February 20, 2023 – Children’s hospitals and pediatric care providers are facing staggering challenges as they emerge from the pandemic, according to a report from Vizient and Sg2. This report found that the rise of pediatric behavioral health conditions has increased need for interventions across the pediatric behavioral health System of CARE, and that the growth in inpatient demand is fueled by inadequate outpatient access.
Systems are already hard at work to help offset inpatient demand for pediatric behavioral health services in the years ahead with a focus on “the continued integration of behavioral health services in primary and subspecialty care, increased upstream programming, and the rise of intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization program alternatives as preferred treatment sites for anxiety, chemical dependency, autism and eating disorders.”
While systems are working to expand treatment options, Vizient and Sg2 had some key considerations for how to integrate behavioral health services across all care settings:
- Reassessing ED strategy to meet the clinical and facility needs of children with severe behavioral health diagnoses
- Proactively screening for behavioral health conditions across healthcare practices to improve access to early treatment for low- and middle-acuity patients
- Evaluating how expanded access and securing of payment impact the ability to adopt and implement telehealth and digital therapeutics for behavioral healthcare
- Leveraging social workers and nurse practitioners to provide behavioral health services for patients and employ peer recovery specialists to work with patients with substance use disorders
- Examining partnerships with local community allies and augment with national firms, to expand services without needing to house all services under the hospital umbrella
Learn More How integrated behavioral health can address the pediatric mental health crisis