Clinical Updates and Practice Parameters

Clinical Updates, authored by AACAP Committees and the CQI, are intended to address three topic areas: the psychiatric assessment and management of specific populations of children and adolescents; the psychiatric assessment and management of children and adolescents in specific settings; and the application of specific psychiatric techniques to children and adolescents. The Clinical Update development process can be accessed here.

Topic	AACAP Clinical Updates & Practice Parameters	Resources From Other Orgs	AHRQ and/or PCORI Meta-Analyses
Aggression	Practice Parameter Aggressive Behavior in Institutions JAACAP Volume 41 February 2002
Antipsychotics			First- and Second-Generation Antipsychotics in Children and Young Adults: Systematic Review Update March 2017
Child Welfare	Practice Parameter Child Welfare JAACAP Volume 54 June 2015
Collaborative Care	Clinical Update: Collaborative Mental Health Care for Children and Adolescents in Pediatric Primary Care JAACAP Article in Press June 2022
Cultural Competency	Practice Parameter Cultural Competency JAACAP Volume 52 October 2013
Disaster Preparedness	Practice Parameter Disaster Preparedness JAACAP Volume 52 November 2013
ECT	Practice Parameter Electroconvulsive Therapy JAACAP Volume 43 December 2004
Family Assessment	Practice Parameter Assessment of the Family JAACAP Volume 46 July 2007
Forensic Assessment or Forensic/Correctional Psychiatry	Practice Parameter Forensic Assessment JAACAP Volume 50 December 2011
Improving Clinical Care			Strategies To Improve Mental Health Care for Children and Adolescents 2016
Inpatient Issues		Systematic Search and Review: Management and Prevention of Agitation and Aggression in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Setting Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Volume 35, Issue 7, 2025
LGBTQ Youth	Practice Parameter GLBT Youth JAACAP Volume 51 September 2012	American Psychiatric Association (APA), Working with LGBTQ Patients American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), Clinical Guidelines & Training for Providers, Professionals, and Trainees working with LGBTQ youth and their families. International Journal of Transgender Health Volume 23, 2022 - Issue sup1: Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8
Mental Health Mobile Applications			Strategies for Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care September 2022
Mindfulness-Based Interventions			Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Mental Health and Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review February 2025
Nonpharmacological Interventions			Nonpharmacologic Treatments for Maternal Mental Health Conditions July 2024
Pain Management alongside Substance Use Disorders			Treatments, Technologies, and Models for Management of Acute and Chronic Pain in People With a History of Substance Use Disorder April 2021
Perinatal Pharmacologic Interventions			Maternal, Fetal, and Child Outcomes of Mental Health Treatments in Women: A Systematic Review of Perinatal Pharmacologic Interventions April 2021
Pharmacology			Pharmacotherapy for Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder in Outpatient Settings: Systematic Review November 2023
Physically Ill Children	Practice Parameter Physically Ill Children JAACAP Volume 48 February 2009
Psychotherapy	Practice Parameter Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with Children JAACAP Volume 51 May 2012
Psychotropic Medication	Practice Parameter Stimulant Medications* Volume 41 February 2002 Sup Practice Parameter Psychotropic Medication JAACAP Volume 48 September 2009
School Consultation	Practice Parameter Psychiatric Consultation to Schools JAACAP Volume 44 October 2005
Screening & Counseling			Implementation of Recommended Screening and Counseling Interventions to Prevent Mental Health Disorders in Children and Adolescents February 2025
Sexual Abuse	Practice Parameter Sexually Abusive Children JAACAP Volume 38 December 1999
Systems of Care	Clinical Update: Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Care in Community Systems of Care JAACAP Article in Press June 2022
Telepsychiatry	Clinical Update: Telepsychiatry With Children and Adolescents JAACAP Volume 56 October 2017
Transition to Adult Care			Transitions of Care From Pediatric to Adult Services for Children With Special Healthcare Needs 2022
Trauma in Youth			Child and Adolescent Exposure to Trauma 2013