This activity is directed to physicians who take care of hospitalized children, medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants working in the emergency room, intensive care unit, or hospital wards.

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Review the types of Pediatric mental health admissions that have increased during the pandemic.
• Discuss how the pandemic can and has affected the mental health of children.
• Review de-escalation techniques for an agitated and/or aggressive inpatient pediatric psychiatric patient. 

1. Thomas H. Chun, Sharon E. Mace, Emily R. Katz, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, COMMITTEE ON PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS, PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE COMMITTEE. Evaluation and Management of Children and Adolescents With Acute Mental Health or Behavioral Problems. Part I: Common Clinical Challenges of Patients With Mental Health and/or Behavioral Emergencies. Pediatrics Sep 2016, 138 (3) e20161570; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2016-1570
2. Thomas H. Chun, Sharon E. Mace, Emily R. Katz, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS Pediatric Emergency Medicine Committee. Evaluation and Management of Children With Acute Mental Health or Behavioral Problems. Part II: Recognition of Clinically Challenging Mental Health Related Conditions Presenting With Medical or Uncertain Symptoms. Pediatrics Sep 2016, 138 (3) e20161573; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2016-1573
3. Fiona B. McEnany, Olutosin Ojugbele, Julie R. Doherty, Jennifer L. McLaren, JoAnna K. Leyenaar. Pediatric Mental Health Boarding. Pediatrics Oct 2020, 146 (4) e20201174; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-1174
4. Leeb RT, Bitsko RH, Radhakrishnan L, Martinez P, Njai R, Holland KM. Mental Health–Related Emergency Department Visits Among Children Aged <18 Years During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January 1–October 17, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1675–1680. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6945a3external icon.
5. Holland KM, Jones C, Vivolo-Kantor AM, et al. Trends in US Emergency Department Visits for Mental Health, Overdose, and Violence Outcomes Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online February 03, 021. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.4402

Joint Accreditation Statement: This statement supersedes all other accreditation statements on this page.
In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.