KySS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Fellowship

One in 4 children and adolescents (i.e., 15 million) in the United States have mental or behavioral health problems that interfere with their performance at home or at school, yet only 20 to 25 percent of these children receive any treatment. Significant health disparities also exist in the receipt of mental health services. In Arizona, the psychiatric physician-to-population ratio is less than the national average, with only 134 child psychiatrists practicing in the state in 2004. One-third of the counties (i.e., 5 of 15) in Arizona have no child psychiatrists. Primary care providers (PCPs) and school health providers, such as pediatric and family nurse practitioners (NPs), physicians, physician assistants and other healthcare clinicians, are in a unique position to identify and manage common behavioral and mental health problems among children and adolescents, as approximately 75 percent of children with mental health disorders are seen in primary care settings. However, primary care providers typically report inadequate knowledge of screening and early intervention practices for these problems.

In order to address this growing public health concern, the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University is pleased to announce the nation’s first KySS^SM (Keep your children/yourself Safe and Secure) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Fellowship Online Continuing Education Program for primary care and school health providers who desire to enhance their knowledge and skills related to evidence-based screening, assessment and management of common mental health disorders in children and adolescents. The KySS Fellowship Program will prepare healthcare clinicians to accurately screen for, identify and deliver early interventions for affected children and adolescents. It is a collaborative initiative between the ASU College of Nursing & Health Innovation, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and the NAPNAP Foundation through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).