Trends in referrals to psychosocial services in a pediatric emergency department before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic upended healthcare in the United States, profoundly impacting the mental and physical health of children and adolescents. This study examined how referrals to psychosocial services in a freestanding children's hospital emergency department changed during the initial COVID-19 state of emergency period in Massachusetts when compared to a previous period of similar length. While the total number of emergency department encounters decreased during the COVID-19 period, there were significant increases in rates of referrals for social work support across general, psychiatric, and child protection needs. Social workers played a critical role addressing children's needs during the COVID-19 crisis.