Mental Health Tools for Pediatricians

When referrals are inconsistent or unclear, children can fall through the cracks or end up in the ED unnecessarily. Clear workflows reduce care delays and strengthen trust across systems. Pediatricians play a central role in making transitions safe and successful.

Empower pediatricians to confidently screen, intervene, and support families. Training enhances their confidence, and even brief interventions from a trusted pediatrician can help prevent mental health issues from worsening. PMHCAs can utilize these tools to offer continuous professional development opportunities tailored for pediatric settings.

Discussing mental health concerns can be challenging for families. Providers need effective tools to approach these conversations with empathy, clarity, and sensitivity, especially when delivering difficult news or addressing stigma. PMHCAs can support pediatric practices by assisting providers in navigating sensitive conversations with families about mental health. This support will help build provider confidence and strengthen partnerships with families.

Routine mental health and social determinant screening helps identify concerns before they escalate to a crisis. Pediatric practices can embed validated tools like the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17) and suicide-specific screeners (e.g., ASQ, PHQ-9, CSSRS) during routine follow-ups, or any time a concern is raised by the caregiver, patient, or provider.