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Become a Community Partner and help change lives. Board of Directors Honorary Board Members Executive Director Family Service and Mental |
October 29, 2010Collaboration of Local Providers Aims to Improve Children's Health
Many pediatricians' offices are considered a one-stop shop for medical treatment, yet children who present with mental health issues are often given an outside referral. This creates potential barriers to children receiving appropriate behavioral health care, especially for low income families. Having to initiate care in an unfamiliar setting, "lose" referral systems, and the stigma associated with obtaining mental health care, among other things, can all stand in the way. The end result: many children who could benefit from early behavioral health interventions never get the care they need. Research suggests that early identification of psychological concerns can lessen, or even prevent, mental health disorders later in life. The Integration Project, developed by these two organizations through a year long planning process supported by The Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation, will address the issue of early identification by expanding mental health screening in the primary care setting for children age 5 through 18, utilizing the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. The PSC is a tool designed to help parents (and children over the age of 13) identify potential behavioral health concerns that may be developing. The tool can help to encourage a conversation between parents and their child's doctor about these issues during the regular medical visit. A positive score on the screening instrument indicates the need for further evaluation by a behavioral health specialist. The advantage of this approach is that the pediatrician, whom the family trusts, can help to engage the parent and child in a conversation with a behavioral health specialist who is located down the hall rather than across town or in another community. Both Family Service and The Children's Clinic are not-for-profit organizations that have provided services in the community for over 90 years. The Children's Clinic provides affordable medical and dental care for children from birth to 18, while Family Services' focus is on providing affordable behavioral health care for both children and adults. The partnership between the two organizations grew out of the increasing number of children being seen at The Children's Clinic from the Berwyn/ Cicero area and especially the increased number of Latino children, a population that Family Service is well-established in serving as a behavioral healthcare provider. In addition to the expanded mental health screening being initiated as part of this project, Family Service will co-locate staff, including a full-time Clinical Social Worker, a Case Manager and a part-time Psychiatrist at The Children's Clinic. The staff of both organizations will work together to help educate parents about children's mental health, reduce the stigma of receiving mental health care, eliminate barriers to care, and ensure that there is good communication between all those providing care to the child and the family. Officially launched in October 2010, the partnership between these two long-standing organizations aims to build a sustainable structure for integrated care that can function beyond the two years of funding provided by The Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation and refine an innovative model of care that will improve the overall health of children in the community. |
Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero and The Children's Clinic in Oak Park have teamed up to launch a new initiative that will improve access to care, as well as the integration of physical health and behavioral health care for children in near west suburban communities.