%0 Journal Article %T Professional stakeholders' perceptions of barriers to behavioral health care following pediatric traumatic brain injury %J Brain injury %D 2022 %A Miley, Aimee E. %A Elleman, Chloe B. %A Chiu, Rachel Y. %A Moscato, Emily L. %A Fisher, Allison P. %A Slomine, Beth S. %A Kirkwood, Michael W. %A Baum, Katherine T. %A Walsh, Kathleen E. %A Wade, Shari L. %V ePub %N ePub %P ePub-ePub %X OBJECTIVE: To examine professional stakeholders' perspectives of barriers to behavioral health care (BHC) follow-up and telepsychology after pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS: Twenty-nine professionals participated in a focus group (FG) or key informant interview (KII) between January and March 2020. Professionals answered questions about facilitators and barriers to BHC follow-up and telepsychology. Given widespread telepsychology implementation since COVID-19, a follow-up survey assessing telehealth perceptions since the pandemic was sent out in December 2020. Nineteen professionals completed the survey.

RESULTS: Professionals identified individual (e.g., family factors, insurance coverage/finances, transportation/distance, availability, planning follow-up care) and system-level (e.g., lack of access to BHC providers) barriers to BHC post-injury. Possible solutions, like collaborative follow-up care, were also identified. Generally, clinical professionals have favorable impressions of telepsychology and utilized services as a delivery modality for clinical care. Though telepsychology could reduce barriers to care, professionals also expressed concerns (e.g., technology issues, security/safety) and challenges (e.g., funding, accessibility, training/licensure for clinicians) with implementing telepsychology.

CONCLUSION: Barriers identified highlight the need for context-specific solutions to increase BHC access, with telepsychology generally recognized as a beneficial modality for BHC. Future work should continue to focus on understanding barriers to BHC and potential solutions after pediatric TBI.

Language: en

%G en %I Informa - Taylor and Francis Group %@ 0269-9052 %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2022.2034956