015 were examined.ResultsLess than 1% of children in 2013 were recipients of SSI for mental disabilities. Determination rates ranged from 1,441 to 251 per 100,000 low-income children, an almost sixfold difference. Allowance rates varied from 16% to 78%, a fivefold difference. Receipt of benefits ranged from .7% to 5.3%, a sevenfold difference.ConclusionsLarge unexplained discrepancies across states were found in review and receipt of SSI benefits for low-income children with mental disabilities. Inequities that cannot be explained by disability severity or financial need violate the ethos of equitable access to federally entitled services.

Objective: Systems of care (SOCs) were developed to increase access to and quality of care for children with emotional and behavioral difficulties and their families through the provision of coordinated, community-based, culturally competent, family-driven services. SOCs focus on wraparound care that is individualized to meet each family's needs. Previous research has illustrated significant disparities in outcomes of nonwraparound care on the basis of youths' race-ethnicity. This study aimed to fill a research gap by examining disparities in outcomes for families receiving wraparound care coordination within an SOC.Methods: This exploratory study examined racial-ethnic disparities in outcomes observed at intake, during service provision, and at 6-month follow-up among 1,138 youths and their caregivers who participated in wraparound care coordination as part of a statewide SOC between 2016 and 2020. Analyses of variance and regression analyses were executed to investigate whether receiving services and/or the youths' racial-ethnic identity predicted differences in behavioral health outcomes and characteristics of or satisfaction with care. Caregiver-reported outcomes were assessed with the Ohio Scales for Youth, the Child Trauma Screen, and the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire.Results: Results revealed few racial-ethnic disparities in the characteristics and outcomes of care coordination among participants at intake or in family involvement in the wraparound process. Participants across groups reported similar and significant improvement in outcomes. However, the results indicated some disparities in satisfaction with care.Conclusions: Results revealed the positive impact of care coordination on the health and well-being of youths and caregivers across racial-ethnic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of significant shortages in the behavioral health workforce, primary care providers (PCPs) have become the de facto mental health providers to address poor access to mental health care. Child psychiatry access programs (CPAPs) could support PCPs through case consultations. This column describes the innovative Missouri Child Psychiatry Access Project, highlighting the unique enhancements to existing CPAPs and the partnership between community and academic settings to support behavioral health access in primary care. Using an implementation science approach, the authors applied the RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance) framework to disseminate replicable steps for other systems; they also discuss future directions for expanding utility and scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate prescribing patterns of antipsychotic medication and factors that predict duration of use among low-income, preschool-age children.Methods: State Medicaid claims from 2012 to 2017 were used to identify antipsychotic medication use for children <6 years old. ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes were used to describe child diagnoses. Descriptive and multivariable analyses were used to determine patterns of antipsychotic medication use and factors that predicted duration of use.Results: In 2012, 316 children <6 years of age started an antipsychotic medication in a southeastern state. Most were non-Hispanic White (N=202, 64%) and boys (N=231, 73%). Diagnoses included attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (N=288, 91%), neurodevelopmental disorders (N=208, 66%), anxiety and trauma-related diagnoses (N=202, 64%), and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) (N=137, 43%). The mean±SD duration of exposure to antipsychotic medication for children in the cohort was 2.6±1.7 years, but 86 children (27%) had >4 years of exposure. Almost one-third (N=97, 31%) received polypharmacy of four or more medication classes, and 42% (N=131) received metabolic screening. Being male, being in foster care, and having a diagnosis of ASD or disruptive mood dysregulation disorder were significantly associated with duration of use of antipsychotic medications; race-ethnicity was not significantly associated with duration of use. Emergency department visits (N=277, 88%) and inpatient hospitalizations (N=107, 34%) were observed during the study period.Conclusions: Many preschoolers received antipsychotic medications for substantial periods. Further research is needed to identify evidence-based practices to reduce medication use and improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mental health agencies provide critical safety net services for youths. No research has assessed impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on services these agencies provide or youths they serve. This study sought to characterize agency officials' perceptions of the pandemic's impacts on youths and challenges to providing youth services during the pandemic and to examine associations between these challenges