HEADS-ED Under 6: A clinician-administered mental health and developmental screening and triage tool

Communimetric screening tools convey functional impairment and action required, helping clinicians identify and communicate patient’s needs and actions within a measurement framework. We examined the feasibility of using the HEADS-ED Under 6, a communimetric mental health (MH) and developmental screening and triage tool for children under 6, within 1Call1Click.ca, a regional coordinated access and navigation program in Eastern Ontario. We explored utility validity to understand how the HEADS-ED Under 6 is used to help intake workers screen, inform their level of need decision, and establish a cut-off for recommending interventions targeting moderate levels of need or higher.