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Heetderks-Fong E, Bobb A. Community Mental Health Workers: Their Workplaces, Roles, and Impact. Community Ment Health J 2024:10.1007/s10597-024-01306-2. [PMID: 38896213 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-024-01306-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Mental health care in the U.S. is at a critical crisis, compounded with a severe shortage of providers. The cost burden is immense, with severe disparity seen in traditionally marginalized communities and rural populations. Community health workers have been used to increase access to physical health care in the U.S. for over seventy years-and have been used abroad for centuries. Their use in mental health care is more recent and can increase access, but raises policy, reimbursement, triage, and scopes-of-practice considerations. They are especially beneficial for many at-risk populations including communities of color, those with serious mental illness, rural communities, the elderly, and youth. This literature review searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar and provides a broad review of the different types of community mental health workers (community health workers/promotores de salud, peer support, peer navigators, and lay counselors), how they increase access to care, skill sets, practice locations, and uses for specific at-risk populations. Increasing and expanding the use of community mental health workers expands much needed mental health care to those at risk by task-shifting the burden on the traditional professional workforce, offering a solution to both the workforce shortage and the lack of equity in mental health care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Bobb
- Vreds Philanthropy, Washington, DC, USA
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Hostutler C, Wolf N, Snider T, Butz C, Kemper AR, Butter E. Increasing Access to and Utilization of Behavioral Health Care Through Integrated Primary Care. Pediatrics 2023; 152:e2023062514. [PMID: 37969039 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-062514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate changes in access to and utilization of behavioral health (BH) services after the integration of psychologists into primary care clinics compared with clinics without integrated psychologists. METHODS We integrated 4 of 12 primary care clinics within our academic health system. We used the median wait time for BH services as a proxy for changes in access and defined BH utilization as the percentage of primary care visits that resulted in contact with a BH clinician within 180 days. We compared changes in access and utilization from the year before integration (September 2015 to September 2016) with the 2 years after integration (October 2016 to October 2018) within integrated clinics and between integrated and nonintegrated clinics. We used difference-in-difference analysis to test the association of study outcomes with the presence of integrated psychologists. RESULTS Access and utilization were similar across all practices before integration. After integration, BH utilization increased by 143% in integrated clinics compared with 12% in nonintegrated clinics. The utilization of BH services outside of the medical home (ie, specialty BH service) decreased for integrated clinics only. In clinics with integrated psychologists, 93% of initial BH visits happened on the same day as a need was identified. The median wait time for the 7% in integrated clinics who were not seen on the same day was 11.4 days (interquartile range = 5.3-17.7) compared with 48.3 days (interquartile range = 20.4-93.6) for nonintegrated clinics. CONCLUSIONS A team-based integration model increased BH utilization and access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody Hostutler
- Department of Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Noelle Wolf
- Department of Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Tyanna Snider
- Department of Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Catherine Butz
- Department of Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Alex R Kemper
- Division of Primary Care Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Eric Butter
- Department of Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
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Hill C, Justo S, Park H, Bair-Merritt M, Morris A, Feinberg E, Sheldrick RC. Pediatric Provider and Staff Burnout in Federally Qualified Community Health Centers. J Ambul Care Manage 2023; 46:265-271. [PMID: 37540093 DOI: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
This study examined changes in provider and staff burnout in 4 Boston-area federally qualified community health centers (FQHCs) participating in a pediatric behavioral health integration project. Utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSSMP), the study found that emotional exhaustion among primary care providers ( M = 20.5; confidence interval [CI], 17.8-23.2) was higher ( P = .001) than that among behavioral health clinicians ( M = 13.6; CI, 10.4-16.8) and ( P = .00005) community health workers ( M = 10.8; CI, 7.3-14.2). Emotional exhaustion among staff increased ( P = .04) from baseline ( M = 16.8; CI, 15.0-18.6) to follow-up ( M = 20.8; CI, 17.5-24.2), but burnout at follow-up was lower than national averages. FQHCs are integral in caring for marginalized patients; therefore, supporting a stable workforce by minimizing burnout is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Hill
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center/Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (Mr Hill and Mss Justo, Park, and Morris and Drs Bair-Merritt and Feinberg); and Department of Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts (Dr Sheldrick)