and impacts.Methods: Surveys were completed in September-October 2020 by 159 state or county mental health agency officials from 46 states. Respondents used 7-point scales (higher rating indicated more severe impact or challenge) to rate the pandemic's impact on youth mental health issues, general service challenges, and telepsychiatry service challenges across patient, provider, and financing domains. Multiple linear regression models estimated associations between service challenges (independent variables) and pandemic impacts (dependent variables).Results: Most agency officials perceived the pandemic as having disproportionately negative mental health impacts on socially disadvantaged youths (serious impact, 72%; mean rating=5.85). Only 15% (mean=4.29) perceived the pandemic as having a seriously negative impact on receipt of needed youth services. Serious service challenges were related to youths' lack of reliable equipment or Internet access for telepsychiatry services (serious challenge, 59%; mean=5.47) and the inability to provide some services remotely (serious challenge, 42%, mean=4.72). In regression models, the inability to provide some services remotely was significantly (p≤0.01) associated with three of five pandemic impacts.Conclusions: Officials perceived the COVID-19 pandemic as exacerbating youth mental health disparities but as not having a dramatic impact on receipt of needed services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: ICD-11 clinical guidelines for mental and behavioral disorders must be tested in clinical settings to guarantee their usefulness worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate interrater reliability and clinical utility of the ICD-11 guidelines for children and adolescents in assessing and diagnosing mood, anxiety, and fear-related disorders; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and disruptive behavioral disorder (DBD).Methods: Children and adolescents ages 6-17 from two specialized settings in Mexico City were interviewed. Each was interviewed by a pair of psychiatrists (interviewer and observer), who independently codified established diagnoses and evaluated the clinical utility of the guidelines with each participant. Kappa values were calculated to determine the level of general diagnostic correlation between the two clinicians.Results: A total of 25 psychiatrists evaluated 52 children and adolescents. Kappa values between clinicians ranged from 0.46 to 0.53 for mood, anxiety, and fear-related disorders and for ADHD; the kappa value was 0.81 for DBD guidelines. Over 80% of psychiatrists reported that the guidelines, qualifiers, and descriptions of developmental presentations were quite useful.Conclusions: ICD-11 guidelines for mental and behavioral disorders of children and adolescents demonstrated mostly moderate interrater reliability and strong interrater reliability in the case of DBD. A large proportion of clinicians regarded the guidelines as quite useful clinical tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Acetaminophen is a common cause of intentional and inadvertent overdoses among children and adolescents worldwide. Little is known about characteristics and clinical outcomes of these youths. The primary goal of this naturalistic study was to describe the psychiatric characteristics, medical management, outcomes, and dispositions of children and adolescents evaluated for excessive acetaminophen exposure.Methods: The Rochester Epidemiology Project database was searched for all patients ages 0-18 treated for excessive acetaminophen exposure in Olmsted County, Minnesota, during a 7-year period (2004-2010). Demographic factors, overdose intentionality, medical and psychiatric treatment, mental health and addiction history, and disposition from the emergency department (ED) were documented.Results: Of 110 cases of acetaminophen overdose (89 female patients and 21 male patients), 97 (88%) were intentional and 13 (12%) were unintentional. Fifteen patients (14%) were discharged from the ED, and 69 (63%) required admission to a medical unit. Sixty-four (59%) received N-acetylcysteine. Ninety-eight (89%) were evaluated by psychiatry, and 80 (73%) were admitted for psychiatric hospitalization. Most had at least one psychiatric diagnosis, most commonly depression (55%); 22 (20%) had a prior suicide attempt. Substance use was common, notably alcohol dependence (N=16, 15%), alcohol abuse (N=18, 16%), and cannabis abuse (N=18, 16%). All survived and recovered without liver transplant.Conclusions: Among pediatric patients with acetaminophen overdoses, psychiatric comorbidities and substance use were common. Most received both inpatient medical and psychiatric treatment. Interventions that restrict acetaminophen access are needed for this population, as are suicide risk reduction interventions for delivery in emergency settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early neural development and maternal health have critical long-term effects on children's mental health and outcomes later in life. As child mental disorders continue to rise nationwide, a number of states are considering new ways of investing in the critical early childhood period to prevent later poor outcomes and reduce the burden on the mental health system. Because most state mental health authorities (SMHAs) have no dedicated mental health dollars to devote to this early, crucial period of child development, building coalitions is key to implementing prevention and promotion programming. The authors describe two issues-coalition building and