New Jersey Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program
Grant Status: Active
Training Category: Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program (PMHCA)
Project Director(s):
Jennie Blakney
New Jersey Department of Health
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: 609-913-5352
Email: Jennie.blakney@doh.nj.gov
Project videos:
Problem:
The Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program (PMHCAP) grant will be a continued competitive application. PMHCAP is an enhancement of the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative (NJPPC). PMHCAP offers telehealth, telehealth education and telehealth technical assistance to pediatric providers that subscribe to the NJPPC. PMHCAP will help to bridge the gap between pediatric providers, pediatric psychiatrists, and patients ages 0-21, that are unable to reach those providers due to lack of resources such as transportation, insurance coverage, private/confidential space within their home, appropriate electronic devices/setup, and the overall shortage of CAPs in New Jersey and nation-wide.
Goals and Objectives:
The goal of the PMHCAP, allows patients that are referred by their pediatricians to pediatric psychiatrists via NJPPC to receive a timely appointment through telehealth to manage/ treat psychiatric symptoms and conditions, timely identification of mental health needs, and increased accessibility to pediatric mental health and psychiatric resources and services.
Methodology:
The objective of the PMHCAP Funding in NJ is to work with partners throughout NJ to serve pediatricians and pediatric offices and expand education on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Emergency Departments (ED) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Included in this education, telehealth and particularly telepsychiatry through the NJPPC will be promoted to address barriers, lack of resources in rural communities and long wait times in more densely populated urban areas. Those involved in the expansion will include pediatricians, pediatric subspecialties, and family medicine practitioners as well as other members of the health care team or those who support mental health screening, referral and care coordination for children, adolescents, and their families/support systems. The number of staff and the model of engagement would be specific to the organizational culture of the participating hospital, FQHCs and community partners.
Coordination:
New Jersey Department of Health in conjunction with their partners, Division of Children and Family (DCF), Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH), New Jersey Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics (NJAAP), New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA), Rutgers University Behavior Health Care, and New Jersey Office of Primary Care and Rural Health intends on expanding the reach of the PMHCAP.
Evaluation:
The effectiveness of the PMHCAP program will be measured by the following indicators: The number of providers/ practices equipped with telehealth, the number of telehealth consultations provided with Hub staff and CAP's, and the number of referrals provided through teleconsultation/ telecommunication. The NJPPC has contracted with Central Jersey Family Health Consortium. Data is currently tracked through a referral form that captures patient demographics and mental health needs. Demographic and socioeconomic information is collected through an electronic medical record for each patient seen by teleconsultation and/or provided care coordination services.