Funded Projects

Problem:

Kansas is home to over 700,000 children who should have access to integrated healthcare. From 2010-2014, 60.4% of Kansas Adolescents aged 12-17 who had experienced a Major Depressive Episode did not receive treatment for depression. In addition, when youth are treated, there are no metrics to measure care quality against best evidence. These problems are particularly prominent in rural areas due to a shortage of professionals with the appropriate expertise and training and lack of coordinated systems of care.

Goals and Objectives:

Project goals are: 1) Increase primary care clinicians' (PCPs) capacity to screen, diagnose, and treat children and adolescents with uncomplicated mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); 2) Support PCPs in treatment of children and adolescents with behavioral health conditions through development of a centralized access point or 'Warm Line' for consultative and referral services; 3) Improve access through telehealth for treatment and referral, especially for those in rural and underserved areas; and, 4) Establish and sustain the use of telehealth technologies, modalities and care models.

Methodology:

KSKidsMAP will establish an expert pediatric mental health care team to support PCPs within a statewide network. In-person evidence-based clinical training will be provided via the REACH Institute's Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care Mini- Fellowship program. A telementoring learning community will be established using the case-based Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) platform. Trainings will occur alongside development of an online database of pediatric mental health providers across Kansas and a telephone/email support line (Warm Line), providing access to consultation with the expert team or referral through the database. Additional training, including clinical evidence and toolkits aligned with ECHO session content, will be available via webinar or similar events.

Coordination:

Oversight will be provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Family Health (BFH), which manages the state's Title V MCH Program. The BFH will ensure the program aligns with the MCH vision and is collaborative to maximize efficiencies, awareness, and system impact. The program will utilize established tools, enhance existing provider networks to ensure effective service delivery, and collaborate with partners to leverage resources to support project activities.

Evaluation:

The utilization-focused evaluation will track progress toward goals and objectives, while providing real-time data to inform quality improvement. A comprehensive assessment of current practices will be conducted to serve as baseline data and inform the final work plan. Throughout the program, data captured will include details on trainings, consultations, referrals, and provider networks. Through established partnerships, and in consultation with advisory councils, data will be organized and published as a resource for sustainability strategies.