contractual considerations-that should be considered as SMHAs develop these types of policies or plan new prevention and promotion initiatives. Coalition building includes establishing the structural conditions for implementing a prevention or promotion initiative, resolving workforce issues (i.e., who will carry the program out), and engaging communities and families in the effort. Contractual considerations include establishing agreed-upon measures and metrics to monitor outcomes, assigning accountability for those outcomes, and delineating realistic time frames for these investments before expecting improved outcomes. The promise of moving services upstream to support early childhood development, to prevent mental health issues from derailing children's development, and to promote children's well-being are goals that are within reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review examines the history and contemporary landscape of school mental health, describing evidence that schools are an essential component of the system of child and adolescent care and providing recommendations to advance this vital care delivery system. This literature review of scientific data and shifts to policy and practice in school mental health documents the evolution of collaboration between the education and mental health systems to support student mental health. This review describes best practices and provides examples for achieving the standards of the comprehensive school mental health systems model in states and local communities. Data demonstrate that multitiered systems of mental health support and services in schools, including mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment, improve academic and psychosocial functioning and reduce risk of poor outcomes, including mental illness and school failure. Policy and practice shifts in the field reflect a movement toward integrating mental health systems into the education sector, including preparing the education workforce to promote mental health and to support early identification of and intervention to address mental illness. To create a full continuum of mental health supports for students, states and districts can draw on national best practices and state exemplars as they install multitiered systems of mental health supports in all schools, conduct universal student mental health monitoring, and coordinate school and community mental health systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States is in the midst of a children's mental health crisis, with rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide increasing precipitously. Evidence produced by children's mental health services research can help address this crisis by informing public policy decisions about service delivery, system design, and investments in the social determinants of mental health. Unfortunately, the policy impact of children's mental health services research is limited because evidence often fails to reach policy makers, be responsive to their needs, resonate with their worldview, or reflect the contexts in which they make decisions. Dissemination strategies-defined as the development and targeted distribution of messages and materials about research evidence pertaining to a specific issue or intervention-can help address these challenges. Yet, limited integrated guidance exists to inform the design of such strategies. This article addresses this need by synthesizing the results of empirical studies to provide guidance about how to enhance the dissemination of children's mental health services research to policy makers. The article provides four recommendations about the content of policy maker-focused dissemination materials, discusses how strategic framing and message tailoring can increase the chances that evidence is persuasive to policy makers, and highlights strategies to ensure that evidence reaches policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate predictors of psychiatric hospital readmission of children and adolescents, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted.Methods: Following PRISMA statement guidelines, a systematic literature search of articles published between 1997 and 2018 was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and PsycINFO for original peer-reviewed articles investigating predictors of psychiatric hospital readmission among youths (<18 years old). Effect sizes were extracted and combined by using random-effects meta-analysis. Covariates were investigated with meta-regression and subgroup analyses.Results: Thirty-three studies met inclusion criteria, containing information on 83,361 children and adolescents, of which raw counts of readmitted vs. non-readmitted youths were available for 76,219. Of these youths, 13.2% (N=10,076) were readmitted. The mean±SD study follow-up was 15.9±15.0 months, and time to readmission was 13.1±12.8 months. Readmission was associated with, but not limited to, suicidal ideation at index hospitalization (pooled odds ratio [ORpooled]=2.