Association of Integrating Mental Health Into Pediatric Primary Care at Federally Qualified Health Centers With Utilization and Follow-up Care.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

More than 1 in 5 children in low-income families report a mental health (MH) problem, yet most face barriers accessing MH services. Integrating MH services into primary care at pediatric practices such as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) may address these barriers.

Objective

To examine the association of a comprehensive MH integration model with health care utilization, psychotropic medication use, and MH follow-up care among Medicaid-enrolled children at FQHCs.

Design, setting, and participants

This retrospective cohort study used Massachusetts claims data from 2014 to 2017 to conduct difference-in-differences (DID) analyses before vs after implementation of a complete FQHC-based MH integration model. The sample included Medicaid-enrolled childre

SUBMITTER: Kim J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10134009 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature