Access to telephonic psychiatric consultation for primary care providers is an important component of statewide efforts to improve the oversight and monitoring of psychotropic medication use among children. Due in part to a nationwide shortage of child psychiatrists, primary care clinicians often provide behavioral health screening and treatment to children, which may include prescribing psychotropic medications. Because primary care providers may not have extensive training in behavioral health treatment, access to psychiatric consultation can help to ensure children with behavioral health needs receive appropriate care. This is exceedingly important for providers serving children in foster care, for whom caseworkers or other individuals without clinical backgrounds often provide consent for psychotropic medications.
During this webinar, Dr. Robert Hilt, described Washington and Wyoming’s telephonic psychiatric consultation programs, and highlighted the access-oriented components of these programs that augment the states’ core psychotropic medication oversight efforts. Dr. John Straus described the development of the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project, which provides access to telephonic psychiatric consultation for primary care physicians statewide and across all payors. The speakers will address design, implementation, and outcomes associated with these programs. Dr. Ajit Jetmalani, then shared his experience developing the Oregon Psychiatric Access Line for Kids, which is launching in May 2014.
Presenters
- Dr. Robert Hilt, Seattle Children’s Hospital and University of Washington School of Medicine
- Dr. John Straus, Founding Director, Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project
- Dr. Ajit Jetmalani, Psychiatric Consultant, Oregon Health Science University
