A nationwide programme led by UC Davis Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics has significantly boosted screening rates for mental health and substance use among teenagers, with sustained effects and plans to address remaining gaps.
A nationwide initiative led by UC Davis Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics has sharply improved how paediatric primary care clinics screen teenagers for substance use and mental health concerns. The project, known as the Transformative and Evidence-based Approaches to Mental Health and Substance Use Screening, or TEAMSS, involved 160 clinicians at 27 clinics in 18 states and focused on young people aged 12 to 18 during routine visits.
According to UC Davis Health, substance use screening more than doubled during the 11-month effort, rising from 35% of adolescent well visits to 75%. Depression screening climbed from 82% to 90%, anxiety screening rose from 32% to 69%, and suicide risk screening increased from 18% to 41%. Follow-up care for adolescents who screened positive for substance use also improved, from 69% to 86%.
Ulfat Shaikh, a professor of paediatrics at UC Davis Health and the study’s lead author, said the findings show that primary care teams can make major gains when they are given practical tools, coaching and evidence-based guidance. The study, published in the American Journal of Medical Quality, suggests that many teenagers’ overlapping behavioural health challenges are still missed in routine care unless clinics build more reliable systems for screening and referral. UC Davis Health’s own behavioural health services emphasise integrated care, with mental health support embedded in primary care settings and specialist pathways for children and adolescents who need more intensive treatment.
The researchers also reported that the changes were durable: nine months after the project ended, 85% of clinics said they had fully maintained the new model. More than 90% of participating clinicians said the collaborative improved patient care and clinic operations. Even so, the team said future efforts should push harder on suicide risk screening and strengthen community referral networks, particularly for rural and re
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