Pediatric Behavioral Health Integrated Care: Indiana Statewide Strategic Plan to Address the Growing Mental Health Crisis

Plain-language summary

This research is designed to analyze the implementation and fidelity of Pediatric Integrated Behavioral Health (PEDS-IBH). PEDS-IBH is a multifaceted project designed to address the pediatric mental health crisis by providing prompt and continuing mental health resources to pediatric patients in the primary care setting. The belief is the best way to combat this crisis is through early detection and treatment. Primary care providers (PCP) play a vital role in helping youth with mental health disorders because most youth see their PCP on a yearly basis for their annual well-child visits. However, PCPs have many barriers to treating their young patients with mental health disorders: lack of training, resources, and support to deliver interventions, limited time with patients, and the only available referral options often come with long wait times for an appointment or are at a distance to far for the patient to travel. Indiana University Health (IU Health) has sought to address these concerns by implementing the PEDS-IBH program in 25 different pediatric primary care sites throughout the state of Indiana. Each location will focus on early detection through screening and will have an assigned social worker with either a bachelors or master's level degree. Social workers will administer FIRST or MATCH therapy respectively to those who have been referred and meet the qualifications within the patient's "home" IU Health Clinic. The goal of this project is to learn if clinics participating in PEDS-IBH will increase in early detection and delivery of effective youth mental health treatment. Ultimately leading to better health outcomes when compared to standard primary care detection and treatment. The research portion of PEDS-IBH has three aims, (Aim 1) Evaluate the implementation of the Peds IBH program including the uptake/adoption of and fidelity to the program. (Aim 2) Explore the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the Peds IBH program. (Aim 3) Compare youth connection to behavioral health care pre- and post-implementation of the Peds IBH program, including time from referral to engagement in behavioral health services and use of emergency department, inpatient, and residential placements. The research team will interview and survey willing PCP's, clinic managers, and other clinic staff to gather information to address the aforementioned aims.

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