Child psychiatry is a field that presents unique challenges due to the historical neglect of mental health in healthcare settings. Despite the pressing need for more mental health professionals, Cagande acknowledges that significant changes in the field won’t occur until more medical students are incentivized to pursue additional training and incur the associated costs. While other medical specialties also face obstacles, psychiatry presents unique challenges due to unequal reimbursements for mental health treatments compared to physical health services, which can discourage healthcare providers from specializing in psychiatry.
Reimbursements for mental health treatments are often unequal compared to those for physical health services, which can discourage healthcare providers from specializing in psychiatry. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 was intended to address this issue but has not been effectively implemented, further hindering efforts to attract professionals to the field of child psychiatry. However, Cagande believes that primary care physicians play a crucial role in destigmatizing mental health issues and improving access to care, especially in light of the shortage of child psychiatrists.
Cagande and her team at CHOP are currently collaborating with Girard College, a preparatory school in the Sharswood neighborhood, to provide clinical services to students in grades 1 through 12. They are also working on forming similar partnerships with other local schools. As part of their work at CHOP, Cagande is focused on addressing barriers such as unequal reimbursement rates and stigma surrounding mental health issues. By working closely with local schools and providing accessible clinical services, she hopes to increase awareness about mental health issues and encourage more medical students to pursue careers in this field.
