Faculty Bibliography

Objectives: This clinical perspectives session presents preliminary data on the outcomes of a clinical pathway (CP) for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability (ID) who were hospitalized in a general child psychiatric unit at a public hospital. Methods: Children with ASD are at greater risk of psychiatric hospitalization than their neurotypical peers. Although care in specialized psychiatry units has preliminary evidence for positive outcomes, the vast majority of children in the United States are treated in general units that are not designed for this challenging population. Review of best practices and expert consensus was used to design and implement a CP in three child and adolescent inpatient units at Bellevue Hospital Center. Fidelity to the CP was examined by use of a checklist. Retrospective chart review was used to identify patients eligible for the CP in the 18 months before implementation and compare outcomes (mean length of stay, use of intramuscular medications, and use of restraint) of patients exposed to the CP in the first 18 months of implementation. Results: Treatment fidelity to the CP was acceptable based on checklist review. Record review identified over 70 patients with ASD who were admitted in the 18 months before implementation. Of these patients, approximately 50 percent met CP eligibility criteria. Outcomes for these admissions were compared with outcomes for 30 admissions to the CP. Preliminary analysis indicated improved outcomes post-CP implementation. Conclusions: Expert consensus has indicated that expanded, targeted admission assessment; basic supports for functional communication; predictable routines; developmentally appropriate milieu of activities, including physical activities; and increased density of positive reinforcement are critical elements for effective inpatient care of children with ASD or ID. The design and pilot implementation of a clinical pathway using these elements at Bellevue Hospital Center over 18 months showed that it is feasible to incorporate these principles in a general inpatient child psychiatry unit and may improve outcomes

BACKGROUND:Adults with bipolar disorder (BD) have higher rates of substance use disorders (SUDs) compared to the general population. SUD rates in young offspring/relatives of BD probands, as well as factors which drive those rates, are not as well-characterized. METHODS:We aimed to examine SUD prevalence among adolescent/young adult offspring and relatives of probands with and without BD. Data were collected from five sites in the US and Australia during 2006-2011. Youth offspring/relatives ("Relatives of BD probands;" n=267; mean age=16.8years; ±2.9S.D.), identified through a proband family member with DSM-IV BD (Type I or II), were compared to offspring/relatives of control probands ("relatives of control probands;" n=149; mean age=17.4years; ±2.9S.D.). Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to compare the groups across a range of substance use and SUD variables. Odds ratios were calculated for lifetime prevalence of substance outcomes. RESULTS:Bivariate analyses showed DSM-IV SUDs were more prevalent among relatives of BD probands than among relatives of control probands (29% vs. 18%; p=0.01). Generalized estimating equation models showed BD mood and childhood-onset externalizing disorders in adolescent and young adult relatives to each significantly increase the odds (OR=2.80-3.17; p<0.02) for the development of several substance variables among all relatives, whereas the risk of SUDs in relatives was not increased when the relatives had no mood or externalizing disorders themselves. CONCLUSION:Relatives of BD probands with lifetime mood and externalizing disorders report more substance use/SUDs than relatives of control probands. In contrast, SUD outcomes in relatives of BD probands without mood or externalizing disorders were no different from control relatives without psychopathology. Early recognition and treatment of psychiatric disorders may lead to less substance use in this highly vulnerable population.

OBJECTIVE: The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies (CAMS) program is housed in a Liberal Arts undergraduate college of a large research university. Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and social workers at the university's medical center teach the courses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which CAMS encourages graduates of the program to pursue a career in child and adolescent mental health (CAMH). METHODS: In 2015-2016, graduates of the CAMS program were invited to participate in a mixed methods study. In addition to statistical analyses, qualitative thematic analyses were performed to interpret free-text responses. RESULTS: Forty-five percent (314/702) of invited graduates completed the online survey. Interviews were conducted with 11% (34/314) of participants by study staff over the phone. Quantitative results suggested that 81% (149/185) of participants enrolled in educational programs after graduation due to an interest in CAMH. A significantly higher proportion of the total sample (t = 3.661, p < .001) reported that they changed their career goals while undergraduate students compared to those who did so after graduation. Results of qualitative interviews with 34 participants uncovered five key themes unique to CAMS that may explain the program's influence on graduates' career choices and career development: practitioners-as-instructors, instructor mentorship, novel course content, experiential learning opportunities, and career training and skills. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative and qualitative results indicated that teaching college undergraduate students about CAMH encourages them to set career goals within the field. These findings suggest the utility of implementing similar programs at other undergraduate colleges.

