1. Family Voices of CA Health Summit
Developing a Countywide Pediatric Mental Health System of Care: The Critical Role of
Family Voices of CA Health Summit
Mental Health for Children with Special Needs
Heather Huszti, Ph.D.
Department of Pediatric Psychology
Children’s Hospital of Orange County

2. One in Five

3. Co-Occurring Medical-Psychological Conditions
Examined prevalence of psychiatric and social adjustment in children (4 – 16 years)
Children with chronic illness and disability - > 3 times risk for psychiatric and social adjustment problems
Children with chronic illness and no disability – 2 times greater risk for psychiatric problems
Few specialized therapists
Examples: 900 kids and young adults with cancer (plus new annually); diabetes; 700 severe GI; 3500 asthma; 4000 annually evaluated for epilepsy

4. Why does children’s mental health matter?
Mental health is key to the overall health of children
No other illnesses harm so many children so seriously
Untreated mental health issues leads to:
Increased health care utilization as adults
Decreased school achievement
Increased risk of under-employment and poverty
Increased risk of incarceration
Increased risk of alcohol and other drugs

5. Intensity of Treatment
Pediatric and Young Adult System of Mental Health Care
Intensity of Treatment

6. Task Force members today…
Pediatric and Young Adult Mental Health System of Care Task Force
CHOC Children's
Saddleback Church
OC Behavioral Health
OC Dept of Education
CalOptima
Kaiser Permanente
UCI Medical Center
Regional Center
OC Children & Families Commission
American Academy of Pediatrics Ch. 4
St. Joseph Hoag Health
OC Alliance for Children & Families
Jewish Federation & Family Svcs
NAMI/family
Cigna
Juvenile Justice

7. Expanding Outpatient Services
88% of surveyed physicians reported their patients had unmet need for psychological services
Opening of CYS CHOC Co-Occurring Clinic
September 2015
For first time, allows CHOC Psychology/Psychiatry to see children with Medi-Cal
Specific focus on children with co-occurring physical and mental health disorders
Provides services to children with medical diagnoses and psychological disorders – both inpatient and
outpatient

8. Increases in Services

9. Emergency Department Services
Pilot with Triage Funds (County partnership)
Add Psychologist and Social Worker Team
Add intensive family intervention
Boston Children’s Hospital Intervention
Add follow up to decrease return visits
Hiring resource specialist to help families access services
Pilot with grant funding

10. Integration in Primary Care
With HRSA funding, able to integrate psychologist and intern in primary care clinic
Provide training in Motivational Interviewing
Develop materials for pediatricians on common mental health conditions
Start routine depression screening 12 year old well child visits
Started routine screening for anxiety and depression in all caregivers of children with Cystic Fibrosis and all teenagers with Cystic Fibrosis, with intervention

11. Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
Corporate Presentation Speaker Notes
Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
Friday, February 09, 2018
18 bed unit
Children 3 – 18 years
Private rooms
Parents stay with kids
Optimal healing environment
Open January 2018
© 2008 CHOC Children's. All Rights Reserved.

12. Call for comments/questions/concerns…