A Patient-Partnered, Pan-Canadian, Comparative Effectiveness Evaluation of an Acute Pediatric Mental Health and Addiction Care Bundle

Participation Requirements

• Sex:

  ALL

• Eligible Ages:

  8 to 17

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 8 to 17.99 years
2. Chief triage concern of at least one of the following (or comparable) mental health CEDIS triage categories:

1. Anxiety/situational crisis and/or hyperventilation
2. Bizarre/paranoid behaviour
3. Concern for patient's welfare
4. Depression/suicidal/deliberate self-harm
5. Hallucinations/delusions
6. Violent/homicidal behaviour
7. Insomnia
8. Pediatric disruptive behaviour

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Brought to the ED under provincial mental health legislation
2. Exhibiting features of schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional disorders, or psychosis (e.g., hallucinations/delusions complaint should be reviewed carefully for this exclusion criterion)
3. Significant self-harm act (i.e., suicide attempt requiring medical clearance, excluding ideation or minor superficial wounds; e.g., laceration/puncture, overdose ingestion, etc.)
4. Other co-morbid medical concerns requiring oversight and/or medical clearance from an emergency physician (e.g., confusion/disorientation, substance withdrawal, other medical complaints, etc.)
5. Substance misuse/intoxication or altered level of consciousness
6. Exhibiting a behavioural syndrome associated with physiologic disturbances (e.g., anorexia)

Children/youth will also be excluded based on language barriers:
7. Language barrier (i.e., patient and parent/legal guardian must be fluent in either English or French)