Co-Management of Anxiety & Depression

ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE PRIMARY CARE SETTING

Increasing the capacity of pediatric primary care providers to address mental health concerns is critical to meeting the needs of children at a time when there are too few mental health professionals.

The American Academy of Pediatric expects that pediatricians will handle a range of behavioral health services and work in collaboration with mental health providers. The challenge is that few pediatric primary care physicians have advanced training in behavioral pediatrics and many indicate concerns about their capacity to deliver this type of care.

CHDI developed a Co-Management of Depression and Anxiety program to help pediatric primary care providers detect, assess and manage anxiety and depression in their patients. Working with a team of pediatricians and mental health providers, CHDI designed an algorithm and accompanying tools for pediatricians to use in their practices. Follow up with pilot practices supported the feasibility of incorporating care for anxiety and depression into pediatric primary care.

These algorithm and tools can help practices:

• keep a record of family mental health concerns that may have implications for children’s mental health
• screen for mental health concerns across all age groups
• implement assessment following screening
• connect children with mental health concerns to services and communicate with mental health providers
• prescribe and management psychotropic medications

CHDI’s Co-Management of Depression and Anxiety algorithms are incorporated into practice support from Access Mental Health CT, a telephone behavioral health consultation service for pediatric primary care providers in Connecticut.

CHDI expects that the tools developed through this project, in combination with Access Mental Health CT, and EPIC trainings, will ensure consistent access to quality mental health services for children.

Providers can earn Part 4 Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit through Connecticut Children's Medical Center.  Learn more.

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