Project Tag: Collaborative Care
The Need for a Pediatric Treatment Resistant Depression Center of Excellence
SUMMARY – Treatment resistant depression is a growing problem for children in Texas and the United States. Twenty percent of children experience an episode of major depression before adulthood and rates of reported depression symptoms among children and youth grew to over 40% during the pandemic (receding in the years since to approximately 30%). Unfortunately, only about one third of these children receive needed care, and as many as 40% receive no treatment at all. Research demonstrates that untreated depression is the largest driver of suicide, which is the second and third leading cause of death in youth ages 10–14 and 15–24 in the United States, respectively. However, current models of care are inadequate to provide effective treatment, especially for children aged 12 and under. In this report, made possible by generous support from the Bette Rathjen Foundation for Emotional Health, the Meadows Institute lays out the programmatic elements necessary to implement a pediatric treatment resistant depression Center of Excellence, including in-depth examination of services, staffing, and related expenses.
A Texas Solution to a National Challenge: How Telehealth Can Bolster Youth Mental Health in the Near-Term
SUMMARY – The nation’s young people are facing a growing mental health challenge, one that has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health workforce shortages. This extends to Texas children and youth who face serious mental health issues despite the Texas Legislature’s unprecedented investments in behavioral health over the last decade. Ninety-nine percent of Texas counties still have partial mental health shortage designations, and rural areas face particular challenges to providing youth access to high-quality mental health care given the insufficient workforce. While a multi-pronged approach is needed to meet the mental health needs of Texas’ young people, one important near-term strategy centers on expanding access to and use of telehealth services. Importantly, there are opportunities for both the public and private sectors to act today to advance solutions for increasing access to quality mental health services for youth.
Behavioral Health Integration and Guidance Initiative
SUMMARY – The Meadows Institute partnered with Children’s Health, a top-rated children’s hospital in North Texas, to train pediatric health care providers to detect and treat mild-to-moderate behavioral health conditions such as anxiety, stress and depression in the primary care setting, so providers can address issues long before they escalate to a crisis point.
Measurement-Based Care in the Treatment of Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders
SUMMARY – This report expands upon the 2015 Kennedy Forum report to include additional measures and research supporting the use of MBC for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders in primary, specialty, and acute care settings. The report also addresses payment and policy strategies for expanding access to MBC.