Background
Children’s mental health conditions are on the rise nationally and in Ohio. Anxiety and depression are prevalent among children nationwide, with rates steadily increasing. If left untreated, these conditions can impair school performance and social interactions. Early identification of these conditions is crucial, as they can lead to long-term negative effects on health and quality of life, including increased risk of recurrent depression and suicidal behavior. When not addressed, depression and anxiety can negatively affect developmental trajectories and disrupt relationships with family and peers.
Early identification through screening of these conditions is crucial and national recommendations endorse screening and treatment of anxiety and depression in pediatric primary care settings. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for anxiety in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years and screening for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Despite being a best practice, 56-79% of adolescents with mental health concerns do not receive care.
Who We Are
The Healthy Minds, Strong Futures (HMSF) project is focused on improving health outcomes related to depression and anxiety for children ages 12 to 18 seen at primary care practices by focusing on utilizing evidence-based behavioral health screening tools and treatment interventions.
The participating sites involved in this quality improvement initiative will utilize the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Model for Improvement to complete small tests of change via Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. To achieve the project aims and support PDSA cycles, electronic health record (EHR) queries will be developed, and baseline data will be collected. The project aims to:
- Increase the percentage of children ages 12 to 18 screened for anxiety and depression.
- Initiate appropriate interventions for children that screen positive for anxiety and/or depression.
The American Board of Pediatrics has approved this project as a means for certified pediatricians and trainees to earn MOC Part 4 credit while working to improve pediatric health care quality.
Resources
The following resources are available for download:
- Provider tool kit *Coming soon!
- Patient and family brochure *Coming soon!
For free pediatric mental health CME credits and additional resources, visit Ohio Minds Matter: https://www.ohiomindsmatter.org/
Partners
The Healthy Minds, Strong Futures initiative is funded by the Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services (now known as the Department of Behavioral Health [DBH]) through a State of Ohio Action for Resiliency Network (SOAR) innovation grant and administered by the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center (GRC).
Clinical experts on the advisory committee include:
- David Jensen, DO: Psychiatrist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University.
- William Leever, PsyD: Pediatric Psychologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University.
- Rachel Gordon, MD: Internal Medicine and Pediatrics physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.