Improving Emergency Department Use for Children with Behavioral Health Needs
CHDI awarded $50,000 in grants to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary use of emergency departments by youth with behavioral health needs. The grants are funded by the Children’s Fund of Connecticut and administered by CHDI. Two initiatives were selected after participating in a competitive application process and are intended to advance recommendations from the 2018 report: Emergency Department Use by Connecticut Children and Youth with Behavioral Health Conditions: Improving Care and Promoting Alternatives.
The following selected projects will test innovative, scalable, collaborative, and evidence-informed strategies for improving emergency departments’ response to youth with behavioral health conditions.
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Foundation: $25,000. Under the direction of Steven Rogers, MD, MS and Ryan O’Donnell, MSN, RN, NEA-BC this project will develop and pilot test a novel behavioral health (BH) acuity assessment tool in the pediatric emergency department. The development of the BH acuity assessment tool will include an Page 2 of 2 interprofessional approach to ensure feasibility and will use the quality improvement model of rapid cycle improvements to ensure timely development. Results will be shared through professional publications and leveraged to obtain additional funding for a multicenter effectiveness and reliability study.
- Yale New Haven Hospital: $24,995. Under the direction of Beth Emerson, MD and Erika Setzer, MSN, “Reducing Avoidable Pediatric Psychiatric Emergency Department Use (RAPPED UP)” will investigate and create more efficient ED care pathways for children with behavioral health issues. They will develop and refine data-driven tools to inform patient flow and outcomes, as well as improve referral materials for community providers and caregivers. The goal is to support appropriate utilization of community-based behavioral health resources by the pediatric population.
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