Creating a statewide continuum of care

The objectives of this presentation are to: 1) describe cross-institutional efforts in building a statewide network of school-based mental health supports, including consultation and training, school-based health clinics, intensive outpatient treatment, and workforce development and diversity programs; and 2) identify strategies for strengthening collaborations between schools and health systems. K. Ron-Li Liaw, MD, will present on a multiyear vision and strategy to advance a youth- and family-centered, coordinated system of mental health care with collaborative partners, ensuring equitable access to high-quality, evidence-based care and prevention in the state of Colorado. The University of Colorado School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Partners in Children’s Mental Health, in collaboration with schools from across Colorado, are expanding and redesigning a network of school-based mental health supports and services, including school consultation and training, school-based health centers, and a new model for intensive outpatient treatment and care transitions, in which students will be able to receive high-quality mental health care without leaving school. This presentation will emphasize strategies for partnering with school districts, local stakeholders, community organizations, and state-level legislators for crafting and executing a large scale re-imagining of the pediatric mental health system. This will facilitate a conversation about school-based partnerships as a pathway to managing the pediatric boarding crisis and building mental health workforce capacity and diversity. As a result of this presentation, participants will be able to describe a variety of school-based supports and services to address the youth mental health treatment gap as well as strategies to foster collaborations between schools and health systems. This presentation will highlight the development of a statewide network to improve pediatric mental health highlighting initiatives targeted toward increasing equitable access to high-quality mental health care in schools.