Background: Pediatric mental health issues are increasing while access to care is decreasing. This is reflected in a growing number of patients seeking emergency psychiatric evaluations (EPEs) in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This was a retrospective review of patients seeking EPE in the ED of a children's hospital between September and…

School-based mental health programs (SBMHP) are vital to providing youth access to mental health services. This study aims to characterize changes in therapy encounters and psychotropic medication prescriptions in an urban SBMHP during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used electronic medical records to extract demographic, clinical, and utilization data…

This study assessed the relationship between the medical home and use of health services among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Data from 2016 to 2018 National Survey of Children's Health was analyzed. Outcome measures were receipt of mental and non-mental specialty care, difficulty receiving needed mental and non-mental specialty…

Death is inevitable and universal, and the corona virus disease has only further intensified a world of uncertainties as a result of frequent accidents, HIV/AIDS, cancer and natural disasters. Bereavement after any death is a potentially disruptive life event with consequences in physical and mental health, relationships and social functioning.…

This study explored predictors of community-based providers' adherence to MATCH, a modular cognitive behavioral therapy for children and adolescents. Provider-reported adherence to MATCH was measured using three increasingly strict criteria: (1) "session content" (whether the session covered MATCH content consistent with the client's…

Research tells a bleak story of U.S. children and youth with unmet mental health needs (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, etc.). One-in-five children and adolescents experiences a mental health condition in a given year. One-in-ten high school students attempted suicide one or more times during the past year. And 59% of youth with major…

Progress measures are an evidence-based technique for improving the quality of mental health care, however, clinicians rarely incorporate them into treatment. Research into how measure type impacts clinician preference has been recommended to help improve measure implementation. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an assessment-driven…

Mental health literacy (MHL) encompasses understanding mental health and learning how to obtain and maintain good mental health. Increasing MHL may increase help-seeking behaviors and positive mental health. This study aimed to identify school-based MHL interventions for children/youth using a scoping review methodology following the Johanna…

Puberty can be a particularly challenging time for adolescents who are transgender. Access to puberty blocking medication, commonly called 'puberty blockers', is considered an integral component of gender affirmative healthcare. Existing literature provides little insight into how parents of trans children entering into early adolescence navigate…

Introduction: Compared to their neurotypical peers, children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) experience worse mental health outcomes, including greater service use and functional impairment. Few studies, however, have examined the neurodevelopmental contributions to mental health complexity among those seeking…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability affecting 1 in 44 children nationally. Timely referral to intervention and support services for ASD has consistently demonstrated significant long-term positive effects on symptoms and subsequent skills and family outcomes. This paper highlights a novel and innovative approach of…

Background: Strategic implementation leadership is a critical determinant of successful implementation, hypothesized to create a more supportive implementation climate conducive to the adoption and use of evidence-based practices. Implementation leadership behaviors may vary significantly across contexts, necessitating studies that examine the…

Young people moving from child and adolescent secure hospitals present with complex needs and vulnerabilities and are more likely to experience poor transition outcomes. Previous research has indicated the presence of several risk factors in periods of transition, such as poor liaison among services, lack of proper planning, shortage of beds in…

As the number of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increases, the need for mental health services for this population will increase. As a result, counselors in clinical practice and school must be prepared to provide those mental health services. ASD can be inherently difficult to work with due to core…

Service engagement is critical when working with children and families experiencing chronic adversities because of their socially marginalized status. Further, sociodemographic disparities exist in service engagement within service systems including Community-Based Behavioral Health; likely in part, a result of structural issues driving…