PSYCHIATRY AND HISTORY
Fall 2021 Issue |
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The Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters Expanding Mental Health Programs for Children in Hampton Roads
By Mary Margaret Gleason, MD
Vice Chair EVMS Dept of Pediatrics/Vice Chief of Mental Health at CHKD
Carl Peterson, MD
Chief of Mental Health at CHKD
Dan Spencer, MD
Associate Chief of Mental Health at CHKD
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| Dr. Gleason |
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| Dr. Peterson |
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| Dr. Spencer |
The Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD) is making a bold and transformative commitment to children’s mental health in the Hampton Roads region and across the Commonwealth. In response to community need, CHKD is expanding our mental health program to provide multi-disciplinary, family-based, high quality care for children across the clinical continuum from prevention to specialty inpatient care.
CHKD intentionally involved the community in a formal needs assessment, identifying global gaps as well as specific populations of children with even larger gaps in care across the region, including children under five, neurodevelopmental disorders, and co-occurring physical and mental health concerns including eating disorders.
The growing program includes commitments to:
- Partnering with pediatric primary care clinicians through collaborative care and the Virginia Mental Health Assessment Program
- Team-based outpatient care that includes evidence-based therapeutic approaches, psychopharmacologic treatment, and psychological testing
- Intermediate levels of care including Intensive Outpatient Care and Partial Hospitalization Programs
- Acute inpatient care to serve 60 children with general psychiatric needs, neurodevelopmental disorders, and with co-occurring physical and mental health concerns
- Robust, interdisciplinary emergency and consultation liaison programs in partnership with our pediatric colleagues
- Training the next generation of clinicians through a planned child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship in partnership with Eastern Virginia Medical School (planned opening 2023), as well as active engagement in the training of EVMS medical students, general psychiatry, and pediatrics training of psychology postdoctoral fellows, social work interns, and counseling residents
- Integrating quality and research activities into the growing program
The growing program puts children and families at the center of the planning. A noteworthy example of this commitment is the bed for a caregiver in each room on the three inpatient units. High quality care will implement consistent therapeutic approaches and measurements across the continuum of care. Rigorous evaluation and research will allow continuous improvement and dissemination of the lessons we learn.
The new program is building a growing interdisciplinary team. In 2018, the hospital had one full-time child and adolescent psychiatrist who was part of a 30-member mental health team. That number has grown to 10 psychiatrists on a team of nearly 80, which also includes nurse practitioners, psychologists, therapists and medical social workers. By late 2022, more than 400 clinicians and support staff will be working full time within CHKD’s inpatient and outpatient mental health program.
The new program will be housed in a new, 14-story $224 million hospital building dedicated to the care of children with mental health needs. The new building blends rigorous attention to safety with a welcoming environment tailored for our patients and their families. The building is home to all levels of mental health care, as well as primary care and other specialties to ensure that mental health is not marginalized, but part of the core elements of the CHKD health system. The beautiful building includes space for the clinical services, outdoor and recreational spaces, art and music therapy rooms, classrooms, and conference rooms for professional education and collaboration. One of the most exciting elements is a rooftop recreation area covered by an innovative screen where children can play safely outside.
The pediatric mental health crisis before 2020 was already extreme and the events of the last 18 months have only exacerbated the unmet needs for quality care. We know that we cannot do it alone. We will continue to partner with community agencies, services, and clinicians to create a system of care that allows us to support healthy development of all children and their families. We currently provide consult liaison services and limited but growing outpatient patient services. We look forward to expansion of these services in the years to come and commit to serving them by adhering to our program principles of Hope, Excellence, and Equity.
For more information, visit www.chkd.org/Lightingtheway
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