News from the Field Related to Wraparound
Prevalence and Treatment of Depression, Anxiety, and Conduct Problems in US Children
December 12, 2018
Research published recently in the Journal of Pediatrics analyzed data from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), in which parents provided information on whether their children aged 3-17 years old had ever been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and/or conduct problems. Survey results show that among children aged 3-17 years, 7.1% had current anxiety problems, 7.4% had a current behavioral/conduct problem, and 3.2% had current depression. Treatment rates were higher for those with depression diagnoses (nearly 80% of those with depression received treatment in the previous year) and lower for those with anxiety and behavioral/conduct diagnoses (59.3% of those with anxiety diagnoses, and 53.5% of those with behavioral/conduct problems had received treatment in the previous year).The researchers concluded the results indicate a prevalence of these conditions and existing treatment gaps to be addressed.
When low-income families can meet their basic needs, children are healthier
December 12, 2018
Children’s HealthWatch published reports based on survey data of 18,000 low-income families with children under four years old, in five cities (Baltimore, Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Little Rock). They found that “young children and their parents are healthier when they are able to afford basic needs, such as food, shelter, utilities, medical care, prescription medicines and childcare”. This study, however, examined the differences between children living in hardship-free families versus those in families with any or multiple hardships. The report authors support policies to better support low-income families.
SOAR Online Course Available
December 5, 2018
The SOAR Online Course: Child Curriculum, launched by SAMHSA and Policy Research Associates, Inc., is designed to train case managers to assist children and youth who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness, medical impairment, and/or a co-occurring substance use disorder to apply for the Social Security Administration’s disability program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Parent Survey Shows One in 40 Children in U.S. Receive Autism Diagnoses
November 27, 2018
An analysis of parent survey data for about 43,000 children aged 3-17 from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health showed that 2.5 percent of parents reported their child had received a diagnosis of autism. In addition, parents of children with autism were 44 percent more likely to report difficulty getting their children needed mental health treatment.
Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families
November 20, 2018
This resource from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child outlines three core principles that can be used as guides for policy and practice when looking at how to best design and provide social supports.The principles: 1) Support Responsive Relationships, 2) Strengthen Core Life Skills and 3) Reduce Sources of Stress are detailed and examples of policies and practices that support each principle are provided.
CHDI Issue Brief: Engaging Pediatric Primary Care to Address Childhood Trauma
November 20, 2018
A new issue brief from the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut, Inc. (CHDI), “Engaging Pediatric Primary Care to Address Childhood Trauma: Part of a Comprehensive Public Health Approach,” examines statewide policy opportunities and resources to boost the role of pediatrics in the early identification of child traumatic stress and connection to services.
Mental Health Diagnoses Among US Children Continue to Increase
November 16, 2018
Research presented this month at the American Academy of Pediatrics based on an analysis of Pediatric Health Information System data from 45 children’s hospitals around the country, showed that from 2012 to 2016 the number of emergency department visits due to mental health concerns went from 50.4 per 100,000 visits, to 78.5 per 100,000 visits. In addition they found that non-Latino black children and adolescents were seen in emergency department visits for mental health related issues at nearly twice the rate of non-Latino white children and adolescents.
Research: How Early Head Start Prevents Child Maltreatment
November 1, 2018
Child Trends has published a research-to-practice brief on a study on the role of programs that serve families with infants and toddlers like Early Head Start (EHS) in reducing child abuse and neglect. The study found that participating families had positive short-term outcomes that led to lower risk of child welfare involvement in the future. The brief also includes recommendations for early childhood programs.
New study—reduced screen time for young highly recommended for well-being
October 31, 2018
An article published this month in Preventative Medicine Reports focused on recent research on screen time and wellbeing. The study, which used a large national random sample of 2 to 17 year old children and teens, found that more than one hour per day of screen time was connected with “lower psychological well-being, including less curiosity, lower self-control, more distractibility, more difficulty making friends, less emotional stability, being more difficult to care for, and inability to finish tasks.” In addition, high screen usage (7+ hours per day) correlated with increased anxiety and depression diagnoses.
Mobile Crisis Services Effective in Reducing ER Visits
October 16, 2018
A new brief from the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut summarizes a study on the impact of the state’s Mobile Crisis Intervention Services youth mental health on emergency department visits. Connecticut’s mobile crisis services are available statewide free of charge for youth up to age 18 (or 19, if still enrolled in school) and provide on-site crisis stabilization, a psycho-social assessment, brief treatment, and linkage to follow-up. For the study, data from the mobile crisis records was compared with Medicaid claims data for similar youth with behavioral health conditions who had not used mobile crisis services. For the follow-up period of 18 months, the group that used mobile crisis services demonstrated a 25% reduction in risk of subsequent emergency department visits compared to the other group.