Partners in Pediatrics is excited to offer new and innovative options for patients and families to improve access to child mental health services.

We are now working with Pediatric Consultation Specialists (PCS), a child mental health clinic, to offer a full range of counseling and evaluation services to help families better understand and treat emotional, behavioral and school performance issues.

Through a grant recently awarded us from Hennepin County and as a result of PIP’s collaboration with PCS, we now have a psychologist at our Maple Grove office every Monday afternoon.

This partnership will offer patients and families a broad range of care by mental health providers who have committed to working with your PIP primary provider to improve communication, quality and outcomes.

PIP is increasing its use of developmental and behavioral screening tools at each preventive care visit to better identify those at risk for problems that may require further evaluation or referral.

Concerns may include sleep problems, discipline issues, development delays, school difficulties, lack of social skills and depression or anxiety.

Children and adolescents with such problems, as well as their parents, can benefit from appropriate behavioral and counseling strategies provided by a trusted mental health provider.

Unfortunately, and all too often, the system fails to get these services to those who need them. Obstacles to receiving necessary care include failing to identify children and adolescents in need and a shortage of quality pediatric mental health providers in the community.

The partnership between PIP and PCS will help provide:

• Improved mental health screening.
• Easy access to onsite as well as PCS clinic appointments.
• Innovative solutions for short-term interventions.
• A full range of psychological services including comprehensive evaluation and counseling services.
• Improved communication between both primary care and mental health providers that will benefit both patient and family.

The psychologists located at the PIP Maple Grove office each Monday afternoon will be available to offer consultation to PIP providers and patients for immediate and brief supportive services, and initial mental health screening. Appropriate referrals for further evaluation or therapy will be provided using other community resources as needed.

Proven strategies will be used to address behavioral and emotional needs. Increased communication between providers will improve quality and assist in related medical management.

Behavioral Express Care: PCS is now offering families a unique service at PIP called “Behavioral Express Care.” BE-Care will help patients and families experiencing common problems that daily frustrate parents but can’t be solved at a typical medical visit or check-up.

This new concept reduces obstacles to receiving the brief, short-term interventions that have a positive impact on family life. Appropriate issues for Behavioral Express Care include sleep problems, tantrums, challenging behaviors at home or school as well as screening for mood problems like depression or anxiety. The PCS psychologist can provide coaching for problems like ADHD and help a family better understand and coordinate community services for children with special needs.

The Behavioral Express Care model will facilitate access to a psychologist for short term intervention, perhaps just one or two 30 minute sessions at a reasonable cost, for care that will target specific needs.

Support Groups: PCS is also offering a series of unique child and parent support groups for PIP families coping with challenging situations such as divorce, serious illness, grief and conditions like ADHD. Please watch for more information or call PCS or PIP if you are interested.

Please take advantage of these innovative mental health services offered at PIP through our collaboration with PCS and the support of the Hennepin County grant. For questions about this collaboration or to schedule a mental health appointment at either PIP or PCS, please talk with your primary care provider or call Pediatric Consultation
Specialists located in Plymouth at 3021 Harbor Lane North Suite 210, 763-559-7050.