Children's Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity (ADHD) Telemental Health Treatment Study

Telemental Health to Improve Mental Health Care and Outcomes for Children in Underserved Areas

While telemental health (TMH) programs are increasing nationally to address the inequity of access to psychiatric services, there are few reports of their efficacy, particularly with children. The current proposal will complete the second stage of our program development. In the first stage, we established the feasibility of a TMH service and its acceptability to families and PCPs. In the second stage of program development we will conduct a randomized clinical trial (RCT) that will determine whether it is possible to use technological advances to: 1) improve clinical outcomes for children with ADHD over outcomes achieved in usual PC; and 2) adhere to an EBT protocol implemented through TMH. Future studies will examine whether other types of complicated psychiatric disorders and EBTs are amenable to delivery via TMH.

The overall goal of this study is to determine whether an evidence-based model of care can be faithfully implemented when delivered using TMH to children with ADHD living in rural areas and can improve outcomes over treatment as usual (TAU) in PC. ADHD is an excellent focus for assessment of TMH, as PCPs encounter this disorder frequently, EBT guidelines are available, pharmacotherapy is the core treatment and is easily delivered in PC through videoconferencing, and stabilization may be readily achieved for most youth.

Inclusion Criteria:

• is 5.5 - 12 years of age
• resides at home with parents/relatives
• has a dx of ADHD (CBCL DSM-oriented elevation or previous diagnosis of ADHD; C-DISC diagnosis)
• attends school 80% of time or more (including home-schooled children)
• speaks English or Spanish and parent speaks English or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

• child has a diagnosis of: CD, OCD, psychosis, BPD, Autism, mental retardation, major medical illness
• resident parent has a drug use problem