Online Program

Oral

This two-part session aims to provide a comprehensive overview of contemporary controversies regarding psychotropic medications prescribed for children and adolescents aged 18 and younger. Psychotropic use among US children and adolescents who receive care in community outpatient settings has been on the rise for the last 20 years. Recent trends show that utilization of psychotropic medications begins at younger ages, involves concomitant multi-drug regimens, produces serious adverse events, and is only moderately effective in managing emotional and behavioral problems. This session will address several key areas that affect children’s mental health and well-being. These dynamic back-to-back sessions will feature empirical presentations followed by comments offered by expert panelists. • Empirical data on recent practice patterns in community settings will be presented. These trends will consider large-area and small-area variation in community-based patterns. • A panel of clinical and research leaders will contextualize the findings with recommendations for pediatrics, mental health and population health advocacy. • The potential medical practice and policy actions will be discussed with an emphasis on improving outcomes assessment and the quality of care in these vulnerable populations. • The second session will engage participants to identify an agenda for advocacy in professional and policy arenas, e.g., within Medicaid and behavioral health quality indicators, and identify opportunties for community-based research in large cohorts. The focus will be on developing a white paper for submission to the APHA Joint Policy Committee in 2015, which will be sponsored by the Medical Care, Maternal and Child Health, and Mental Health sections.

Session Objectives: Evaluate regional variation in the growth of pediatric psychotropic use, the key therapeutic classes that have had the greatest increase in use, and the correlates associated with variability; Identify the individual-level characteristics of children with special health care needs that contribute to geographic variability and the implications for drug safety; Identify key issues and next steps for policy, research, practice, and advocacy.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)