Kids Center added behavioral health to our services in 2020. We have one part-time pediatric psychologist who divides her time between the two Kids Center campuses.
The Kids Center has an integrated behavioral health model. The psychologist works with children who are already engaged in other therapies at Kids Center and have any range of social, emotional, behavioral, or developmental concerns.
Behavioral health challenges can impact children’s functioning in all areas of their lives – home, school, community, social settings, and therapy – so addressing underlying mental health issues helps children meet their treatment goals in their other therapies too.
What types of things does the pediatric psychologist address?
Pediatric psychologists address psychosocial and developmental factors as they contribute to pediatric medical conditions.
Behavioral health treatment can involve assessing a child’s functioning, diagnosing and treating mental health or developmental conditions, working with adherence or compliance with medical regimens, and helping to promote health and health-related behaviors in children and their families. Children may be referred to behavioral health for:
- Sleep problems
- Challenging behaviors
- Depression or mood changes
- Autism assessment
- Anxiety
- Parenting
- Treatment adherence
- Coping with a disability
How is a referral made for behavioral health services?
Your Kids Center therapist (PT, OT, speech therapist or dietician) can make the referral for behavioral health services. Therapists will talk to families about their concerns and suggest having the pediatric psychologist join the treatment team.
Families can also discuss concerns about their child’s emotions, behaviors, or overall functioning with their therapist, who will then submit a behavioral health referral.
