TY - JOUR
AU - H. J. Walter
AU - E. T. Correa
AU - M. Fry
AU - M. Lock
AU - T. Cole-Poklewski
AU - L. Vernacchio
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess patient and family outcomes of psychological interventions provided by behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) integrated into community-based pediatric primary care practices. Little is known about the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of this treatment strategy in real-world settings. METHODS: The sample comprised 5487 patients in ∼80 practices who received psychological interventions from ∼100 integrated BHCs over 2 years. Patients of all ages identified by universal screening or verbal patient/family report as having a developmental or behavioral health (BH) problem of any kind were eligible for intervention. Post-intervention patient clinical improvement was assessed using a clinician-completed standardized clinical global impressions scale. Family satisfaction was assessed using a family-completed standardized patient experience survey. RESULTS: Patients receiving intervention were predominantly >age 7 and had BH problems (predominantly stress-related, anxiety, depressive, attention, or behavior) that were predominantly mild-moderate in severity. The mean number of intervention visits was 5.6 (range: 3-41; mode: 3). Post-intervention, 72.9% of patients with >3 intervention visits were improved and 28.9% were much or very much improved. After adjusting for potential moderators, lesser odds of improvement were significantly associated with age <7 or 12 to 15 years; symptomatic illness at initial presentation; a disorder other than anxiety; SSRI medication; complex chronic medical disease; and only 3 BHC visits. Overall, 79.3% of families responding to a survey were highly likely to recommend the services to family/friends. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that psychological interventions delivered in the context of integrated BH in a community-based pediatric primary care setting were feasible, valued, and effective.
AD - Boston Children's Hospital Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (HJ Walter), Boston, Mass; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School (HJ Walter), Boston, Mass; Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's (HJ Walter, ET Correa, M Fry, M Lock, T Cole-Poklewski, and L Vernacchio), Wellesley Hills, Mass. Electronic address: heather.walter@childrens.harvard.edu.; Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's (HJ Walter, ET Correa, M Fry, M Lock, T Cole-Poklewski, and L Vernacchio), Wellesley Hills, Mass.; Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's (HJ Walter, ET Correa, M Fry, M Lock, T Cole-Poklewski, and L Vernacchio), Wellesley Hills, Mass; Boston Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics (L Vernacchio), Boston, Mass; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School (L Vernacchio), Boston, Mass.
AN - 41666993
BT - Acad Pediatr
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
CP - 3
DA - Apr
DO - 10.1016/j.acap.2026.103239
DP - NLM
ET - 20260208
IS - 3
JF - Acad Pediatr
LA - eng
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To assess patient and family outcomes of psychological interventions provided by behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) integrated into community-based pediatric primary care practices. Little is known about the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of this treatment strategy in real-world settings. METHODS: The sample comprised 5487 patients in ∼80 practices who received psychological interventions from ∼100 integrated BHCs over 2 years. Patients of all ages identified by universal screening or verbal patient/family report as having a developmental or behavioral health (BH) problem of any kind were eligible for intervention. Post-intervention patient clinical improvement was assessed using a clinician-completed standardized clinical global impressions scale. Family satisfaction was assessed using a family-completed standardized patient experience survey. RESULTS: Patients receiving intervention were predominantly >age 7 and had BH problems (predominantly stress-related, anxiety, depressive, attention, or behavior) that were predominantly mild-moderate in severity. The mean number of intervention visits was 5.6 (range: 3-41; mode: 3). Post-intervention, 72.9% of patients with >3 intervention visits were improved and 28.9% were much or very much improved. After adjusting for potential moderators, lesser odds of improvement were significantly associated with age <7 or 12 to 15 years; symptomatic illness at initial presentation; a disorder other than anxiety; SSRI medication; complex chronic medical disease; and only 3 BHC visits. Overall, 79.3% of families responding to a survey were highly likely to recommend the services to family/friends. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that psychological interventions delivered in the context of integrated BH in a community-based pediatric primary care setting were feasible, valued, and effective.
PY - 2026
SN - 1876-2859
SP - 103239
ST - Patient and Family Outcomes of Psychological Interventions in Integrated Pediatric Primary Care
T1 - Patient and Family Outcomes of Psychological Interventions in Integrated Pediatric Primary Care
T2 - Acad Pediatr
TI - Patient and Family Outcomes of Psychological Interventions in Integrated Pediatric Primary Care
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1016/j.acap.2026.103239
VL - 26
VO - 1876-2859
Y1 - 2026
ER -