Pediatric Emergency Care  has published a new  study  that describes factors related to whether U.S. emergency departments (EDs) have policies in place to care for children with  mental health  and social concerns. As a result of this study, scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and partner organizations found that less than half (46.2%) of EDs had such a policy. Policies provide structure during and after emergencies, such as weather-related disasters, when EDs are critical for children to get immediate medical and mental health services. This study showed that having nurse and pediatric emergency care coordinators (PECCs) is related to having a pediatric mental healthcare policy.  This work complements previous analyses using  National Pediatric Readiness Projectexternal icon  (NPRP) data showing PECCs are linked with having increased overall pediatric readiness. The findings support inclusion of children’s mental health policies in future ED quality improvement efforts.

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Characteristics Related to Having Pediatric Mental Healthcare Policies in Emergency Departments
Learn about factors related to whether U.S. emergency departments (EDs) have policies in place to care for children with mental health and social concerns. (Published: November 18, 2019)

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