Development of a Digital Platform to Support Child Mental Health Care.

ABSTRACT

Childhood mental health problems are a leading cause of disability and frequently go untreated. Barriers to children receiving the most effective care available include shortfalls in three areas identification, referral to specialists, and delivery of evidence-based treatment (EBT). The current paper details an effort to develop a digital health intervention, the Mental Health Advisor (MHA), to increase the number of children with mental health problems who receive optimal care through identification, specialty referral, and fidelity to EBT. We present this pilot as a case example to help guide other efforts to improve mental health care through technology.