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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research

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01-11-2015 | Original Article

Defining Episodes of Care in Children’s Mental Health Using Administrative Data

Authors: Graham Reid, Shannon L. Stewart, Gregory S. Zaric, Jeffrey R. Carter, Richard W. J. Neufeld, Juliana I. Tobon, Melanie Barwick, Evelyn R. Vingilis

Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research | Issue 6/2015

Abstract

Criteria to define an episode of care in children’s mental health services are needed. Various criteria were applied to 5 years of visit data from children 4–11 years (N = 5,206) at their first visit to 1 of 3 children’s mental health agencies. A minimum of 3 visits with 180 days between episodes optimized agreement with other dates (e.g., telephone intake assessment) marking the start and end of an episode, and clinician-rated number of episodes. Grouping visits into episodes provides a clearer representation of how services are distributed over extended periods of time, facilitating research and enhancing accuracy in service planning.

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Title: Defining Episodes of Care in Children’s Mental Health Using Administrative Data
Authors: Graham Reid
Shannon L. Stewart
Gregory S. Zaric
Jeffrey R. Carter
Richard W. J. Neufeld
Juliana I. Tobon
Melanie Barwick
Evelyn R. Vingilis
Publication date: 01-11-2015
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research / Issue 6/2015
Print ISSN: 0894-587X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3289
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0609-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Defining Episodes of Care in Children’s Mental Health Using Administrative Data

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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