Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41888944›Full record

ArticleChild and adolescent psychiatry and mental health2026

Development of an infant and early childhood mental health service at a tertiary care pediatric hospital: a needs assessment, community case study and logic model creation.

Katherine M Matheson, Constance de Schaetzen, Nicole Sheridan, Anne-Lise Holahan, Melissa Vloet, Sarah Gray, Jenny Carstens, Lara Postl, Barbara Deren, Kathleen Pajer

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Article in Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Katherine M MathesonFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada. kmatheson@cheo.on.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0143-042X
Constance de SchaetzenFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
Nicole SheridanCHEO Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
Anne-Lise HolahanFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
Melissa VloetChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
Sarah GrayBright Lights Psychology Clinic, 726 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M6G 1l4, Canada.
Jenny CarstensNexus Psychology, 168 - 150 Chippewa Road, Sherwood Park, AB, T8A 6A2, Canada.
Lara PostlFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
Barbara DerenFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.
Kathleen PajerFaculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionEarly attachment relationships and positive childhood experiences are foundational to lifelong mental health, yet specialized services for children under six remain critically scarce. This study sought to characterize the service gap in infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) in Eastern Ontario, Canada, as a first step in developing a logic model to inform creation of a program to support this population.

methodsWe completed a regional estimation model of IECMH concerns, conducted a semi-structured focus group with community mental health agencies, and administered a survey to pediatric physicians at a regional children’s hospital. Findings from the aforementioned evaluations informed the development of a logic model for a new, responsive, tertiary-level IECMH service.

resultsDisruptive behaviours emerged as the most frequently encountered IECMH concern, and respondents identified multiple systemic barriers to accessing care, including insufficient specialist services, prolonged wait times, limited inter-agency collaboration, and a lack of provider awareness and resources. These findings underscored the urgent need to use the logic model to develop a dedicated IECMH clinic, tailored to the unique needs of this vulnerable population. DISCUSSION: While developed within a Canadian regional context, this framework may serve as a flexible template for other jurisdictions seeking to establish or strengthen tertiary-level IECMH services. Adaptation to local service structures, workforce capacity, and population needs will be essential to ensure feasibility and sustainability. Future evaluation will be necessary to assess implementation outcomes, service utilization, and impact on child and family trajectories.

Indexed as

Early childhoodHealth systemsLogic modelMental healthNeeds assessmentPediatrics

Identifiers

PMID41888944
PMCPMC13147573

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.