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Kim J, Bair-Merritt MH, Rosenberg J, Feinberg E, Morris A, Durham MP, Estela MG, Sheldrick RC. Changes Over Time in Outcomes of School-Age Children and Parents Receiving Integrated Mental Health Care in Federally Qualified Health Centers. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2023; 44:e493-e500. [PMID: 37566878 PMCID: PMC10497205 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to understand change in parent-reported outcomes of mental health symptoms, health-related quality of life (QoL), and school-related functioning among children receiving mental health care at 3 federally qualified health centers engaging in a comprehensive pediatric mental health integration model. METHODS Trained personnel enrolled English- or Spanish-speaking families of 6- to 12-year-old children who had recently started receiving integrated mental health care and surveyed their parent/caregiver at 3 time points: entry into the cohort, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up (unique N = 51). Primary outcomes included validated measures of child symptoms, child health-related QoL, and child school-related functioning. Secondary outcomes focused on parental functioning and included validated measures of parental stress and depressive and internalizing symptoms. A multilevel mixed-effects generalized linear model was used to estimate the change in parent-reported outcomes over time, with inverse probability weights used to address attrition. Additional analyses were conducted to determine the degree to which changes in symptoms over time were associated with improvements in school-related functioning. RESULTS Over 12 months, children's mental health symptoms, health-related QoL, and school-related functional outcomes significantly improved. No changes in parental functioning were observed. In addition, improvements in mental health symptoms and health-related QoL were associated with improvements in school-related functional outcomes over time. CONCLUSION Findings demonstrate that outcomes of children who received integrated mental health care improved over time, both in regard to mental health and school functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Kim
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
| | - Megan H. Bair-Merritt
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Division of Pediatrics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | | | - Emily Feinberg
- Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
| | - Anita Morris
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Michelle P. Durham
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | | | - R. Christopher Sheldrick
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA
- Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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Merle JL, Carroll AJ, Mohanty N, Berkel C, Scherr C, Davis MM, Wakschlag LS, Smith JD. Pediatric clinicians' perspectives on assessing concerns about young children's social-emotional wellbeing in primary care. J Child Health Care 2023:13674935231163362. [PMID: 36916317 PMCID: PMC10500037 DOI: 10.1177/13674935231163362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
We surveyed pediatric primary care clinicians working in Federally Qualified Health Centers about their perceptions of children's social-emotional wellbeing. We identified clinician's current methods for assessing social-emotional wellbeing in practices, perceived implementation barriers to providing behavioral health care, and interest in adopting a validated, low-burden developmentally sensitive parent-report instrument for screening for social-emotional wellbeing in young children. We surveyed 72 PCCs working in FQHCs from 9 US states. Analyses included examining central tendencies, correlations, analysis of variance, and group differences via t-tests. Average PCC perceptions of social-emotional wellbeing importance for overall health were statistically significantly higher than their confidence in providing care for common social-emotional wellbeing concerns (mean difference = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.13-1.49). PCCs expressed low satisfaction with currently available screening measures for identifying concerns in social-emotional wellbeing. Fewer than half of clinicians reported using any standardized parent-reported measure for identifying concerns in social-emotional wellbeing. Assessment methods and decision tools that improve clinician confidence concerning risk indications are needed, particularly at the critical early childhood period. Policymakers and payers ought to facilitate funding mechanisms that support pediatric PCCs in identifying early concerns in social-emotional wellbeing and providing referral guidance to evidence-based interventions to support parents and caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L Merle
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Allison J Carroll
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nivedita Mohanty
- AllianceChicago and Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Cady Berkel
- Program in Integrated Behavioral Health, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Courtney Scherr
- Department of Communication Studies, School of Communication, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Matthew M Davis
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lauren S Wakschlag
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Justin D Smith
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Davis DW, Jawad K, Lohr WD, Trace M, Le J, Feygin Y, Jones VF. First-line Behavioral Health Treatment Prior to Stimulant or Alpha-2 Agonist Use for Preschoolers on Kentucky Medicaid in 2017. J Atten Disord 2023; 27:437-446. [PMID: 36635886 DOI: 10.1177/10870547221147543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess the degree to which the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) clinical guidelines were followed when treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in preschoolers. METHOD Using Medicaid claims for children 4 to 5 years of age receiving their first dose of stimulants/alpha-2 agonists in 2017 (n = 836), we determined if BH was received prior to initiation of medication. We examined predictors after controlling for confounders. RESULTS More than half the sample did not receive first-line BH, which did not differ by demographics. Those receiving BH prior to medication had a higher rate of receiving an ADHD diagnosis. Only three diagnoses were significant in multivariate (OR 13.8, 95% CI [1.7-115.1]) analyses. CONCLUSION More than half the sample did not, conservatively, meet the AAP clinical recommendations. Further research is needed to identify targets for intervention. Limitations are noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Winders Davis
