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The emergence and rapid spread of COVID-19 led to unprecedented changes for families and systems of care. This study sought to understand the needs of families participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) before and during the pandemic and considers the impact remote service delivery has on access to an integrated behavioral health intervention to support the psychosocial needs of children and caregivers. Needs for referral varied significantly pre- and post-pandemic onset. Analyses revealed that significantly more referrals were made regarding social determinants of health after the onset of COVID-19 (13.8%) compared with prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (4.1%, p <.05). Providers' transition to telehealth services sufficiently served WIC families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary care is an essential service for young children and one of the few settings where in-person care was provided during COVID-19 (recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 2020). The HealthySteps (HS) model provides enhanced primary care to young children but required innovations to service delivery to adhere to public health orders and reduce virus exposure. The HS team in this clinic developed innovative service delivery strategies to continue providing comprehensive care to young children and families. The team also provides support to primary care medical colleagues as they navigate the ongoing challenges brought about by the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to demonstrate far-reaching impact on individuals, families, and communities. Emerging research highlights the detrimental impact of the pandemic on perinatal mental health. Warm Connections is a behavioral health program embedded in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics. The authors describe changes made by Warm Connections to address the increased needs of this population during the pandemic. In collaboration with WIC staf, the program developed a new outreach model to provide timely, comprehensive support for caregivers in the early postpartum period. Included is a case example and an important reminder that systems under stress can find resilience and inspiration in connection and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The 2008 Institute of Medicine's Report, Cancer Care for the Whole Patient (IOM, 2008), recommends screening cancer patients for distress. Cancer programs throughout the United States are struggling to achieve this standard. The IOM report indicates that only 14% of 1000 randomly selected American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) members and eight of 15 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) centers reported screening for distress in at least some of their patients [ J Natl Compr Cancer Netw 2007;5:99-103]. Without adequate screening, distress often goes unnoticed by cancer professionals and there is little information about the prevalence of distress. The main objective of this article is to present data from 1281 distress screenings completed by patients treated within a community cancer center. Specifically, this article reports the intensity of distress, frequency of problem endorsement, and requests for specific psychosocial providers by cancer patients. Method: Medical and radiation oncology patients completed a distress screener before their first physician appointment. The screening instrument included the Distress Thermometer, a symptom checklist, and a list of psychosocial providers that the patient could request to meet. Results: Thirty-two percent of this sample rated distress above the threshold level. Worry was the most common problem endorsed followed by financial issues. Emotional concerns were endorsed by 59% of the sample. The cancer dietitian was the psychosocial professional most frequently requested by patients. Conclusion: Distress screening can be accomplished within a community cancer center but the provision of psychosocial services is difficult given the high volume of need. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]