Pediatric & Adolescent Mental Health Needs
At least 21% of U.S. children meet criteria for a mental health disorder.
Up to 80% of children do not receive needed services in a timely manner.
Families have been increasingly raising concerns about behaviors and emotions in primary care visits, but providers don't always feel prepared to address these questions even though they want to. Mental health services remain limited throughout Minnesota. Of all University of Minnesota pediatric primary care trainees, 70-90% go on to practice in Minnesota.
Building Mental Health Capacity in Pediatric Primary Care
Our interprofessional team provides pediatric mental health education to expand access to children's mental healthcare across Minnesota.
Our initiative brings together University of Minnesota Medical School faculty across disciplines (nursing, family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology) to create a pediatric mental health educational consultation program serving multiple clinics in the Metro area. We conduct in-person and virtual consultations with pediatric providers to enhance trainee skills in identifying and addressing children's mental health.
Initiative Activities
Case-Based Consultations
- Real - time learning (virtually & in-person)
- In-depth case discussion
- Demonstration of mental health interventions, tips,& tricks that can be used in primary care for
- immediate implementation by caregivers
- Caregiver interview techniques
- Interdisciplinary case conference attendance &enhancement
Educational Tools
- Monthly newsletter
- Consults on broader mental health topics (e.g. role of therapy, protocols for mandated reporting)
- Quick electronic phrases that can be accessed by trainees ‘live’ during visits
- Integration into classroom learning activities