114. DESIGNING AND EVALUATING A NOVEL MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CURRICULUM

Abstract

Background Pediatric mental and behavioral health disorders are a growing public health concern with immediate and long-term impacts for children, families, and society. Pediatricians are uniquely positioned, but often inadequately trained, to identify and address childhood mental and behavioral health needs. Design/Methods Two major learning domains were identified for a 2-week rotation in senior year: 1) screening, diagnosis, and treatment of depression, anxiety, and ADHD in outpatient pediatric settings; and 2) evaluation, de-escalation, and triage of children in acute mental health crises. Residents participate in repeated sessions in integrated behavioral health clinics, conduct screenings with social workers, perform intakes supervised by a child psychiatrist, and evaluate patients with acute mental health concerns in the emergency department with child psychiatrists, in the community with Boston Emergency Services Team, and in inpatient settings with the hospital's Behavioral Response Team. Self-directed learning activities provide individualized experiences tailored to residents’ interests. By random selection, half of senior residents will participate in the rotation during its first year. All senior residents were invited to complete a baseline survey at the beginning of the year evaluating their satisfaction with their behavioral health training thus far. Results Fourteen of 29 (48%) eligible seniors completed the baseline assessment, showing that residents were least satisfied with their training in titrating/initiating medications to treat depression and anxiety, and most satisfied with their training in agitation management (Figure). Thus far, 11 senior residents have participated in the rotation. Conclusions Many senior residents have received limited training in behavioral and mental health competencies. We developed a novel 2-week rotation that leverages hands-on experiences with child psychiatrists, social workers, and crisis response teams, as well as individualized self-directed learning, which we will follow-up with surveys to assess efficacy as our next steps.