A Practical Approach to Social Determinants of Mental Health in Children & Youth-View Presentation

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Video Summary

The presentation highlights the 2023 Agnes Purcell McGavin Award for Prevention given to Dr. Lisa Fortuna, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, for her work in preventing mental disorders in youth and her approach to culturally sensitive, community-supported interventions. Fortuna's efforts emphasize integrating community voices and data-driven research into psychiatric innovations.<br /><br />Additionally, the session outlines strategies to address social determinants of mental health, emphasizing both structural and individual interventions. Participants discussed frameworks for assessing social determinants of health, such as the Thrive program developed at Boston Medical Center. This program systematically screens for social determinants, documenting them using Z codes in patient charts to help guide billing and interventions. The Thrive model involves initial screening by healthcare providers, documenting in electronic health records, and linking patients to needed resources, such as housing, food, and healthcare facilities. The model also assists in codifying the complex needs of patients, thereby supporting a value-based care approach.<br /><br />The presentation called attention to the potential for stigma in using social determinants as part of medical records, offset by the benefits of such documentation in providing tailored patient care. The discussion highlighted the need for broader upstream interventions like policy changes and advocacy, involving community stakeholders and medical associations to effectively tackle issues like community violence or housing instability. It underscored the importance of collaborative efforts between legislators, clinicians, and community members to drive systemic changes in healthcare delivery, ultimately fostering equitable mental health care for children and adolescents.

Keywords

Agnes Purcell McGavin Award

Dr. Lisa Fortuna

mental health prevention

culturally sensitive interventions

social determinants of health

Thrive program

Boston Medical Center

value-based care

community stakeholders

policy changes

equitable mental health care