Integrating mental health services into primary care for children and adolescents

Join us on this episode as we speak with Hilary M. Bowers, a pediatrician who shares with us the importance of integrating behavioral and mental health care within primary care practices. With one in five children and adolescents receiving a behavioral or mental health diagnosis by age 18, and with youth depressive symptoms doubling since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to provide the right care at the right time to the right patient.

Hilary discusses how her organization successfully integrated mental health care into their pediatric medical group, which cares for approximately 270,000 patients from birth to 21 years of age. She emphasizes the need to identify a champion and form a network of partners within the community-based organizations. Hilary also highlights the importance of supporting open communication and providing ongoing education to clinicians to provide evidence-based care.

As parents and guardians look to us for guidance on various topics, including behavioral and mental health issues, we need to be there to provide the best care possible for the whole child. Tune in to this episode to learn more about how you can integrate behavioral and mental health care into your primary care practice.

Hilary M. Bowers is a pediatrician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Changing the pediatric care landscape: Integrating behavioral and mental health care."

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