Assisted Identification and Navigation of Early Mental Health Symptoms in Children

Families will be offered a formal assessment to ascertain the primary mental health diagnosis and any co-occurring mental health disorders. After completing the online parent/guardian self-assessment, parents/guardians will meet with a mental health clinician to review their answers, discuss diagnoses, and refer the family back to the navigator for connection to care or study-provided tele-video visits. Navigators will outreach families monthly during the 6-month study period. The navigator will inquire about the child's status and re-evaluate barriers to access. When barriers exist, the navigator will help in facilitating specialty treatment initiation and assess appropriateness of tele-video therapy sessions until ongoing MH services can be arranged. Families/patients reporting that index symptoms have resolved will be offered a 'watchful waiting' approach. Subjects accepting 'watchful waiting' will be outreached quarterly, but not beyond the end of the 6-month follow-up period.

Families who agree to participate will first be offered a formal assessment in order to ascertain the primary mental health diagnosis and any co-occurring mental health disorders (e.g., substance use). After completing the online parent/guardian self-assessment, parents/guardians will meet for 30 minutes with a mental health clinician to review their answers, discuss diagnoses, and refer the family back to their primary care provider. Control arm participants do not receive navigation.