The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently funded the mdlogix SBIR project titled, “Pediatric Practice Assistant: A Web and Mobile Platform to Measure Mental Health Problems in Pediatric Practice.” The focus of the project is to further develop the BH-Works platform – which has been used in adolescent and adult populations since 2007 – to better serve the needs of children and their families in pediatric primary care settings.
In the US, 15-20% of children have mental, behavioral, or developmental problems and disorders, but many are not receiving early interventions that could prevent future problems in adolescence and beyond. With more than 90% of children visiting a pediatrician annually, federal and state agencies have started providing resources to help address the barriers to this kind of integrated care. These barriers include time constraints, lack of training in mental healthcare, lack of diagnostic tools, lack of referral resources, and lack of knowledge about reimbursement opportunities.
Parents also need guidance when completing assessments for their children and interpreting physician notes and reports. Many parents are hesitant to complete paper or web-based assessments prior to office visits and need additional information or tools to confidently assess a child’s symptoms. This SBIR project will help mdlogix develop family-facing tools that can encourage parents and caregivers to become more engaged in their child’s treatment and prevention plan.
At mdlogix, we are strong advocates of early identification and intervention. We believe some of our nation’s most pressing public health and safety issues – from school violence to the opioid epidemic – can be mitigated through wide-scale adoption of these integrated care models. When we understand that long-term health is affected by many interrelated physical, social, and mental health factors, we can improve the overall health of all people, including our next generation.