The Role and Importance of Integrated Behavioral Health for Pediatric Patients with Disabilities
摘要
The National Survey of Children’s Health from 2019 to 2020 found the prevalence of children with special health care needs to be 14.1 million. Among the disabled youth, individuals exhibit psychiatric and behavioral co-morbidity at rates two to three times greater than the general population. About 30–35% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience a psychiatric disorder (Holderle et al., J Clin Psychol Med Settings 29(3):586–595, 2022). Some of the specific barriers to care noted within the pediatric disability population include fragmented medical care, transportation, quality of life, and financial challenges/insurance-related barriers (Flasch, J Pediatr Health Care 38(2), 210–218, 2024). By providing care to these patients through an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) model, we can focus on improved access to care, better health outcomes, and increased patient and family satisfaction. IBH care can be implemented in a number of different ways depending on what best model works for the needs of the primary medical practice. In IBH models, the primary care and behavioral health clinicians work together with patients and families, using a systematic and cost-effective approach to provide patient-centered care for a defined population. This integration of behavioral health care may address the barriers to mental health and behavioral health needs in particular for disabled youth and families, earlier reducing healthcare costs and improving outcomes (Fledderman et al., Pediatr Clin North Am 68(3):511–518, 2021).