Funded Projects

Problem:

Oklahoma has a workforce shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAP), with 1.8 CAPs per 100,000 under the age of 18. Oklahoma also has a below recommended supply of non-prescribing behavioral health professionals with 13.4 psychologist per 100,000. Additionally, the youth suicide rate in the state has increased 103% since 2007. Oklahoma ranks 46th for youth with mental illness and 33rd for access to care. Appropriate access to behavioral health care is addressed by this project.

Goals and Objectives:

The overarching goal of this project is to create a sustained statewide pediatric mental health teleconsultation program, inclusive of an infant and early childhood emphasis to enhance prevention. To accomplish this, the first goal is to increase access to behavioral health care by expanding the capacity of pediatric primary care providers to detect, assess, treat, and refer for behavioral health needs. The objectives of this goal include increasing awareness and utilization of mental health screening and referral processes in primary care settings, creating a user-friendly online mental health resource site, and assisting pediatric primary care providers in accessing resources to support diagnosis and treatment planning. The second goal is to improve access to additional support services for infants, children, adolescents, and their families, including rural and medically underserved populations. The objectives include increasing the number of patients served by the consultation teams via pediatric primary care and the number of patients accessing behavioral health care, specifically those living in rural and underserved populations.

Methodology:

In year one, a needs assessment will be conducted, a resource database, inclusive of a web-based hub for clinical guidance and resource management, will be developed and an advisory council will be established. Four consultation teams will be established in years 2 to 5. In collaboration with Project ECHO, technical training and assistance; education including specialty trainings; peer networks; and learning collaboratives will be developed and implemented throughout the course of the project. Evaluations will be conducted throughout the project and program results will be communicated with all stakeholders and the general public.

Coordination:

Key personnel will coordinate project efforts with established networks of pediatric primary care and behavioral health providers as well as partners at Oklahoma universities, Project ECHO teams and stakeholders, and via professional associations. Outreach will also be coordinated via partnerships and collaborations with the state Medicaid program, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Center for Health Innovation and Effectiveness, HRSA, and state initiatives such as OK SIM. Coordination efforts will be enhanced by collaboration with a diverse and representative advisory committee.

Evaluation:

A database for collecting and managing all data essential to the project's performance, outcome, and impact measures will be designed and implemented and will utilize a secure web connection in a HIPAA-compliant environment allowing database access from multiple sites and providing audit trails and a de-identified data export. Pre and post-tests assessing knowledge retention will be implemented at various stages of training and education. Provider attendance at trainings and educational opportunities and technical assistance requests will be documented. Detailed data entry on consultation services and continuum of care outcomes will be maintained. Reports, inclusive of all project results, levels of engagement, and effectiveness of the project as well as milestones, lessons learned, outputs, and outcomes will be created and shared.