American Journal of Pediatrics

Special Issue

Approaches to the Integration of Pediatric Primary Care, Psychological, and Psychiatric Clinical Practice

  • Submission Deadline: Sep. 10, 2020
  • Status: Submission Closed
  • Lead Guest Editor: Diana Bastien
About This Special Issue
The objective of this special issue is to highlight components of integrative approaches to pediatric healthcare. With the application of this model, psychologists and/or psychiatrists are often housed in the same facility as that of pediatricians. Preliminary research outcomes and clinical pearls suggest that patient access to behavioral healthcare has increased through the application of this model. Additional outcomes purport that patients and their families experience decreased stigmatization through presenting to a primary care clinic, rather than a stand-alone behavioral health clinic, to obtain services. Research findings also note primary care physicians are typically satisfied with this model of integrative healthcare. Notably, the role of the integrative behavioral healthcare professional may shift in underserved areas. While typically seen in a consultative or short-term interventionist role, the psychologist or psychiatrist in underserved areas may treat pediatric patients longer term than their urban counterparts, as the need for clinicians may outweigh the supply in rural areas.
Psychiatric and psychological assessment and treatment approaches for pediatric behavioral health concerns will be a focus of the special issue. As children with behavioral health problems often present with comorbid chronic medical conditions, physician approach to treatment of these conditions, in light of the co-occurring behavioral health concern, will be discussed. Approaches to secondary and tertiary prevention of behavioral health problems in pediatrics will be an additional focus of this special issue. Health service utilization modeling by caregivers may be explored; that is, if parents seek necessary medical care for themselves, that modeling behavior is likely to impact whether children are likely to be compliant with and assent to medical care for themselves.
Aims and Scope:
  1. Behavioral health concerns assessed and treated in pediatric primary care settings
  2. Psychiatric and psychological assessment and treatment of pediatric behavioral health concerns
  3. Primary care physician treatment of comorbid medical conditions observed among children with behavioral health concerns
  4. Physician perspective on the integrative behavioral healthcare model
  5. Secondary and tertiary prevention of behavioral health problems among children: the role of the physician, psychiatrist, and psychologist
  6. The role of the integrative behavioral healthcare model in underserved areas
  7. Health service utilization modeling by caregivers and its impact on children
Lead Guest Editor
  • Diana Bastien

    Department of Clinical Psychology, Burrell Behavioral Health, Springfield, United States

Guest Editors
  • Faheem Arain

    Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Royal Oaks Hospital, Windsor, United States

  • Wendy Dawson

    Department of Clinical Psychology, Burrell Behavioral Health, Springfield, United States

  • Nicole Kucera

    Department of Pediatrics, CoxHealth, Springfield, United States

  • Diana Roe

    Department of Pediatrics, CoxHealth, Springfield, United States

  • Melissa Rosenberg Peace

    Department of Clinical Psychology, Alvarado Parkway Institute, San Diego, United States

  • Erin Toth

    Department of Pediatrics, CoxHealth, Springfield, United States

  • Gaurav Kulkarni

    Compass Health Network, University of Missouri, Columbia, United States