Enhancing Pediatric Mental Health and Trauma Care in Emergency Departments: The Collaborative Care Model - (2024)

Mental health and trauma concerns among pediatric patients presenting at emergency departments (EDs) have become increasingly prevalent, demanding innovative approaches to optimize medical and psychosocial care delivery. This presentation explores current approaches to caring for this population, emphasizing the demonstrated effectiveness of a collaborative care model to support pediatric behavioral health and trauma patients in the ED. In this context, the integration of child life specialists has shown promising results in improving patient outcomes and overall quality of care. Child life specialists play a crucial role in helping children and families cope with the stress and anxiety of being in the ED, providing age-appropriate explanations about medical procedures, and offering therapeutic interventions to support emotional well-being. Additionally, the speakers will highlight opportunities for program quality improvement in existing child life practice models that can further enhance the care provided to pediatric patients in the emergency department.

Suggested Domain: Intervention
1.0 PDU

Learning Objective(s):

- Understanding the Collaborative Care Model: Learners should be able to comprehend the key principles and components of the collaborative care model for pediatric mental health and trauma care in emergency departments.

- Evaluating the Efficacy of the Collaborative Care Model: Learners should be able to assess the effectiveness of and outcomes associated with the collaborative care approach in enhancing pediatric mental health and trauma care.

- Identifying Areas for Improvement: Learners should be able to identify specific areas for improvement within the collaborative care model or the existing practices in emergency departments for supporting this population.

- Recognizing Strategies for Optimal Pediatric Care: Learners should be able to recognize, evaluate, and begin to implement e potential strategies and recommendations derived from the collaborative care model.

Please note: All webinar contents and its certificate will expire on 5/8/2027 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificate for their records prior to 5/8/2027.

Alexa Jensen, M.Ed

Graduate Research Assistant

Alexa Jensen graduated with honors from USC, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Criminal Justice. Alexa is currently pursuing her master's degree in Child Studies at Vanderbilt, with a concentration on pediatric healthcare. She has developed a profound interest in child life and is actively involved in Trauma and Injury Prevention. Alexa has dedicated herself to an in-depth exploration of the distinctive qualities of particularly vulnerable patients, specifically children grappling with trauma, behavioral health challenges, and instances of abuse and neglect. She has been actively engaged in intervention evaluation, research, and program planning for these populations and continues to apply this acquired knowledge as she advances in her academic pursuits at Vanderbilt.

Keana Gonzales, CCLS

Certified Child Life Specialist

Keana Gonzales graduated from TCU with honors majoring in Psychology and minoring in Child Development and Social Work. Keana then went on to pursue a master’s degree in Child Studies where she found her passion for child life. During her time at Vanderbilt she immersed herself in learning about the unique attributes of especially vulnerable patients specifically children with behavioral health concerns, victims of child abuse and neglect, and victims of child sex-trafficking. Keana has since then utilized this knowledge in her current role as a certified child life specialist in the emergency department at Children’s Health Dallas. 

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Enhancing Pediatric Mental Health and Trauma Care in Emergency Departments: The Collaborative Care Model
Select the "View On-Demand Recording" button to begin.  |  60 minutes
Select the "View On-Demand Recording" button to begin.  |  60 minutes Mental health and trauma concerns among pediatric patients presenting at emergency departments (EDs) have become increasingly prevalent, demanding innovative approaches to optimize medical and psychosocial care delivery. This presentation explores current approaches to caring for this population, emphasizing the demonstrated effectiveness of a collaborative care model to support pediatric behavioral health and trauma patients in the ED. In this context, the integration of child life specialists has shown promising results in improving patient outcomes and overall quality of care. Child life specialists play a crucial role in helping children and families cope with the stress and anxiety of being in the ED, providing age-appropriate explanations about medical procedures, and offering therapeutic interventions to support emotional well-being. Additionally, the speakers will highlight opportunities for program quality improvement in existing child life practice models that can further enhance the care provided to pediatric patients in the emergency department.
Survey
6 Questions
Quiz
5 Questions  |  Unlimited attempts  |  4/5 points to pass
5 Questions  |  Unlimited attempts  |  4/5 points to pass
Certificate
1.00 PDU credit  |  Certificate available
1.00 PDU credit  |  Certificate available