A Profile of Care Coordination, Missed School Days, and Unmet Needs Among Oregon Children with Special Health Care Needs with Behavioral and Mental Health Conditions

Community Ment Health J. 2020 Nov;56(8):1571-1580. doi: 10.1007/s10597-020-00609-4. Epub 2020 Apr 1.

Abstract

To inform Oregon's Title V needs assessment activities, we aimed to (1) characterize the state's subpopulation of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) with behavioral and mental health conditions (B/MHC) and (2) determine associations of care coordination with missed school days and unmet needs for this subpopulation. We analyzed 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs data on 736 Oregon CSHCN < 18 years, including 418 CSHCN with B/MHC. Among Oregon CSHCN with B/MHC: 48.9% missed ≥ 4 school days, 25% had ≥ 1 unmet health services need, and 14.8% had ≥ 1 unmet family support services need. Care coordination was associated with lower adjusted odds of ≥ 1 unmet health services need but was not significantly associated with missed school days or unmet family support services need. The approach to identify Oregon CSHCN with B/MHC may be adopted by other states endeavoring to improve health for this vulnerable subpopulation.

Keywords: Behavioral health; Care coordination; Children with special health care needs; Mental health; School attendance; Unmet needs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Disabled Children*
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Humans
  • Mental Health*
  • Needs Assessment
  • Oregon
  • Schools
  • United States