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.64-3.37), psychotic disorders (ORpooled=1.87, 95% CI=1.53-2.28), prior hospitalization (ORpooled=2.51, 95% CI=1.76-3.57), and discharge to residential treatment (ORpooled=1.84, 95% CI=1.07-3.16). There was evidence of moderate study bias. Prior investigations were methodologically and substantively heterogeneous, particularly for measurement of family-level factors.Conclusions: Interventions to reduce child psychiatric readmissions should place priority on youths with indicators of high clinical severity, particularly with a history of suicidality, psychiatric comorbidity, prior hospitalization, and discharge to residential treatment. Standardization of methods to determine prevalence rates of readmissions and their predictors is needed to mitigate potential biases and inform a national strategy to reduce repeated child psychiatric hospital readmissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study compared clinician contact with clients' caregivers by service setting, specifically schools, which are the most common service setting for youths.Methods: Data were from a state-funded cognitive-behavioral therapy training initiative. Clinicians (N=177) completed pretraining and postconsultation surveys including retrospective reports of caregiver contact and amount of school-based practice.Results: School-based clinicians were less likely than non-school-based clinicians to report any contact with caregivers. Full-time school-based clinicians were less likely than part-time school-based clinicians to report any contact with caregivers. School-based clinicians also were less likely than clinicians in other settings to have in-person contact with caregivers, and full-time school-based clinicians were less likely than part-time school-based clinicians to report in-person contact with caregivers.Conclusions: Given the inherent advantages of school-based treatment, integration of mental health services for youths in schools is increasingly supported by funding and policy. The findings of this study suggest, however, that investing in strategies to engage caregivers in such treatment may be worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Youths are using emergency departments (EDs) for behavioral health services in record numbers, even though EDs are suboptimal settings for service delivery. In this article, the authors evaluated a mobile crisis service intervention implemented in Connecticut with the aim of examining whether the intervention was associated with reduced behavioral health ED use among those in need of services.Methods: The authors examined two cohorts of youths: 2,532 youths who used mobile crisis services and a comparison sample of 3,961 youths who used behavioral health ED services (but not mobile crisis services) during the same fiscal year. Propensity scores were created to balance the two groups, and outcome analyses were used to examine subsequent ED use (any behavioral health ED admissions and number of behavioral health ED admissions) in an 18-month follow-up period.Results: A pooled odds ratio of 0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.66-0.84) indicated that youths who received mobile crisis services had a significant reduction in odds of a subsequent behavioral health ED visit compared with youths in the comparison sample. The comparable result for the continuous outcome of number of behavioral health ED visits yielded an incidence risk ratio of 0.78 (95% CI=0.71-0.87).Conclusions: Using comparison groups, the authors provided evidence suggesting that community-based mobile crisis services, such as Mobile Crisis, reduce ED use among youths with behavioral health service needs. Replication in other years and locations is needed. Nevertheless, these results are quite promising in light of current trends in ED use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column describes the establishment of the Michigan Child Collaborative Care (MC3), a statewide telepsychiatry consultation program that provides support to primary care providers (PCPs) in meeting the mental health needs of youths and perinatal women. The MC3 program provides cost-effective, timely, remote consultation to primary care providers in an effort to address the lack of access and scarcity of resources in child, adolescent, and perinatal psychiatry. Data from 10,445 service requests are summarized. Common diagnoses included attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and autistic spectrum disorders, with many cases (58%) deemed moderate to severe. Co-occurring psychological trauma was suspected in 9% of service requests. Partnerships, stakeholder roles, PCP engagement, and workflow integration are highlighted as keys to the program's success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study examined lifetime use of mental health services among children diagnosed as having mental disorders in two major cities in Brazil and identified characteristics associated with unmet need.Methods: The data were collected as part of the High Risk Cohort Study, a community study conducted in Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre, Brazil. During the period from 2010 to 2011, a total of 2,511 children ages 6 to 12 were assessed, and 652 were given a diagnosis of at least one mental disorder. The current study analyzed data for a subsample of 651 children with complete information on use of mental health services.Results: Eighty-one percent of the children with mental disorders had not received mental health treatment in the past. The majority who received treatment were treated with psychotherapy or a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Mixed-race children were significantly more likely to have unmet need for treatment, compared with white children.Conclusions: The high rate of unmet need among children with mental disorders should be addressed with strategies to improve access to health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mental health concerns are common in pediatric primary care, but practitioners report low levels of comfort