Objectives: We aim to present four integrated care models across the continuum of care in subspecialty pediatrics. We will share case examples and pilot data of clinical programs that incorporate unique and shared elements. Methods: A brief review of the need for integrated care within subspecialty pediatrics will be conducted followed by an overview of a multidisciplinary program for enhancing resilience in children dealing with the stress of medical illness in inpatient settings. We will discuss a quality improvement initiative that systematically assesses family stress and coordinates matched interventions within pediatric intensive care. Systematic screening in outpatient settings will be discussed by the next two presenters who will describe assessment of family stress, quality of life, and mental health in patients with medical illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis and epilepsy, amongst others. Finally, our discussant will review the opportunities and challenges in program implementation and evaluation. Results: Mounting evidence suggests that chronic illness management and hospitalizations can have significant psychological and health repercussions for both children and their family caregivers. Evidence-based models of pediatric specialty care for the systematic identification of stress and risk, as well as the deployment of coordinated, matched supports, remain scant. Integrated family-engaged care refers broadly to models of care in which multidisciplinary teams work in partnership with youth and families to plan, deliver, manage, and continuously improve the integration of health and behavioral health services, systems, and outcomes. New York University and the University of California, San Francisco have implemented four models for increasing integration and family engagement across the pediatric specialty care continuum. Key drivers of success and challenges in implementation have been analyzed through in-depth case studies. Teams evaluated both process and outcomes measures, such as treatment engagement, family stress/coping, and healthcare utilization. Conclusions: Outcome-driven engagement of families and teams toward greater levels of integration has the potential to both improve the lives of youth and families we serve and help transform our health care system toward the quadruple aim of better culture, better health, and better care at lower costs

Objectives: Schools have long been recognized as major centers for provision of almost universally available health education and services. Seventy to 80 percent of children and adolescents who do receive mental healthcare do so in the school setting. School-based telepsychiatry is an underutilized modality to mitigate the limited access to mental health services for many youth, especially in rural communities. Methods: During the presentation, we will provide a review of the literature regarding use of school-based telepsychiatry. We will then review the design and implementation of the New York University (NYU) school-based telepsychiatry program in partnership with the New York State Office of Mental Health, highlighting key features. Results: We will report on the characteristics of the schools and patients participating in the NYU school-based telepsychiatry program. We will describe the experience of patients and trainees with school-based telepsychiatry, including impediments and successeswithassessment and treatment.Data will beprovided for school-based telepsychiatry services completed since the program was piloted. We will discuss demographics, diagnostic composition, and treatments conducted, as well as clinician and patient/family satisfaction with the modality. Conclusions: Schools are an ideal location for healthcare education and provision. Follow-up for mental health services in schools is much higher than in traditional community mental health facilities. School-based telepsychiatry is a modality that can be successfully implemented in underserved areas to significantly enhance the availability of needed mental health services for children and adolescents. Focus on education for psychiatric trainees in the modality and development of formal curricula is of outmost importance as the modality continues to gain increased utilization

We review recent findings related to the neurobiology of infant attachment, emphasizing the role of parenting quality in attachment formation and emotional development. Current findings suggest that the development of brain structures important for emotional expression and regulation (amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus) is deeply associated with the quality of care received in infancy, with sensitive caregiving providing regulation vital for programming these structures, ultimately shaping the development of emotion into adulthood. Evidence indicates that without sensitive caregiving, infants fail to develop mechanisms needed for later-life emotion and emotion regulation. Research suggests that a sensitive period exists in early life for parental shaping of emotional development, although further cross-species research is needed to discern its age limits, and thus inform interventions.

Functional abdominal pain (FAP) is a common childhood somatic complaint that contributes to impairment in daily functioning (e.g., school absences) and increases risk for chronic pain and psychiatric illness. Cognitive behavioral treatments for FAP target primarily older children (9 + years) and employ strategies to reduce a focus on pain. The experience of pain may be an opportunity to teach viscerally hypersensitive children to interpret the function of a variety of bodily signals (including those of hunger, emotions) thereby reducing fear of bodily sensations and facilitating emotion awareness and self-regulation. We designed and tested an interoceptive exposure treatment for younger children (5-9 years) with FAP. Assessments included diagnostic interviews, 14 days of daily pain monitoring, and questionnaires. Treatment involved 10 weekly appointments. Using cartoon characters to represent bodily sensations (e.g., Gassy Gus), children were trained to be "FBI agents" - Feeling and Body Investigators - who investigated sensations through exercises that provoked somatic experience. 24 parent-child dyads are reported. Pain (experience, distress, and interference) and negative affect demonstrated clinically meaningful and statistically significant change with effect sizes ranging from 0.48 to 71 for pain and from 0.38 to 0.61 for pain distress, total pain: X² (1, n = 24) = 13.14, p < 0.0003. An intervention that helps children adopt a curious stance and focus on somatic symptoms reduces pain and may help lessen somatic fear generally.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this review was to synthesize current knowledge about anxiety among adolescent survivors of pediatric cancer and highlights areas for future research. METHODS: Systematic literature searches were conducted in five databases for articles published anytime before December 28, 2015. Manuscripts were reviewed by a team of six coders. Included manuscripts reported outcomes relevant to anxiety, worry, and post-traumatic stress in survivors of pediatric cancer (age at the time of study: 10-22 years) who were off treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-four articles met inclusion criteria. Included results were categorized into the following domains: post-traumatic stress, anxiety, cancer-related worry, and interventions. With the exception of post-traumatic stress, there was little research about anxiety in this population; however, studies generally indicated that adolescent survivors of pediatric cancer are at elevated risk for anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and cancer-related worry. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides preliminary evidence that anxiety is a relevant, but understudied, psychosocial outcome for adolescent survivors of pediatric cancer. More research is needed to better understand the presentation of anxiety in this population, its effect on survivors' quality of life, and possible areas for intervention.