Dyadic Services for Families
New York’s health care system treats parents/caregivers and their children as separate entities, and Medicaid largely relies on diagnoses to drive reimbursement, rather than paying for prevention. This can lead to higher costs, poorer outcomes, and missed opportunities for promotion of positive parent-child interactions and prevention and early intervention.
To address these shortcomings, the Schuyler Center undertook a project to examine an approach that treats the child and their parent/caregiver together. The dyadic approach, conducted within primary care, screens babies and toddlers for healthy development and adults for stressors such as depression and substance use disorders, intimate partner violence, unstable housing, and food insecurity. Connections are made to programs that can support the family and guide open conversations about the best ways to support early learning, healthy disciplinary interactions, and caregiver-child bonding.
The policy brief and fact sheet created by the Schuyler Center provide recommendations for sustainable funding for dyadic services through Medicaid and other health insurance to expand access to these services. This approach can lead to improved rates of childhood immunization and developmental screenings, and better prepare families to respond to stress and adversity.
Schuyler Center hosted a webinar on Wednesday April 27 highlighting the recommendations of the policy brief, including information on the importance of these services for children and families and next steps.
Webinar Panelists:
- Laura Shipley, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Vice Chair for Population and Behavioral Health, University of Rochester Medical Center
- Elizabeth Foley, Parent Advocate, HealthySteps
- Kenya Malcolm, PhD, IECMH-E®, Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor, Director, Infant & Early Childhood Initiatives UR Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Golisano Children’s Hospital Pediatric Practice Integrated Behavioral Health, Healthysteps
- Donna Bradbury, Associate Commissioner, Office of Prevention and Health Initiatives, NYS Office of Mental Health.
Webinar link
Slide presentation
Infographic
Dyadic Services Brief
Dyadic Services Fact Sheet