Abstract
This presentation aims to create a pediatric behavioral health integration (BHI) model that was specifically responsive to the needs of children and families served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), where a disproportionate amount of the patient population experiences multiple risk factors to healthy development, including poverty, structural racism, and exposure to other traumatic stressors. To address evidence gaps related to pediatric BHI, an interdisciplinary team co-developed Transforming and Expanding Access to Mental Health Care in Urban Pediatrics (TEAM UP), a stepped-care model utilizing a practice transformation framework to expand screening and behavioral health (BH) care through a multidisciplinary care team including community health workers (CHWs) and behavioral health clinicians (BHCs). TEAM UP built the capacity of 3 FQHCs serving a total of 21,000 children, to deliver high-quality, evidence-based integrated BH care to children and families. TEAM UP FQHCs successfully used a consensus-driven governance structure to develop a shared clinical model, and a data-driven practice transformation framework to identify and resolve implementation barriers across the 3 unique health center environments. Given the central role that FQHCs play in caring for the nation’s most structurally marginalized children, adaptations that improve the fit of BHI within the FQHC environment could extend the benefits of improved behavioral outcomes and access to services for traditionally underserved populations. CHWs and BHCs play a critical role in responding to the needs of racially and ethnically diverse patient populations.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call