Behavioral Health Screening & Referral in Pediatric Clinics

Brigette Vaughan MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Setting the stage…

Nebraska has 27 “rural” psychiatrists (only 9 see children), 20 psychiatric nurse practitioners, 61 psychologists, and 0 developmental pediatricians.

Outside of Omaha and Lincoln, only 4 counties have a child psychiatrist

Rural mental health providers are spread over 70,000 square miles and 900,000 lives

There are few resources for children and families, as well as schools and primary care providers for managing behavioral health concerns

NAMI Report Card(“Grading the

States”, 2006) Infrastructure

D-

Information Access F

ServicesD

Recovery SupportsC-

Overall grade: D

Updating the System

The family physician or pediatrician is often the FIRST person consulted regarding behavioral health issues. They have become “defacto” behavioral health providers.

>60% of psychotropic medications are prescribed by primary care providers

Many providers surveyed indicate they are not comfortable prescribing these medications

Research has demonstrated that behavioral health issues are “missed” greater than 53% of the time in primary care.

The use of behavioral screening tools in primary care can increase recognition and diagnosis of behavioral disorders up to 70%.

LB556

Provides that a trained staff person must be available if a child is receiving telehealth services

The trained staff will create a safety plan if a safety threat results during therapy

Behavioral health screenings should be offered by physicians during physicals

The Behavioral Health Center of Nebraska will provide training on children’s behavioral health care for educators serving clinics that provide behavioral health screenings (with parental consent) during physicals and offer integrated child psychologist services on site.

Right now this includes the Valentine, Omaha Children’s Physicians Dundee, and Columbus areas. These areas are engaged in a pilot integrated clinic program (as set up by LB556) to measure effectiveness of routing screenings

o Establishes consultation services for primary care clinicians caring for children with behavioral health issues in integrated pilot site clinics

o The bill establishes regulations on how the integrated clinics will run, and what data will be collected

o The bill addresses various reimbursement issues under Title XIX, to include medicaid reimbursements for services provided via telehealth

The Vanderbilt Scale

A 55-question assessment tool. It reviews symptoms of ADHD according to the DSM-IV criteria. It also screens for co-existing conditions such as conduct disorder, oppositional-defiant disorder, anxiety and depression, and more.

Current Screening Data

Total Screens All Ages (3-18) 1029

Positive259 (25.2%)

All AgesInattention 10.4%Hyperactivity 8.2%Combined 6.5%Older Children 6-18Inattention 11%Hyperactivity 7.3%Combined 5.7%ODD 10.6%Conduct 3.5%Anxiety/Depression 6.9%Younger Children 3-5Inattention 9.0%Hyperactivity 10.0%Combined ADHD 8.3%

143 f/u Calls51 successful phone

contact34 psychology

service referrals/consults

17 declined services25 NP

referrals/consults

Negative770 (74.8%)

Number of Areas Scored Above Cut-off (children 6-18 years)

1 area 38%

2 areas 25%

3 areas 16%

4 areas 16%

5 areas 5%

Comorbidity Often Complicates the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHDADHD alone

31% OppositionalDefiant

Disorder40%

Anxiety/MoodDisorders

38%ConductDisorder

14%

n=579

Tic Disorder11%

ADHD

31%

Jensen P, et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1999;56:1073-1086.

LB556 & School Nurses

Integrated care is the goal for behavioral health care in the future. This will reduce stigma, increase access, and reserve more severe cases for psychiatric nurse practitioner and child psychiatrist care.

If a school nurse notices a child is exhibiting symptoms of a behavioral health disorder, this condition should be brought to the teacher and parent’s attention using school policy. The parents should then be referred to a primary care clinic for care, preferably one that offers integrated care (psychologist in-house).

Encourage physician colleagues to encourage the use of valid and reliable screening tools in their clinic as a routine part of child physicals.

Encourage parents and physicians to refer to child psychologists/behavioral therapists for combined treatment.

Reach out to MMI and BHECN for needed educational programs to meet knowledge gaps.

BHECN http://www.unmc.edu/bhecn/

Howard Y. Liu, M.D.

Medical Director Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN)

Office Phone:  402-552-7697

Direct Line:  402-552-6338

Pager:   402-888-0464

E-mail: hyliu@unmc.edu

Heidi J. Keeler, PhD, RN

Asst. Professor, Community Based Health Dept.

Nurse Planner, Continuing Nursing Education

Director of Educational Design, BHECN

Phone: (w) 402-559-4524

Fax: 402-559-4303

E-mail: hkeeler@unmc.edu 

For more information regarding CNE opportunities please visit:

http://www.unmc.edu/nursing/Continuing_Nursing_Education.htm 

Munroe Meyer Institute

Joseph H Evans, Ph.D.

Professor, MMI and Pediatrics

Associate Clinical Director, Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska

Munroe-Meyer Institute

University of Nebraska Medical Center

402-559-6408

Brigette Vaughan MSN, APRN-BC, NP

Nurse Practitioner, Munroe Meyer Institute

UNMC Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Nurse Coordinator, Department of Psychiatry

Child & Adolescent Psychopharmacology Research

bvaughan@unmc.edu

402-559-4949

402-552-6239

Questions?