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The Relationship Between Linkages to Behavioral Health Services in Pediatric Primary Care and Reductions in
Kalpana Pethe1, Angel R Maldonado-Soto2, Juhi Saxena3
1Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center-Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. kp2616@cumc.columbia.edu.
Insights
Integrating behavioral health (BH) services in pediatric primary care reduced non-urgent emergency department (ED) visits for at-risk young children. Early screening and connection to BH services proved effective in lowering ED utilization.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Primary Care
- Behavioral Health Integration
- Public Health
Background:
- Pediatric primary care settings are increasingly integrating behavioral health (BH) services to address social-emotional needs in young children.
- Early identification and intervention for at-risk children are crucial for developmental outcomes and healthcare resource utilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between linking at-risk young children to integrated BH services and a reduction in non-urgent emergency department (ED) visits.
- To evaluate the impact of BH screening and service connection on ED utilization patterns in a pediatric primary care population.
Main Methods:
- Socio-emotional screening was conducted in children aged 6-65 months by integrated BH teams within a pediatric clinic.
- Emergency department (ED) utilization was tracked for children identified with positive BH screening results.
- Comparison groups included children with positive screening, children with negative screening with concerns (NWC), and subgroups based on service connection.
Main Results:
- Children with positive BH screening were less likely to have non-urgent ED visits compared to the NWC group and more likely to be connected to services.
- Within the NWC group, children connected to BH services demonstrated reduced rates of non-urgent ED visits compared to those not connected.
- Integrated BH care showed a potential to decrease non-urgent ED visits among vulnerable pediatric populations.
Conclusions:
- Integrated behavioral health care in pediatric primary care is a viable strategy for mitigating non-urgent emergency department (ED) visits.
- Linking at-risk children to BH services through primary care can lead to more appropriate healthcare utilization and improved social-emotional support.
- This model highlights the potential of proactive, integrated care to optimize health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs in pediatrics.
Abstract:
The integration of behavioral health (BH) services within pediatric primary care has been utilized as a way to address young children's social-emotional needs. This study aimed to examine whether linking at-risk young children to BH services is associated with a reduction in "non-urgent" emergency department (ED) visits. BH teams integrated in a pediatric clinic conducted socio-emotional screening in children 6-65 months of age and tracked ED utilization for children with positive screening. The results indicated that children with positive screening are less likely to have a non-urgent ED visit than children with negative screening with concerns (NWC) and are more likely to be connected to services. Among children in the NWC group, those connected to services were less likely to have non-urgent ED visits than those not connected to services. These findings suggest that integrated behavioral health care has the potential to reduce non-urgent ED visits among at-risk children.
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