Using human-centered design to develop and implement a pediatric mental health care access program

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Human-Centered Design

Background:

• Pediatric mental health care access remains a challenge, particularly in underserved regions.
• Primary care providers (PCPs) often lack direct access to specialized psychiatric consultation.
• Integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings is crucial for improving child mental health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Portal (CAPP) program at UCSF.
• To highlight the role of Human-Centered Design (HCD) in shaping CAPP's services.
• To evaluate the initial impact and growth of a pediatric mental health care access (PMHCA) program.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles for program development and iterative improvement.
• Established a remote consultation service connecting PCPs with child and adolescent psychiatrists via a telephone warmline.
• Implemented training and education programs for pediatric providers.

Main Results:

• CAPP rapidly enrolled 1,714 providers from 257 practices across 36 counties.
• Provided 3,288 consults for 2,703 unique pediatric patients as of August 2023.
• Preliminary findings show high PCP satisfaction, despite ongoing integration challenges.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary partnerships and a people-centered approach are critical for the success and sustainability of PMHCA programs.
• HCD is an effective framework for designing and implementing responsive mental health services.
• The CAPP model demonstrates a scalable solution for improving pediatric mental health care delivery.