United Health Foundation Commits $2.5 Million to Establish Behavioral Health Crisis Team in Children’s Wisconsin Emergency ...
May 27 2020 - 02:58PM
Business Wire
New crisis response team will help meet a
growing need for pediatric behavioral health services
The United Health Foundation has awarded Children’s Wisconsin a
three-year, $2.5 million grant to establish a crisis response team
in the emergency department (ED) available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week for children with mental and behavioral health needs.
This will be the first urgent mental health system of care
dedicated solely to pediatric patients in southeast Wisconsin.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals had experienced an
increase in visits by children for mental health emergencies, as
documented by a recent scientific journal article published in
Pediatrics. The grant partnership will help address this growing
need and provide a more seamless continuum of care.
“It is troubling to know pediatric behavioral health needs are
increasing nationwide. But it is extremely heartening to know that
the United Health Foundation is funding programs that will help to
address these needs,” said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. “Support
for excellent health care institutions like Children’s Wisconsin
will help to provide even better care to Wisconsin children and
their families. For this, I am grateful. We all benefit.”
Data published in Pediatrics quantifies the growing behavioral
health care needs among children. The authors report that although
the total number of pediatric ED visits remained stable, visits
among children for all mental health disorders have increased 60%
during the timeframe of 2007 to 2016. The increases are even more
significant for deliberate self-harm, which has risen 329%, and
substance abuse, which has risen 159%.
“The United Health Foundation recognizes the need for continued
innovation and improvements in behavioral health services for
people of all ages,” said Ellen Sexton, CEO, UnitedHealthcare
Community Plan of Wisconsin. “This partnership will allow one of
the leading pediatric hospitals in the country to expand and
enhance mental health services and access for children. At this
unprecedented time in history, our hope is the program becomes a
model that can be replicated in locations across the country.”
While the grant partnership was initiated prior to the COVID-19
outbreak, it is a timely partnership during the pandemic.
Behavioral health professionals estimate that during a time of
unprecedented uncertainty and fear, mental health issues and
substance use disorders are likely exacerbated and may lead to new
issues. To date, UnitedHealth Group has committed more than $75
million to fight COVID-19 and support impacted communities.
“This generous gift from the United Health Foundation allows us
to implement a critical piece of our plan to improve access to
mental and behavioral health services for Wisconsin kids,” said
Peggy Troy, president and CEO of Children’s Wisconsin. “We
recognize that we must do more to support the mental and behavioral
health needs of our kids. While the ultimate goal is to identify
and provide resources before a crisis occurs, improving services in
our emergency department is a step we need to take right now.”
Last November, Children’s announced a five-year plan to help
address the growing mental and behavioral health crisis facing
Wisconsin kids. The plan includes doubling the number of mental and
behavioral health providers the system employs, helping detect
mental and behavioral health needs sooner, improving access to
services, and reducing the stigma around mental illness.
The United Health Foundation’s grant will help meet a $15
million challenge announced by Children’s in January.
The establishment of a crisis response team addresses a critical
need. Currently, families must either go to the Milwaukee County
Psychiatric Crisis Service, a local ED, or wait for an outpatient
appointment. Children’s estimates the new team will support 800
children a year. The mental and behavioral health crisis response
team will consist of a Medical College of Wisconsin pediatric
psychiatrist, three mental and behavioral health social workers and
a supervisor, and a mental and behavioral health navigator who will
help patients with two of the largest challenges they experience –
access to care and care transitions. It will be embedded in the
Children’s Wisconsin ED to make mental and behavioral health
consultations, referrals and follow-up as seamless as possible. The
end goal is to provide a continuum of care for mental health needs
just as seamlessly as Children’s provides for physical needs.
Children’s currently sees an average of 800 mental and
behavioral health patients in its ED, with 1 out of 10 visits a
repeat encounter. Children’s will measure the outcomes of the new
model of care to determine if it helps reduce the number of repeat
encounters.
The crisis response team will provide psychosocial assessments
and immediate crisis stabilization; facilitate transfers for
inpatient care if needed; help families with safety planning and
overcoming barriers to aftercare; and serve as a liaison with law
enforcement, community organizations and mental health providers in
the community.
“We want to provide better and more supportive care for the kids
and families managing a mental or behavioral health need,” said Amy
Herbst, vice president for mental and behavioral health at
Children’s. “That includes not only improving the care provided in
the ED, but improving access to care after that visit. The United
Health Foundation’s grant will allow us to do both.”
About the United Health Foundation Through collaboration
with community partners, grants and outreach efforts, the United
Health Foundation works to improve our health system, build a
diverse and dynamic health workforce and enhance the well-being of
local communities. The United Health Foundation was established by
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private
foundation dedicated to improving health and health care. To date,
the United Health Foundation has committed more than $500 million
to programs and communities around the world. We invite you to
learn more at www.unitedhealthgroup.com.
About Children’s Wisconsin Children’s Wisconsin is the
state’s only independent health care system dedicated solely to the
health and well-being of children. Beyond its two hospital
locations, Children’s provides primary care, specialty care, urgent
care, emergency care, community health services, foster and
adoption services, child and family counseling, child advocacy
services and family resource centers.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200527005866/en/
Andy Brodzeller, Children’s Wisconsin Office: (414) 266-4797
Mobile: (414) 587-6241 Email: abrodzeller@chw.org
Tony Marusic, United Health Foundation Mobile: (312) 348-3825
Email: tony_marusic@uhc.com
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