Supporting Primary Care Providers to Improve Adolescent Behavioral and Mental Health.

Abstract

Behavioral and mental health (BMH) issues are increasing in adolescents as shortages of primary care and BMH providers are also rising. The healthcare burden has fallen especially hard on primary care providers (PCPs), who are showing increasing signs of burnout and making plans to reduce their work hours or leave the profession altogether. These factors impede their ability to be the first line of defense in providing emotional support to children and families. Current solutions to BMH provider shortages include integrated models for primary and BMH health care and child psychiatric consultation services for PCPs. However, this does not diminish PCP perceptions that they are doing more screening and struggling to offer BMH support, all within shorter visit times. In this paper, we explore potential solutions to increasing time with patients and efficiency of primary care visits, and proposals to increase reimbursement for primary care providers.