Transforming Pediatric Mental Health: Partnerships and Integration at Rady Children's Hospital

Between 2011 and 2015, the number of children presenting to the ED for behavioral health concerns at Rady Children’s Hospital increased by 500%. To decrease the need for emergency behavioral health care services and to improve the early identification and treatment of symptoms, the Rady team developed their Transforming Mental Health Initiative, which integrates behavioral health services into the pediatric primary care setting. In this Members in Action podcast, Rebecca Chickey, AHA’s senior director of behavioral health, is joined by Domonique Hensler, Senior Director of Care Redesign Planning and Mental Health Integration, and Dr. Benjamin Maxwell, Interim Division Director of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, to discuss this care model’s positive outcomes for patients, families and providers.