Children’s Mental Health Access and Integration Community Quality Collaborative - Gabi Baraghoshi, UPIQ QI Specialist
This is a two-year-long project led by the Utah Pediatric Partnership to Improve Healthcare Quality (UPIQ) and was sponsored by the Intermountain Foundation at Primary Children's Hospital. The goal was to improve mental healthcare delivery in primary care and involved over 100 providers and clinic managers. The project consisted of education monthly webinars (two per month) given by content experts from the University of Utah School of Medicine.
The primary focus of the study in 2020 was to improve recognition of common health problems. They met with each practice individually and identified gaps in their current processes and provided ideas on how to change. But the end of 2020, the screening completion process improved by 30%.
They continued to focus on improving the screening process during 2021, and also focused on closing the loop in mental health referrals and improving the referral network. The use of a shared bi-directional communication form was very positive. Screening went from 40% to 90% by the end of this year.
Gabi cited an email from one of the participants and how she said the program changed her entire view of mental health treatment.
Heidi Bates worked on the behavioral health side of the project and is starting a new cohort. Please let Heidi know if there are any LCSWs in your clinic or circles that may want to participate.