Finding the Right Level of Care for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Needs
Behavioral Health Insights
By Micah Hoffman, MD, DABPN, FAPA, QME, CIME, CHCQM
AllMed Behavioral Health Medical Director
Meeting the unique mental health needs of children and adolescents can be a formidable challenge. In recent years, staffing shortages and funding cuts have reduced the availability of (already limited) services, even as mental health issues have soared.1 The scarcity of resources has left many providers at a loss for where to refer young patients with complex and urgent needs. As a result, children too often wind up in the emergency room, where long waits in a chaotic environment can exacerbate their condition.
Referring young patients to the right care level in this environment calls for specialized skills and current clinical experience. This article looks at nuances in child and adolescent psychiatry that influence care-level decisions.…
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