The need for integrated care for pediatric patients in Washington state arises from the recognition that children have unique healthcare needs that require comprehensive and coordinated services. The integrated care program seeks to enhance the overall well-being and physical health of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and co-occurring physical health conditions in eastern Washington State. By fostering integration and collaboration between primary healthcare and behavioral healthcare, implementing evidence-based practices, and improving care coordination, the program aims to provide comprehensive and coordinated care to this specific population. The project strives to achieve sustainable system improvements, expand integrated care services, and enhance health outcomes for children and adolescents in need. The program targets children and adolescents, ages 0-25, residing in six counties in eastern Washington State, specifically in and around Spokane, WA. The focus is on individuals with serious emotional disturbances (SED) and co-occurring physical health conditions or chronic diseases.
The program's strategies and interventions include promoting integration and collaboration, between primary healthcare and behavioral healthcare, implementing evidence-based practices in treatment plans, providing culturally responsive services, enhancing care coordination, and reinforce our interventions with infrastructure approaches that support new value-based payment pathways. The number of people to be served annually: 300 individuals in the first year, gradually increasing to 1500 individuals in the fifth year. Over the lifetime of the project, approximately 4,400 individuals will benefit from the program.
Project Goals:
• Improve the overall wellness and physical health status of children and adolescents with SED
and co-occurring physical health conditions.
• Create sustainable system improvements to support an integrated model of care.
• Increase the offering of integrated care services for mental and substance use disorders, as
well as co-occurring physical health conditions and chronic diseases.
• Create sustainable culture and administrative advancements to organizational infrastructure
to support integrated care.
A Sample of our Measurable Objectives include:
• Increase the percentage of children and adolescents receiving evidence-based practices in
their treatment plans from 17% to 54%.
• Reduce the number of ED/ER visits and hospitalizations by 15% each year.
• Reduce the prevalence of depression among teens from 38.3% to a lower rate.
• Enhance referral facilitation by 20% per year to co-located BH/PC office
• Implement electronic data sharing and accountability practices for engagement of all
providers and patients.
• Increase the number of children and youth with SED and co-occurring physical health
conditions served by this program in the first year by 20%
• Reduce or mitigate general health risk factors by 10% per year
• Improve access to care for racially and ethnically underserved communities and LGBTQIA+
youth and adults.