Health Care Reform

The United States health care system is in the midst of a major transformation. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other programs focus on the so-called “triple aims”: 1) improving access to care; 2) improving the patient experience of care; and 3) reducing per capita medical expenditures. The ACA and mental health parity legislation also mean there will be increased insurance coverage for mental health and substance use problems. This is important because estimates indicate that about one in five youths in the U.S. suffers from mental health problems, over half of which go untreated. Hear what these changes mean for children, families, professionals, and health and mental health care programs.

National data indicate that many children and adolescents with a clear need for mental health care, receive no services. This unmet need is associated with lack of insurance and minority status. Moreover, compared to non-minorities, members of racial and ethnic minority groups tend to receive poorer quality of care when treated . Hear about strategies for reducing health disparities and improving equal access to care, high-quality providers, and effective treatment.

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Suffering would be reduced if we could prevent health and mental health problems. There are multiple approaches to prevention: 1) universal prevention, a broad approach that involves interventions designed to improve health and well-being in a total population; 2) targeted prevention, which directs interventions to individuals with elevated risk for problems; and 3) indicated prevention, which directs interventions to individuals with signs or symptoms that a disorder is developing. The term “prevention” is generally used to refer to the prevention of new disorders or problems, and the term “treatment” used to refer to interventions aimed at reducing existing health and mental health problems and associated impairments. Health and mental health promotion is also critical for enhancing wellness. Hear more about prevention.

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There are many challenges in finding and delivering effective care. When mental health care is available in primary care settings, this increases the likelihood that children will have access to care, but how do we ensure that this care is likely to be helpful to children and families? Hear more about this issue.

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It can be hard for kids to get the help that they need. Sometimes that is due to confidentiality concerns, particularly when it comes to sensitive issues such as sexuality, substance use, or other issues that kids may not want their parents to know about. Hear about how these confidentiality concerns can be addressed.