- University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY, USA
- Norton Children's Research Institute affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY, USA
| | - Kahir Jawad
- Norton Children's Research Institute affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY, USA
| | - William David Lohr
- University of Louisville, KY, USA
- Norton Children's Medical Group, Louisville, KY, USA
- Kentucky Department of Community Based Services, Frankfort, USA
| | - Marie Trace
- Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, OH, USA
| | - Jennifer Le
- University of Louisville, KY, USA
- Norton Children's Medical Group, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Yana Feygin
- Norton Children's Research Institute affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY, USA
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Hoffmann JA, Alegría M, Alvarez K, Anosike A, Shah PP, Simon KM, Lee LK. Disparities in Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health Conditions. Pediatrics 2022; 150:e2022058227. [PMID: 36106466 PMCID: PMC9800023 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-058227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mental and behavioral health conditions are common among children and adolescents in the United States. The purpose of this state-of the-art review article is to describe inequities in mental and behavioral health care access and outcomes for children and adolescents, characterize mechanisms behind the inequities, and discuss strategies to decrease them. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these inequities is essential to inform strategies to mitigate these health disparities. Half of United States children with a treatable mental health disorder do not receive treatment from a mental health professional. Children and adolescents in racial, ethnic, sexual, sex, and other minority groups experience inequities in access to care and disparities in outcomes for mental and behavioral health conditions. Suicide rates are nearly twice as high in Black compared to White boys 5 to 11 years old and have been increasing disproportionately among adolescent Black girls 12 to 17 years old. Children identifying as a sexual minority have >3 times increased odds of attempting suicide compared to heterosexual peers. Adverse experiences of children living as part of a minority group, including racism and discrimination, have immediate and lasting effects on mental health. Poverty and an uneven geographic distribution of resources also contribute to inequities in access and disparities in outcomes for mental and behavioral health conditions. Strategies to address inequities in mental and behavioral health among United States children include investing in a diverse workforce of mental health professionals, improving access to school-based services, ensuring equitable access to telehealth, and conducting quality improvement with rigorous attention to equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Hoffmann
- . Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL
| | - Margarita Alegría
- . Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Kiara Alvarez
- . Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Amara Anosike
- . Office of Government Relations, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | | | - Kevin M. Simon
- . Adolescent Substance use and Addiction Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lois K. Lee
- . Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
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Safon CB, Estela MG, Rosenberg J, Feinberg E, Drainoni ML, Morris A, Durham MP, Bair-Merritt M, Sheldrick RC. Implementation of a Novel Pediatric Behavioral Health Integration Initiative. J Behav Health Serv Res 2022; 50:1-17. [PMID: 35915197 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-022-09803-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This study explores healthcare professionals' perspectives about the impact of behavioral health integration (BHI) on pediatric primary care delivery in community health centers (CHCs). A concurrent, qualitative-dominant mixed methods empirical study design was utilized, applying semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals at the end of the implementation phase of a 3-year co-development, implementation, and evaluation process. Surveys were also administered at three time points. Via thematic analysis, emergent qualitative themes were mapped onto the Relational Coordination (RC) conceptual framework to triangulate and complement final qualitative results with quantitative results. Interview findings reveal five emergent themes aligning with RC domains. Survey results show that healthcare professionals reported increased behavioral healthcare integration into clinic practice (p = 0.0002) and increased clinic readiness to address behavioral health needs (p = 0.0010). Effective pediatric BHI and care delivery at CHCs may rely on strong professional relationships and communication. Additional research from the patient/caregiver perspective is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara B Safon
- Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | | | - Emily Feinberg
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mari-Lynn Drainoni
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Michelle P Durham
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Megan Bair-Merritt
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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