Funded Projects

Problem:

Developmental-behavioral, mental health and psychosocial problems, described over 30 years ago as the "new morbidity" in pediatrics, continue to account for a substantial proportion of pediatric primary care visits nationwide. As of 2015, the American Board of Pediatrics noted that Michigan ranks among the bottom of states for the fewest number of developmental-behavioral pediatricians (DBPs) related to population, with only 5 subspecialty board-certified DBPs to serve a state of 10 million people with 2.2 million children, or 1 DBP: 300,000 children. As a result, primary care providers are often tasked with the management of pediatric behavioral morbidities, but feel unprepared to do so. Through educational efforts like Collaborative Office Rounds (COR), PCPs are better able to appropriately manage such problems in their practices, with individual growth facilitated through self-learning processes.

Goals and Objectives:

Overall Aim: To provide continuing education in the psychosocial developmental aspects of child health to facilitate management by communitybased primary care pediatricians (PCPs). Key goals include: (1) to enhance PCPs' understanding of psychosocial aspects of child development, disorders and disabilities; (2) to expand providers' abilities to distinguish between transient disturbances and serious psychopathology, and assist them in the management of DBP and mental health issues; (3) to promote collaboration among PCPs with DBPs and child psychiatrists, and (4) to facilitate a comprehensive, sensitive, culturally competent approach to health supervision, by increasing provider knowledge, skills, and participation in health-promoting and prevention activities. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES AND TARGET POPULATION: Participation in COR will be through face-to face meetings with simultaneous webinar participation with distant sites allowing us to reach out to primary care providers in the surrounding local, and remote underserved Michigan regions. Member education in developmental-behavioral and mental health areas will be provided through a combination of structured didactics and case-based discussions, and will incorporate the use of self-reflection about member's own practice, with additional emphasis on the role of cultural/ethnic differences on health care goals.

Coordination:

Local, regional, and state agency representatives will be invited to speak. A systematic approach will be taken to engage health agencies, interdisciplinary professional groups, clinical care providers, and community stakeholders at all levels of learning.

Evaluation:

Achievement of specific milestones will be tracked annually, including self-assessment of knowledge, and member satisfaction. We will also assess evidence of consideration of culture and poverty on health and health care delivery. Member meeting attendance will be measured and we will assess how remote membership affects participation.