managing them. A primary care intervention addressing organizational and individual factors was developed to improve the management of common mental health conditions.Methods: Twenty-nine practices participated in a statewide learning collaborative over 18 months. On-site training was used to teach communication and brief intervention skills and develop an organizational context supportive of mental health. Clinician confidence was measured pre- and postintervention. Medicaid claims data were used to estimate the intervention's effects on identification of mental health conditions and prescribing practices.Results: Mean clinician confidence scores increased by 20% (95% confidence interval [CI]=15% to 25%), from 2.92 at baseline to 3.55 postintervention. In the first month of the preintervention year, 6.65% of patients with an office visit had at least one visit for a mental health condition, rising to 9% postintervention; this trend was driven by detection and treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Rates of prescribing ADHD medication to patients with visits for ADHD increased by 0.12 percentage points per month (CI=0.02 to 0.22, p=0.022). Rates of prescribing second-generation antipsychotics to all patients with office visits decreased by 0.014 percentage points per month (CI=-.03 to -.00, p=0.028), relative to preintervention trends.Conclusions: This study suggests that a multicomponent intervention addressing individual staff and organizational factors together can promote identification and treatment of child mental health conditions in primary care. Future research is required to better understand the core components, impact on health outcomes, and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The streaming series 13 Reasons Why generated controversy because of its depiction of teen suicide and concerns about its impact on vulnerable youths. This study examined exposure to and patterns of engagement with the show and the show's perceived impact in a sample of youths presenting to a psychiatric emergency department (ED) with suicide-related concerns in the year after the series' premiere.Methods: Participants were 87 parent-youth dyads (youths' mean±SD age=14.6±1.8; 71% of youths were female, 26% male, and 2% gender nonconforming) who completed a battery of questionnaires during their ED visit.Results: Half (49%) of the sample viewed at least one episode of 13 Reasons Why, season 1. Most youths (84%) viewed the show alone and were more likely to discuss their reactions with peers (80%) than with a parent (34%). Over half of youth viewers (51%) believed the series increased their suicide risk to a nonzero degree; having a stronger identification with the lead female character was significantly related to this belief (r=.63, df=41, p<0.001). Youths with more depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were more likely to identify with the lead characters and report negative affect while viewing.Conclusions: To date, this is the first published study examining viewing patterns and reactions to 13 Reasons Why in a high-risk sample. Although further research is needed, the findings suggest a particular vulnerability to the show's themes among youths at risk of suicide and the importance of prevention strategies to ameliorate risk among these viewers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study described rates and characteristics of U.S. children hospitalized with a behavioral (mental or substance use) disorder.Methods: This cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2012 Kids' Inpatient Database included 483,281 hospitalizations in general and children's hospitals of persons under age 21 with a primary or secondary behavioral diagnosis.Results: The admission rate with any behavioral diagnosis was 5.5 per 1,000 children in the U.S. population, with 2.9 having a primary behavioral diagnosis. Common primary diagnoses included depression (34%), other mood (31%), psychotic (9%), and substance use (7%) disorders. The most common behavioral diagnoses secondary to a primary diagnosis that is not behavioral were depression (26%), attention-deficit disorder (26%), and substance use disorders (22%). Suicide or self-harm was rarely the primary diagnosis (.1%) but complicated 12% of admissions with a primary behavioral diagnosis. Variations in admissions (per 1,000 children in the U.S. population) with a primary behavioral diagnosis were noted by race-ethnicity (blacks, 3.2; whites, 2.9; and Hispanics, 1.4), insurance (public, 2.9; private, 2.0), and geographic region. Fifty-nine of every 1,000 peripartum admissions in the 12-20 age group had a secondary behavioral diagnosis. Patients with behavioral comorbidities were more likely to be transferred to another facility (8.0% versus 2.2%, p<.001). Behavioral disorders comorbid to nonbehavioral disorders increased length of stay (4.3 versus 3.3 days, p<.001) and costs ($12,742 versus $9,929, p<.001).Conclusions: Nearly 500,000 pediatric admissions in 2012 included behavioral disorders. Comorbidities were associated with longer stays and an estimated $1.36 billion additional annual costs, which were disproportionately borne by public insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the cost of evidence based practice (EBPs) through children's mental health agencies including sustainment barrier, quantifying incremental costs, and lost revenue details. The article reports a study is been developed for the community mental health agencies (CMHAs) with (trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy (TF-CBT). It is suggested that reimbursement rates and financial incentives are required to promote EBPs.