Child Psychiatry Consultation Clinic for Pediatricians: Long-Term Outcomes

There is an urgent need for new clinical models to improve access to child mental health care. Pediatricians are tasked to care for youth with mild to moderate mental health problems, but require additional training. This article describes an outpatient child psychiatry consultation clinic (CPC) designed to empower pediatricians to care for youth with depression, anxiety, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Over a 2-year period, 40 primary care physicians (PCPs) referred 159 patients to the CPC. The most common primary diagnoses of patients seen for consultation were generalized anxiety disorder (35%), major depressive disorder (24%), and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (20%). Most patients (89%) had at least 2 psychiatric diagnoses. Nearly four fifths (79%) of these patients successfully returned to their PCP for ongoing care. PCPs reported that the CPC enhanced their skills and improved access to mental health care. Similar models are needed to facilitate early intervention for the millions of youth with mental health problems.

Automated summary

The article discusses the implementation of an outpatient child psychiatry consultation clinic to empower pediatricians in caring for youth with mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Over a 2-year period, 40 primary care physicians referred 159 patients to the clinic, with the most common primary diagnoses being generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and ADHD. The clinic successfully enabled most patients to return to their primary care physicians for ongoing care, enhancing skills and improving access to mental health care. Similar models are needed for early intervention for millions of youth with mental health problems.