Assessing Service Quality and Access in Trauma Centers through Behavioral Health Screening, Education, and Treatment after Pediatric Injury

Survey of 83 U.S. pediatric trauma centers reveals inconsistent behavioral health screening practices despite ACS COT recommendations, with only 46% screening children and 18% screening families for post-injury psychological distress. While providers rate screening as highly important, lack of standardized protocols creates access gaps for the ~20% of injured children who develop PTSD, ASD, or depression.