Funded Projects

Project videos:

Introduction video

Learn how the consultation process works in this 2-minute video

Problem:

There is a crisis in access to evidence-based behavioral health care in Michigan. Even though the prevalence of youth and peripartum psychiatric illness is estimated at 15-20%, 65% of counties in Michigan have no child/perinatal psychiatrists (CAPPs) and most youth (55%) do not receive treatment, particularly in rural and underserved urban areas impacted by poverty and trauma. Emergency rooms report increases in youth seen for suicidality and aggression secondary to trauma, autism spectrum disorders, and other social determinants of health. Primary care physicians and school-based child and adolescent health centers (CAHCs) report inability to access CAPPs for their patients, and lack of education that could assist them in assessment and treatment of children and peripartum women.

Goals and Objectives:

The Michigan Clinical Consultation & Care (MC3) program targets urban and rural disenfranchised populations through supporting local primary care providers who treat behavioral health issues in their clinics. MC3 offers same-day telephone consultation on youth from birth through 26 years and pregnant/ peripartum women, telehealth evaluation for complex patients, and behavioral health consultants to coordinate care. To date, 3400 primary care providers have been enrolled in the program. The goal of MC3 Community is to increase access to child psychiatry expertise in primary care including school-based CAHCs, select specialty care, school, and emergency settings, with improved coordination/communication between these settings. Objective 1: Continue to expand, disseminate, and evaluate MC3 consultation and educational programs to PCPs in primary care clinics and school-based CAHCs in urban, rural, and tribal underserved areas, increasing total consultations provided by 5% annually. Objective 2: Continue to expand, disseminate, and evaluate MC3 consultation and educational programs to mental health professionals in school settings representing youth in urban, rural and tribal underserved areas, increasing consultations provided by 5% annually. Objective 3: Develop, disseminate, and evaluate MC3 consultation and educational programs to select emergency services (ES) programs and clinicians, increasing consultations provided by 5% annually. Objective 4: Develop and implement a model of consultation with pediatric specialty pediatric providers in select Practices. Objective 5: Evaluate impact of MC3 program on provider actions, patient outcomes, and/or patient access to care.

Methodology:

MC3-Community will build upon PCP/CAHC enrollment, consultation, education, and screening methods already successfully used in the MC3 program. The MC3 model will be adapted for use in school settings, emergency services, and subspecialty pediatric care settings.

Coordination:

Coordination for Michigan Clinical Consultation & Care-Community (MC3-Community) facilitates the ongoing coordination of activities by the project partners (University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Michigan Public Health Institute). The Project Coordinator also facilitates the work of the MC3-Community Advisory Committee and communication with other relevant stakeholders. The Project Coordinator also facilitates data collection and project reporting.

Evaluation:

Providers (#s, utilization of program, satisfaction), Education (#s and modalities, provider and trainee satisfaction, pre-post confidence, cultural competency, measured through changes in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs), Patients and Families (provisional diagnostic, medication, utilization/level of care, symptom severity, social determinants of health, adherence, access), Linkage (cross referral data #s), Screening (#s, modality, referral rate); and others per HRSA/CQI.