The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45427

Keri E. Monahan, MPH¹, Malin VanAntwerp, JD, MBA, MSS¹, William J. Hickey, PhD¹, Paula Braverman², and Connell O'Brien, MEd³. (1) School of Public Health, MCP Hahnemann University, 1531 Green St. #5, Philadelphia, PA 19130, (215) 978-7671, kerimon@stanfordalumni.org, (2) Director, Division of Adolescent Medicine, St. Christopher's Hospital, Erie Avenue and Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134, (3) Division of Children, Youth, & Family Services, NorthEast Treatment Centers,Inc., 499 N. 5th St. Suite A, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Northeast Treatment Centers, Inc. (NET), a mental and behavioral health care provider, has been asked by St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children to explore the feasibility of providing outpatient mental health services on-site at St. Christopher’s Hospital, to meet the perceived mental health needs of this North Philadelphia pediatric population. Children and adolescents between 3 and 21 years of age at St. Christopher’s commonly present with medical conditions that are exacerbated by mental/behavioral health care issues such as substance abuse, exposure to violence, depression, anxiety, school behavior problems, or difficulty coping with an unplanned pregnancy or chronic illness. Although providers make referrals for mental health services, there is lack of follow-up because services are difficult to access under the current system. This project, a needs assessment, aims to gather specific information about mental needs and referral patterns in this population, to be utilized by NET in designing a comprehensive, integrative mental health clinic. Information about approximately 1,000 patients will be obtained through 1) retrospective analysis of aggregate hospital billing data, and 2) prospective abstraction (by providers) of referral information from patient records. Collected data will be utilized in creating coordinated mental health and medical care services for pediatric patients in the Adolescent Medicine, Hematology, and Immunology sections at St. Christopher’s Hospital. This needs assessment is an essential step in determining the financial feasibility of establishing on-site site services to meet the needs of this population.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the mental health needs, demographics, and insurance status of a North Philadelphia pediatric population.
• Identify mental health symptoms that most commonly lead to mental health services referral in a North Philadelphia pediatric population.
• Discuss the financial feasibility of providing on-site mental health services at a children's hospital.

Keywords: Child/Adolescent Mental Health, Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: NorthEast Treatment Centers, Inc. St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.