Twinkle Peds Psych’s Post

How can we provide effective, quality mental health care during a time of professional shortage? Learn more on how Carelon Behavioral Health is finding innovative solutions to complex challenges.

I have so many thoughts on this topic, as both a parent and a pediatric primary care provider (PCP). My journey into the world of pediatric mental health was born out of necessity, but continues because of the huge rewards I see to children and their families when the right care is given. Simply put, there are nowhere near enough pediatric mental/behavioral health providers to meet the current demands. Most pediatric PCPs are trained extensively in child development, but are given very little training in the worlds of psychiatry and mental health disorders. Screening tools for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and social determinants of health have improved identification of youth and families that are at risk, but as for the question of what to do next, many providers still feel inadequately prepared to give sufficient answers. See psychiatry? No one is taking new patients. No one takes our insurance. The wait for an appointment is 6-9 months. My spouse doesn't think my kid needs a shrink. See a therapist? I've called 3 offices and no one is calling us back. I don't know who to trust I did therapy in the past and it didn't help. We had a therapist we loved and she moved away. These responses either make us feel like there is no hope for our patients to get the care they need, or drive us to step up and find a way to offer that care. I, and a handful of my peers, sought to learn more, about the diagnostic criteria, the medication options, the behavioral health interventions that lead to successful outcomes for our patients and their families. We sought and continue to seek out educational opportunities, both formal and informal, on the diagnosis and treatment of the mental health disorders that affect today's youth. And we are seeing the difference. Our patients are seeing the difference. Daily I hear statements like the ones below: "We've seen so many people, and no one has ever done this for us before." "I know that you really care about how she is, and that makes such a difference to her and me." "How come no one ever gave us information like this before? This is so helpful." "We appreciate how you take the time to actually listen." "This medication has been a miracle for him. We feel like we have our child back." "We are seeing improvements and are so hopeful." We know primary care is an ideal setting for pediatric behavioral health. We are the ones who have known these children from birth, we are a place where families feel safe, we are people they already trust. More opportunities are needed to certify providers who are doing the work to become primary care mental health specialists, and insurance companies need to be pushed to prioritize aka pay for this care, for it is at the heart of lifelong health and wellness.

The children's mental health crisis requires urgent and action oriented solutions. Let's reach across the aisle, collaborate across sectors, integrate practices and bring innovative strategies to scale. #schoolmentalhealth #pmhca #SEL #SchoolBasedHealthCenters #IntegratedCare #capacitybuildng #communityschools #TeamBasedCare #childrensmentalhealth #mentalhealthcrisis

The Intersection of Theology and Mental Health: Creating a Powerful Impact Join us as we delve into the exciting fusion of theology and the mental health industry. Discover how our podcast pioneers this unique ministry, combining the expertise of psychiatry and clergy in exorcism. Together, let's make a difference in people's lives. #TheologyAndMentalHealth #PodcastMinistry #PsychiatryAndClergy #ExorcismExperts #PowerfulImpact #MentalHealthRevolution #FusionOfFaithAndWellness #PioneeringMinistry #CreatingChange #SpiritualWellbeing

The Intersection of Theology and Mental Health: Creating a Powerful Impact Join us as we delve into the exciting fusion of theology and the mental health industry. Discover how our podcast pioneers this unique ministry, combining the expertise of psychiatry and clergy in exorcism. Together, let's make a difference in people's lives. #TheologyAndMentalHealth #PodcastMinistry #PsychiatryAndClergy #ExorcismExperts #PowerfulImpact #MentalHealthRevolution #FusionOfFaithAndWellness #PioneeringMinistry #CreatingChange #SpiritualWellbeing

The Intersection of Theology and Mental Health: Creating a Powerful Impact Join us as we delve into the exciting fusion of theology and the mental health industry. Discover how our podcast pioneers this unique ministry, combining the expertise of psychiatry and clergy in exorcism. Together, let's make a difference in people's lives. #TheologyAndMentalHealth #PodcastMinistry #PsychiatryAndClergy #ExorcismExperts #PowerfulImpact #MentalHealthRevolution #FusionOfFaithAndWellness #PioneeringMinistry #CreatingChange #SpiritualWellbeing

The Intersection of Theology and Mental Health: Creating a Powerful Impact Join us as we delve into the exciting fusion of theology and the mental health industry. Discover how our podcast pioneers this unique ministry, combining the expertise of psychiatry and clergy in exorcism. Together, let's make a difference in people's lives. #TheologyAndMentalHealth #PodcastMinistry #PsychiatryAndClergy #ExorcismExperts #PowerfulImpact #MentalHealthRevolution #FusionOfFaithAndWellness #PioneeringMinistry #CreatingChange #SpiritualWellbeing

Cycle Against Suicide in association with the academic Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University College Dublin (UCD) will continue to provide psycho-educational webinars to support parents and teachers over the coming school year 24/25.   Commencing this coming Thursday our series of webinars from September to December will bring Anxiety in Focus – Understanding Anxiety in Children and Young People. Anxiety is one of the most common challenges of childhood and adolescence. This has been reflected in the registrations to and attendee feedback on previous Cycle Against Suicide webinars. Building on our previous series, Series 2 will take a more in-depth look at anxiety in young people exploring different types of anxiety common in this age group. Each 1 hour session will incorporate content on the causes, symptoms and evidenced-based approaches which support recovery. September 19th : What is Generalised Anxiety Disorder? October 10th : Social Anxiety: Why the worry? November 7th: Understanding Post-traumatic Stress in Children and Teenagers December 5th: Exploring Perfectionism and Obsessive-Compulsive Characteristics   These sessions, delivered via zoom are free and open to all parents and teachers to participate. To register your participation please do so at: https://lnkd.in/eu9DeRXq   We would be incredibly grateful if you share details with those whom you feel may benefit from this series 🧡 #CycleAgainstSuicide #WebinarSeries #AnxietyInFocus #ItsAbsolutelyOkToAskForHelp #WellBeing #MentalHealth #Ireland

Do you feel trapped in the conventional methods of psychiatry education? Yearning for a fresh approach that sparks joy and enhances learning? Look no further! 🌟 Embracing humor and creativity can be the key to revolutionizing the way we educate future mental health professionals. Let's dive into this exciting journey together! ↳ Imagine the impact of infusing laughter and imagination into your teaching methods. It's not just about information retention; it's about creating an engaging and memorable learning experience that sticks with your students for a lifetime. Let's break free from the mundane and embrace a new era of psychiatric education that's both effective and enjoyable. 💡

We have work to do, and it starts with you! The best gift we can give our children and our children's children is to heal ourselves. It is a critical step. How can you better care for your own mental and emotional health, thus be better equipped to support our young? #MentalHealthCrisis #Parenting #Leadership #EndTheStigma #SelfCareMatters