Measuring follow-up care between primary care and specialty behavioral health settings for children and adolescents. Issue 5 (3rd September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lynch, Sean; Witt, Whitney; Ali, Mir M.; Teich, Judith; Mutter, Ryan; Gibbons, Brent; Walsh, Christine
• Is Part Of: Social work in mental health. Volume 17:Issue 5(2019)
• Page Start: 627
• Page End: 638
• Publication Date: 2019-09-03
• Subjects: Primary care -- follow-up care -- care coordination -- children -- adolescents -- mental health; Psychiatric social work -- Periodicals; 362.2042505
• DOI: 10.1080/15332985.2019.1617224
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1533-2985

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although children's behavioral health conditions are regularly presented in primary care, studies of follow-up care that is provided in a specialty behavioral health setting are few. This study measured follow-up care by extracting claims from the Marketscan Medicaid and Commercial databases for outpatient services and prescription drugs for youth aged 2 through 18 years during 2014. Analyses examined whether follow-up care occurred within 28 days. The total percentage of children who received follow-up care was 12.9% (Medicaid) and 13.5% (private insurance). Follow-up care rates are low for the measure. Study findings suggest that additional research is needed in this area.