Telehealth care for mental health spiked for pediatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to support a substantial proportion of pediatric mental health care, according to a research letter published online Oct. 3 in JAMA Network Open.

Mariah M. Kalmin, Ph.D., from RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California, and colleagues examined telehealth, in-person, and overall pediatric mental health service utilization and spending rates for children and youths (aged <19 years) from January 2019 through August 2022. Analysis included 1.9 million commercial insurance claims from Castlight Health.

The researchers found that in-person pediatric mental health services declined by 42 percent during the pandemic's acute phase, while pediatric telehealth services increased 30-fold (3,027 percent), representing a 13 percent relative increase in overall utilization, compared with prepandemic. In-person services returned to 75 percent of prepandemic levels and tele-mental health utilization was 2,300 percent higher by August 2022 than prepandemic levels. During the postacute pandemic period, there was a gradual increase seen in spending rates versus prepandemic for in-person, telehealth, and total visits. Mental health service utilization increased by 21.7 percent from January 2019 to August 2022, while mental health spending rates increased by 26.1 percent. In all phases, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorder accounted for most visits and spending.

"As evidence increases that telehealth can effectively deliver mental health treatment for children and youths, these findings have important implications for telehealth sustainability beyond the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic," Kalmin said in a statement.

Two authors disclosed ties to Castlight Health.

Abstract/Full Text

Posted October 2023