50.2 JUST SAY YES: SUPPORTING PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE’S ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

Abstract

Pediatric primary care providers (PPCPs) are often the first point of contact for young children and their families when behavioral health concerns arise. Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) programs have been developed to support PPCPs in assessing and treating behavioral health concerns presenting in primary care. This presentation will discuss strategies developed by one PMHCA program, the Colorado Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation & Access Program (CoPPCAP), to support PPCPs in assessing and treating perinatal concerns and early childhood mental health concerns including a description of the model, current funding and policy successes, and the integration of the program within the public health system in Colorado. The development and outcomes of core components of CoPPCAP will be presented including the peer-to-peer consultation, support for finding resources, training on a “disruptive behavior action plan,” and education via Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) and learning collaboratives. This presentation will include active audience participation of polling questions and discussion to understand participants’ own work with primary care supporting early childhood mental health initiatives and models of funding. Data will be presented with respect to: the proportion of consultations for ages 0 to 6 years vs ages 7 to 12 years vs ages 13 to 18 years; types and outcomes of consultation for ages 0 to 6 years; PPCP practice change secondary to CoPPCAP; and outcomes of evaluation of our learning sessions. Participants will understand how CoPPCAP, a PMHCA program, has included early childhood mental health as a core component for consultation, teaching, and partnering with public health departments and state agencies. Ensuring enduring funding requires persistence and input from multiple stakeholders, and it must ensure return on investment. For true, successful prevention efforts through a population health model, early childhood mental health consultation must be provided where patients and their families are seeking help, the pediatric primary care setting. Programs such as CoPPCAP address the capacity for PPCPs to assess and treat the younger child in the primary care setting.