Telementoring to Strengthen Child and Youth Mental Health Care Capacity in Primary Care Providers: Session Duration and Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Primary care providers (PCPs) report insufficient capacity for child and youth mental health care (CYMH). The telementoring program Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) can build capacity, but 75- to 120-minute sessions are a participation barrier. Using a Lean health care paradigm, we designed a 60-minute session, and compared self-reported CYMH capacity strengthening (10 constructs) and satisfaction between 60- and 90-minute sessions. Pre-post (n = 139) and post-cycle (n = 146) survey data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effects logistic regression. Capacity strengthening was demonstrated when analyzing both groups together (all Ps ≤ .002). Session duration did not affect capacity strengthening for 9/10 constructs (all Ps > .05), but medication management development was higher with 90-minute sessions ( P = .002). Satisfaction was high in both groups. The 60-minute ECHO CYMH sessions can be used without negative learning outcomes, but more mentoring may be needed to build capacity for psychopharmacologic treatment.