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the determinants of use of mental health services for children across Europe, with a specific focus on differences in the availability of mental health resources.Methods: Data were drawn from the School Children Mental Health in Europe Project. Parent- and teacher-reported child mental health status was based on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics of parents and children, as well as academic performance and use of mental health services in the previous 12 months, were collected. Countries were categorized as having high versus low mental health resources. The sample comprised 4,894 schoolchildren in seven countries.Results: Across Europe, only 25.6% of children with a mental disorder had received mental health services in the previous 12 months, including 31.5% in high-resources countries and 18.9% in low-resources countries (p=.001) (N=4,867). The presence of any mental disorder, maternal psychological distress, gender, living in a single-parent home, and low academic performance were determinants of service use. The effect of resources group on the likelihood of receiving services remained significant when the analyses controlled for all predictors (odds ratio=1.41, p<.01). Determinants differed between groups-maternal psychological distress was associated with service use in high-resources countries, and gender was associated with service use in low-resources countries.Conclusions: The findings point to a substantial portion of unmet need across Europe and to major differences in access to care in low- versus high-resources countries. Efforts are needed to address unmet need among children with mental disorders, especially in low-resources countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column describes an innovative collaboration in Michigan that could serve as a model for meaningful community-university-state partnerships. Recent legislation in Michigan threatened the infant mental health home visiting program, a service for Medicaid-eligible infants, toddlers, and families affected by mental illness. The University of Michigan is overseeing two major studies in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health, the Michigan Infant Toddler Research Exchange faculty network, and community health service providers to determine the evidence base for the program and ensure its future success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column presents results of a pay-for-performance (P4P) initiative to reduce psychiatric inpatient length of stay for Medicaid-covered youths at eight hospitals in Connecticut in 2008 (N=715), 2009 (N=1,408), and 2010 (N=782). Compared with the 2007 baseline, average length of stay decreased by 25% (from 18.1 to 13.6 days) by the end of the P4P program, with concurrent nonsignificant decreases in 7- and 30-day readmissions. Readmitted youths tended to access postdischarge care sooner and use more community-based services during the first 180 days postdischarge. Additional research is needed, but the P4P program appears to have contributed to shortening inpatient stay without apparent adverse outcome on increases in postdischarge service use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: ICD-11 clinical guidelines for mental and behavioral disorders must be tested in clinical settings to guarantee their usefulness worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate interrater reliability and clinical utility of the ICD-11 guidelines for children and adolescents in assessing and diagnosing mood, anxiety, and fear-related disorders; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and disruptive behavioral disorder (DBD)., Methods: Children and adolescents ages 6-17 from two specialized settings in Mexico City were interviewed. Each was interviewed by a pair of psychiatrists (interviewer and observer), who independently codified established diagnoses and evaluated the clinical utility of the guidelines with each participant. Kappa values were calculated to determine the level of general diagnostic correlation between the two clinicians., Results: A total of 25 psychiatrists evaluated 52 children and adolescents. Kappa values between clinicians ranged from 0.46 to 0.53 for mood, anxiety, and fear-related disorders and for ADHD; the kappa value was 0.81 for DBD guidelines. Over 80% of psychiatrists reported that the guidelines, qualifiers, and descriptions of developmental presentations were quite useful., Conclusions: ICD-11 guidelines for mental and behavioral disorders of children and adolescents demonstrated mostly moderate interrater reliability and strong interrater reliability in the case of DBD. A large proportion of clinicians regarded the guidelines as quite useful clinical tools.

In the setting of the current youth mental health crisis and increasing rates of suicide, detecting suicide risk and intervening to prevent it is crucial. Factors that confer an elevated risk of suicide attempts and death by suicide include past suicide attempts, nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior, psychiatric disorders, gender and sexual minority identity, family history, history of trauma and loss, bullying, a lack of connectedness, and access to lethal means. Proper screening, assessment, and crisis planning may help save lives and reverse the trend of increasing youth suicide rates., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Psychiatric Association.)

