Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Health Administration
College
College of Health Professions
First Advisor
Kit N. Simpson
Second Advisor
Walter Jones
Third Advisor
Crystal Brown-Voeltz
Abstract
Research suggests that visits to the Emergency Department (ED) for psychiatric purposes among youth are rising and has been identified as a public health crisis. One in five school aged children struggle with mental illness with 70% of those diagnosed going untreated which promotes academic failure, behavior challenges, dropout, and unproductivity that leads into adulthood (Bains, Cusson, White-Frese & Walsh, 2017; Grady, Lever, Cunnigham, & Stephen, 2011). Schools have been identified as an ideal place for children to receive mental health services. School based tele-mental health is noted as a beneficial treatment that if delivered on site at schools could assist with closing the gap to accessing pediatric mental health needs saving money through transportation, time missed from school or work, and lower insurance cost (Hoover, Bernstein, Lever, & Edwards, 2016). This study will evaluate the cost effectiveness of receiving school based mental health treatment instead of visiting the emergency department for care (School-Based Tele-Mental Health Services, 2015; CEDAR, 2018).
Recommended Citation
Smith-Morant, Ebone', "Pediatric Rates of Psychiatric Emergency Department Visits and Potential Savings via Tele-Mental Health" (2021). MUSC Theses and Dissertations. 551.
https://medica-musc.researchcommons.org/theses/551
Rights
All rights reserved. Copyright is held by the author.