141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

281941
Evaluation of linking actions for unmet needs in children's health (LAUNCH) in Massachusetts' pediatric primary care practices: A mixed methods study of integration of early childhood mental health services into a medical home model

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Marta Pagan-Ortiz, BA , Institute on Urban Health Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Deborah Allen, ScD , Boston Public Health Commission, Boston, MA
Kate Roper, Ed.M. , Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Larisa Mendez-Peñate, Ed.M. , Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Christy Moulin, MA , Boston Public Health Commission, Boston, MA
Beth E. Molnar, ScD , Institute on Urban Health Research, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Mass LAUNCH, (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children's Health) is an initiative of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, funded by SAMHSA, and implemented by the Boston Public Health Commission. LAUNCH promotes emotional, social, and behavioral health of young children by integrating child mental health into the Medical Home model used by pediatric primary care settings, to improve Massachusetts' early childhood mental health service system for children from birth to age 8. Families with risk factors such as child maltreatment, domestic violence, substance abuse, homelessness or parental mental illness are the focus. Findings from an ongoing process evaluation will be presented. Using a mixed methods study design, Mass LAUNCH is being evaluated by the Institute on Urban Health Research, Northeastern University, to investigate integration of child mental health services into the Medical Home model, systems-level changes, and impacts on child, parent, and service utilization outcomes. In the first six months, 455 children ages 0 to 8 from 251 high-risk families were served, and 82% referred to mental health services. Additional services and demographic data will be presented, plus results of focus groups with LAUNCH clinical and family partner staff. Program reach, impact on providers' knowledge and clinical practices, behavioral health and case management services to children and families, and implementation of the Medical Home model will be discussed. Findings indicate that LAUNCH has been reaching its target population, and integration of early childhood mental health services into the Medical Home model is going well.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Explain the Medical Home model and its implementation in Boston Community Health Centers Describe reach and dose of Project LAUNCH implementation Identify providers’ barriers and gaps to the Medical Home model Discuss future implications and recommendations for implementing the Medical Home model

Keywords: Child Health, Community-Based Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a broad range of experience with different aspects of health as they relate to disadvantaged populations. My work has allowed me to develop excellent interviewing and data interpretation skills that are crucial for dealing with populations that are fluctuating in terms of types of economic and health statuses. I've worked on multiple federally-funded grants as coordinator and interviewer. I've been the graduate research assistant for this study during the last 2 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.