Objective: The study examined differences in psychotropic polypharmacy among youths with serious emotional and behavioral disorders who received coordinated care services (CCS) that used a wraparound model and a matched sample of youths who received traditional services., Methods: A quasi-experimental design compared psychotropic polypharmacy one year before and one year after discharge from CCS. The cohort was youths with serious emotional and behavioral disorders who were enrolled in CCS from December 2009 through May 2014. The comparison group was youths with serious emotional and behavioral disorders who received outpatient mental health services during the same time. Administrative data from Medicaid, child welfare, and juvenile justice services were used. A difference-in-difference analysis with propensity score matching evaluated the CCS intervention by time effect on psychotropic polypharmacy., Results: In both groups, most youths were male, black, and 10-18 years old, with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (54%-55%), mood disorder (39%-42%), depression (26%-27%), and bipolar disorder (25%-26%). About half of each group was taking an antipsychotic. The percentage reduction in polypharmacy from one year before CCS enrollment to one year after discharge was 28% for the CCS group and 29% for the non-CCS group, a nonsignificant difference. CCS youths excluded from the analysis had more complex mental health needs and a greater change in polypharmacy than the CCS youths who were included in the analytic sample., Conclusions: Mental health care coordination had limited impact in reducing psychotropic polypharmacy for youths with less complex mental health needs. Further research is needed to evaluate the effect on psychotropic polypharmacy among youths with the greatest mental health needs.

Objective: This study examined the association between race-ethnicity and patterns of medication gaps and discontinuities among Medicaid-insured children initiating pharmacotherapy for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)., Methods: Medicaid claims data from nine states were used to identify racial-ethnic differences in patterns of ADHD medication treatment among 102,669 children initiating ADHD medication. Multinomial logistic regression with state indicators was used to estimate these differences, with adjustment for individual and contextual confounders., Results: Approximately three-fifths of the sample did not receive continuous medication treatment as defined by HEDIS guidelines; among them, one-fifth discontinued treatment with no subsequent reinitiation (early termination), less than one-tenth reinitiated pharmacotherapy following a single medication gap, more than three-tenths experienced discontinuous pharmacotherapy with two gaps, and more than four-tenths experienced discontinuous pharmacotherapy with three or more gaps. Compared with white children, black children had a 25% relative increase in the likelihood of early termination and Hispanic children had a 21% relative increase (p<.001); their relative increases in the likelihood of two medication gaps were 41% and 29%, respectively (p<.001), and for three or more gaps they were 56% and 40%, respectively (p<.001)., Conclusions: Black and Hispanic children were much more likely than white children to be classified as discontinuing ADHD medication treatment, according to HEDIS. The differences predominantly occurred because youths from minority groups were more likely to experience multiple medication gaps, rather than complete discontinuation. Future studies should examine reasons for these multiple gaps to inform interventions to improve ADHD treatment continuity.

Objective: The prescribing of second-generation antipsychotics for young people has increased dramatically. Studies have shown that children enrolled in Medicaid are more likely than those with private insurance to receive antipsychotics, leading many states to require prior authorization (PA) for their use. However, little is known about how PA programs affect prescribing patterns for antipsychotics or other psychotropic medications. This study examined a PA program for second-generation antipsychotic use for children under 18 in West Virginia Medicaid. Prescribing rates for antipsychotics and other psychotropic classes were assessed., Methods: Administrative claims from West Virginia Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program for September 2014 to July 2016 were examined (N=273,369 prescriptions) with an interrupted time-series design. Segmented linear regression was used to model both immediate effects and trends in prescribing rates before and after implementation of the PA program in August 2015., Results: After PA program implementation, the prescribing rate for second-generation antipsychotics immediately dropped by 17% from prior levels, adjusted for preexisting trends, and further declined in the following months. Prescribing rates for all second-generation antipsychotics except for aripiprazole decreased significantly. Benzodiazepine prescribing increased in the month after PA program implementation but immediately returned to prepolicy rates, and sustained compensatory prescribing was not observed for any psychotropic drug class., Conclusions: Implementation of a second-generation antipsychotic PA program for children under age 18 resulted in a significant decrease in the prescribing rate for this class of medication, without sustained compensatory prescribing of other psychotropic classes.