Expanding Our Reach: Scaling Telehealth Solutions to Extend the Continuum of Care in Pediatric Behavioral Health

This session will outline strategic and operational challenges and opportunities in scaling a virtual behavioral health care solution.

Bradley Hospital in Providence, RI offers a unique continuum of care in children’s behavioral health, spanning inpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, outpatient and residential care and educational services. Since 2020 we have offered our partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) programs for adolescents virtually. These programs provide a step-up from outpatient care, and a step-down from inpatient. As part of a continuum of care, this programming has the potential to reduce ED visits and inpatient stays. Care is provided by our multidisciplinary team 5 days a week for a period of 3-4 weeks. Initial data show that outcomes are comparable to outcomes in inpatient care, and that virtual expands access and participation for families who might not be able to receive treatment in-person at the hospital. In addition to expanding care in Rhode Island, Bradley now works in partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital, Connecticut Children’s and other hospitals regionally, and a community mental health center in Florida to expand care regionally and nationally.

Here we will highlight strategic and operational issues around scaling in partnership, policy challenges, licensure and credentialing, and highlight opportunities for telehealth to expand access to quality care in future.

Presenters: Ellen Hallsworth and Henry T. Sachs III, MD

NESHS MEMBER REGISTRATION