Medical Home for Adolescents: Low Attainment Rates for Those with Mental Health Problems and Other Vulnerable Groups

This 2012 study by researchers in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine examined the current rates of medical home attainment for adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children and adolescents receive care in a medical home, which the AAP defines as an environment in which care is accessible, continuous, comprehensive, family-centered, and cultural effective. The Affordable Care Act also supports many aspects of the medical home. Prior research has found a positive relationship between medical home components and positive health outcomes.

Data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health was used, consisting of responses from 45,897 adolescents ages 10-17.

The analyses showed barely half of adolescents received care in a medical home (54%) in 2007. Rates are even lower for adolescents with mental health problems, especially those who have both mental health and physical health problems. Other groups with low rates include lower-income, minority and uninsured youth. Scroll down to the interactive graphs for more details on the findings!

The authors recommend that efforts be focused on improving care coordination and family-centered care, especially for adolescents who are disadvantaged and/or suffer from mental health conditions.

 

This article was taken from National Adolescent and Young Adult Health Information Center, April 2013

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Health Snapshot – Hispanic Adolescents in the United States

Our nation’s adolescents are becoming increasingly diverse, and this trend will continue in the decades to come.  Today, more than one in five youth between the ages of 10 and 19 in the United States is Hispanic.  By 2020, that figure will rise to approximately one in four and, by 2040, nearly one in three adolescents will be Hispanic. The Office of Adolescent Health, in collaboration with the Office of Minority Health, offers a snapshot of how Hispanic adolescents are faring on a range of critical health indicators.

 

This article was taken from Office of Adolescent Health, March 2013

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In Their Own Words: Youth Perspectives on Health Care

This background paper by the Office of Adolescent Health summarizes key findings from previous research on adolescents’ perspectives and experiences related to health and healthy development. The published research includes the voices of youth from a wide range of backgrounds, families, and communities.

 

This article was taken from Office of Adolescent Health, February 2013

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Affordable Care Act publications by the National Health Law Program

NHeLP released two new publications explaining how the Affordable Care Act will increase access to contraceptives for women. Section 2713 of the ACA requires that new insurance plans cover a number of women’s preventive health services, without cost-sharing, including all FDA-approved methods of contraception. In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has clarified that these preventive services are also part of the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) package that must be included for individuals newly eligible for Medicaid, in the Basic Health Program, and in plans sold through the exchanges. Read NHeLP’s issue brief on the preventive services standards and contraceptive coverage here. Read NHeLP’s short summary chart on the preventive health requirements here. The contraceptive coverage requirement has attracted strong opposition from the Catholic Church, which is advocating for a very broad refusal clause that would deny hundreds of thousands of women access to contraceptives. NHeLP is actively engaged in preserving these critical services. Click here to read NHeLP’s issue brief on health care refusals and contraception.

This article was taken from National Health Law Program

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Affordable Care Act Upheld by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. upheld the heart of President Obama’s healthcare law Thursday, ruling that the government may impose tax penalties on those who do not have health insurance.

The decision came on a 5-4 vote, with the court’s four liberal justices joining with the chief justice.

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This article was taken from Los Angeles Times, June 28, 2012

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Blueprints for Education Reform: Have You Analyzed the Architects’ Vision?

Blueprints for education reform have become trendy. Over the last few year, President Obama, governors, chief state school officers, local superintendents’ associations, policy institutes, foundations, and business leaders have formulated such documents to guide school improvement. This brief highlights:

• The focus of current blueprints
• What’s missing in most of the plans
• An expanded vision that directly addresses barriers to learning and teaching
• Cautions that
  • More is involved than improving coordination and services
  • More is involved than specifying adoption of a community school approach

This article was taken from Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA, June 2012

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Financing Health Care Services at Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center: Overview of Findings from 2010

This brief is the first in a series of policy updates and case studies associated with the multi-year evaluation of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center (MSAHC), which provides comprehensive health services to adolescents and young adults ages 10-24 in the New York City metro area.

The largest center of its kind in the United States, MSAHC provides health care services to over 10,000 patients per year onsite at the Center, as well as at three school-based health centers. MSAHC has also recently been certified as a level 3 Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Physician Recognition Program. Patient care at MSAHC is financed through a complex network of private and public health insurance programs, government and private foundation grants, and individual donors. MSAHC is unique in that no patient is turned away, regardless of their ability to pay. In this brief, the financing of patient care at MSAHC is analyzed for calendar year 2010.

A profile of MSAHC patients aged 10-24 is presented, with specific attention paid to how services were categorized, billed, and paid for generally and among specific subgroups of patients. The brief continues with a discussion of the implications of the patient data presented in the context of recent changes that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has already implemented, as well as additional impending changes that will take effect over the next several years. A set of recommendations for future directions in financing is presented, as well as proposed plans for future analyses of the financial data.

This report will be of potential interest to health care providers, health care administrators, health policy advocates, policymakers, and others who are interested in the future of the financing of adolescent health care services, both within and outside of New York.

This article was taken from The Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF and ICF International

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Young Adult Preventive Health Care Guidelines: There But Can’t Be Found

In the context of increasing attention on young adult health and healthcare, NAHIC researchers (in UCSF’s Division of Adolescent Medicine) examined existing adolescent and adult professional guidelines relevant to young adults. They analyzed these guidelines, with special emphasis on the extent to which they are consistent with evidence-based guidelines developed by the USPSTF.

Based on their analysis, NAHIC researchers recommend establishing “Young Adult Preventive Care Guidelines” that reflect the current evidence-based recommendations that overlap with the young adult age group. The study also suggests clinician and health care system supports to facilitate the delivery of preventive services to young adults, and identifies priorities for research in prevention in areas with insufficient evidence.  Read a summary.

This article was taken from Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

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Speaking Out – Latino Youth Voice Their Thoughts on Discrimination in New Report

Close to 83% of Latino youth indicated in a recent national survey that discrimination is a personal problem for them. Speaking Out, a new report from The National Council of La Raza, gives voice to these youth along with important analysis of the impact of social and institutional racism on their lives.

This article was taken from The National Council of La Raza

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Young Adult Preventive Health Care Guidelines: There But Can’t Be Found

In the context of increasing attention on young adult health and healthcare, NAHIC researchers (in UCSF’s Division of Adolescent Medicine) examined existing adolescent and adult professional guidelines relevant to young adults. They analyzed these guidelines, with special emphasis on the extent to which they are consistent with evidence-based guidelines developed by the USPSTF.

Based on their analysis, NAHIC researchers recommend establishing “Young Adult Preventive Care Guidelines” that reflect the current evidence-based recommendations that overlap with the young adult age group. The study also suggests clinician and health care system supports to facilitate the delivery of preventive services to young adults, and identifies priorities for research in prevention in areas with insufficient evidence.  Read a summary.

This article was taken from Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

Click here to visit this resource

 

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