Barriers to Billing and Proposed Solutions
The foundation for mental health is laid in infancy and early childhood, but getting help when needed can be difficult for children under five. Between 7 and 10 percent of children under five experience clinically significant emotional, relational, or behavioral problems. Additionally, one in four children will witness or experience a potentially traumatic event by age four.
Fortunately, awareness of the importance of infant and early childhood mental health is growing and the number of interventions to support young children at risk is expanding. Unfortunately, access to these services is often limited by current reimbursement regulations that require a diagnosis of a disorder, making it difficult to deliver mental health interventions to very young children who may not meet criteria. The result is that when parents indicate a need for mental health services, children ages 3-5 are less likely to receive them than their older peers.
In this issue brief, learn why access to mental health services for infants and young children is often limited by reimbursement rules that require a formal diagnosis. The brief looks at Connecticut's progress in training providers in evidence-based treatments, along with strategies like Oregon's at-risk billing codes. It closes with recommendations for expanding access to preventive mental health services for young children and their families.
This Issue Brief was prepared by Kellie Randall, PhD, Vice President of Quality Improvement, with input from Margaret C. Holmberg, PhD, IMH-E, Board of Directors for CT Association for Infant Mental Health and Alliance for Advancement of Infant Mental Health; and Heather Bonitz Moore, ATR-BC, LPC, IMH-E, CT Association for Infant Mental Health. For more information, contact Dr. Randall.