Background

Behavioral health interventions that support low-income children and their families in under-resourced communities have a positive impact on child development; however, few interventions exist that highlight approaches providers use to contribute to this positive development.

Objective

To identify key strategies used by pediatric primary care physicians (PCP) and specialty mental health providers to improve access to and engagement in mental health services for low-income children and their families engaged in behavioral health services.

Method

Using the inductive constant comparative approach, researchers conducted 11 semistructured interviews with six PCPs, one staff member from a federally qualified health center (FQHC), and three mental health providers and one staff member from two local mental health clinics.

Results

Three main themes were identified that were used by PCPs and specialty mental health providers to improve access to and engagement in mental health services for low-income children and their families.

Conclusions

These themes highlight how PCPs and specialty mental health providers engage in critical strategies to support their efforts to improve access to and engagement in mental health services for low-income children and their families. The present study offers evidence that identifying effective strategies for providers to improve access to and engagement in mental health services for low-income children and their families is an important step toward the national priority of integrating mental and behavioral health services into pediatric primary care.

中文翻译：

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搭建桥梁：初级保健和心理健康提供者对服务不足人群行为健康协作干预的看法

背景

支持资源贫乏社区中低收入儿童及其家庭的行为健康干预措施对儿童发展具有积极影响；然而，很少有干预措施突出提供者用来促进这一积极发展的方法。

客观的

确定儿科初级保健医生 (PCP) 和专业心理健康提供者使用的关键策略，以改善从事行为健康服务的低收入儿童及其家庭获得和参与心理健康服务的机会。

方法

使用归纳常数比较方法，研究人员对六名 PCP、一名来自联邦合格健康中心 (FQHC) 的工作人员、三名心理健康提供者和一名来自两家当地心理健康诊所的工作人员进行了 11 次半结构化访谈。

结果

确定了三个主要主题，PCP 和专业心理健康提供者使用这些主题来改善低收入儿童及其家庭获得和参与心理健康服务的机会。

结论

这些主题突出了 PCP 和专业心理健康提供者如何参与关键战略，以支持他们努力改善低收入儿童及其家庭获得和参与心理健康服务的机会。本研究提供的证据表明，为提供者确定有效策略，以改善低收入儿童及其家庭获得和参与心理健康服务的机会，是朝着将心理和行为健康服务纳入儿科初级保健的国家优先事项迈出的重要一步。