The Alabama Child Health Improvement Alliance (ACHIA) is excited to kick off our new learning collaborative this fall. SEEN: A Teen Mental Wellness QI Collaborative will focus on the teen mental health crisis that our state is facing; recent studies have shown that up to 20% of teens have a mental health disorder, and suicide rates are rising. Pediatricians are uniquely suited to support families in the medical home. The AAP Bright Futures Guidelines recommend universal screening for depression and suicide, while the AAP Policy Statement, Mental Health Competencies for Pediatric Practice, sets expectations that practitioners develop the skills to address the screen results.
by Cason Benton, MD, FAAP
Teen Mental Health
Before the pandemic, mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people with one in five adolescents having a mental health disorder. Moreover, Alabama youth, when compared to national samples, are more likely to have attempted suicide in the last 12 months and to have been treated medically as a result. Early data from emergency room usage and hospitalizations point to an alarming increase in adolescent mental health concerns during the pandemic.
Check out the Spring 2021 edition of the ACHIA Newsletter to find out how the April 5th Cures Act will impact teen confidentiality. The ACHIA Newsletters provide information about current quality improvement initiatives, collaborative outcomes and more. Check out our latest publication!
Increasing and improving the teen well visit: lessons from 27 Alabama practices
by Cason Benton, MD, FAAP
Alabama pediatricians know that the teen well visit supports the “healthy cognitive, physical, sexual, and psychological development [adolescents need] to successfully enter adulthood” (AAP Policy Statement, December 2019). We also know that many1--if not most--teens do not attend the well visit.
What can we do at the practice level to increase teen well visits?
Check out the Fall 2020 edition of the ACHIA Newsletter to find out about our newest collaborative. The ACHIA Newsletters provide information about current quality improvement initiatives, collaborative outcomes and more. Check out our latest publication!