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Current Psychiatry Reports
Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports 11/2016

01-11-2016 | Child and Adolescent Disorders (TD Benton, Section Editor)

Emergency Department Screening for Suicide and Mental Health Risk

Authors: Kalina Babeva, Jennifer L. Hughes, Joan Asarnow

Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports | Issue 11/2016

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Abstract

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10–24. An estimated 1.5 million US adolescents receive their primary health care in the emergency department (ED); this is particularly true for low-income and minority youths who often lack a regular source of care. ED visits can provide a window of opportunity to screen and identify youths with suicide and mental health risk, triage youths based on need, and facilitate effective follow-up care. Recently developed brief therapeutic assessment approaches have demonstrated success in improving rates of follow-up care after discharge from the ED. Furthermore, there is some data supporting clinical benefits when youths receive evidence-based outpatient follow-up care. ED screening combined with effective follow-up, therefore, may provide one strategy for improving mental health and reducing health disparities in our nation. This paper reviews the context in which ED screenings occur, available tools and strategies, and evidence for the effectiveness of tested approaches.
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Metadata
Title
Emergency Department Screening for Suicide and Mental Health Risk
Authors
Kalina Babeva
Jennifer L. Hughes
Joan Asarnow
Publication date
01-11-2016
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Psychiatry Reports / Issue 11/2016
Print ISSN: 1523-3812
Electronic ISSN: 1535-1645
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-016-0738-6

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