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A Quality Improvement Assessment of the Delivery of Mental Health Services among WTC Responders Treated in the Community

Author

Listed:
  • Mayer Bellehsen

    (Department of Psychiatry, Unified Behavioral Health Center and World Trade Center Health Program, Northwell Health, 132 East Main Street, Bay Shore, NY 11706, USA)

  • Jacqueline Moline

    (Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA)

  • Rehana Rasul

    (Department of Biostatistics and Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA)

  • Kristin Bevilacqua

    (Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA)

  • Samantha Schneider

    (Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA)

  • Jason Kornrich

    (World Trade Center Health Center, Northwell Health, 97-77 Queens Blvd, Rego Park, NY 11374, USA)

  • Rebecca M. Schwartz

    (Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention and Northwell Health and Joint Center for Trauma, Disaster Health and Resilience at Mount Sinai, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA)

Abstract

The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) provides mental health services through diverse service delivery mechanisms, however there are no current benchmarks to evaluate utilization or quality. This quality improvement (QI) initiative sought to examine the delivery and effectiveness of WTCHP mental health services for World Trade Center (WTC) responders who receive care through the Northwell Health Clinical Center of Excellence (CCE), and to characterize the delivery of evidence-based treatments (EBT) for mental health (MH) difficulties in this population. Methods include an analysis of QI data from the Northwell CCE, and annual WTCHP monitoring data for all responders certified for mental health treatment. Nearly 48.9% of enrolled responders with a WTC-certified diagnosis utilized treatment. The majority of treatment delivered was focused on WTC-related conditions. There was significant disagreement between provider-reported EBT use and independently-evaluated delivery of EBT (95.6% vs. 54.8%, p ≤ 0.001). EBT delivery was associated with a small decrease in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms over time. Providers engaged in the process of data collection, but there were challenges with adherence to outcome monitoring and goal setting. Data from this report can inform continued QI efforts in the WTCHP, as well as the implementation and evaluation of EBT.

Suggested Citation

  • Mayer Bellehsen & Jacqueline Moline & Rehana Rasul & Kristin Bevilacqua & Samantha Schneider & Jason Kornrich & Rebecca M. Schwartz, 2019. "A Quality Improvement Assessment of the Delivery of Mental Health Services among WTC Responders Treated in the Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:9:p:1536-:d:227253
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Robert M. Brackbill & Judith M. Graber & William A. (Allen) Robison, 2019. "Editorial for “Long-Term Health Effects of the 9/11 Disaster” in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-6, September.
    2. Rebecca M. Schwartz & Pooja Shaam & Myia S. Williams & Molly McCann-Pineo & Laura Ryniker & Shubham Debnath & Theodoros P. Zanos, 2022. "Understanding Mental Health Needs and Gathering Feedback on Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Potential PTSD Treatment among 9/11 Responders Living with PTSD Symptoms 20 Years Late," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Lampros Samartzis & Michael A. Talias, 2019. "Assessing and Improving the Quality in Mental Health Services," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-31, December.

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