Pediatric Mental Health Screening Practices Across Health Systems: A Multistate Survey

Abstract

Despite an ongoing youth mental health crisis, mental health screening practices by pediatric health systems are unknown. The aim of the current study is to describe mental health screening practices in pediatric health systems and identify potential targets for improvement. Pediatric health systems enrolled in a quality improvement study regarding mental health services were surveyed regarding mental health screening practices. Thirty-four of 39 enrolled pediatric health systems from 24 states completed the survey. All systems reported screening for suicide, with most also screening for depression (94%), substance use (94%), and anxiety (88%). Screening was most common for patients over 12 and in primary care and outpatient psychiatry settings. Results highlight areas for improvement in pediatric mental health screening practices and underscore the need for further research.