TY - JOUR
AU - M. Ibrahimi
AU - S. Tsegaye
AU - J. Kulkarni
AU - M. Gonzalez
AU - K. Guyon-Harris
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE: Families with young children have regular, frequent interactions with pediatric primary care across early childhood. Thus, pediatric primary care is an ideal setting to prevent mental and behavioral health disorders through supporting access to behavioral health care services. Exploring the barriers families with young children face in accessing behavioral health care services will support insights into potential strategies to improve access through primary care settings. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were used to explore the perspectives of 27 caregivers of young children (ie, ages 0-5 years) regarding access to behavioral health care. Participants were recruited from a large pediatric clinic affiliated with a pediatric residency program serving a high proportion of Medicaid-eligible families (>85%). Deductive and inductive methods were used to develop a codebook followed by content analysis to identify and characterize access barriers. RESULTS: Qualitative content analysis revealed several interconnected barriers families face accessing behavioral health care services for their young children. Barriers were organized into the categories of logistical, financial, and psychosocial. Logistical barriers included 1) childcare, 2) time, 3) transportation, and 4) employment-related issues. Financial barriers included 1) inadequate insurance coverage, and 2) broader financial constraints. Psychosocial barriers included 1) education and understanding of behavioral health issues, 2) anxiety or shame, 3) judgment, and 4) mistrust of health care providers. CONCLUSIONS: Improving access to behavioral health care services through pediatric primary care settings will require a multifaceted approach that addresses logistical, financial, and psychosocial barriers. Solutions should consider systemic and individual factors, promote behavioral health education, and reduce stigma.
AD - University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (M Ibrahimi and S Tsegaye), Pittsburgh, Pa.; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (J Kulkarni, M Gonzalez, and K Guyon-Harris), Department of Pediatrics, Pittsburgh, Pa.; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (J Kulkarni, M Gonzalez, and K Guyon-Harris), Department of Pediatrics, Pittsburgh, Pa. Electronic address: guyonharriskl@upmc.edu.
AN - 41831599
BT - Acad Pediatr
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
CP - 4
DA - 12/1969
DO - 10.1016/j.acap.2026.103287
DP - NLM
ET - 20260312
IS - 4
JF - Acad Pediatr
LA - eng
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Families with young children have regular, frequent interactions with pediatric primary care across early childhood. Thus, pediatric primary care is an ideal setting to prevent mental and behavioral health disorders through supporting access to behavioral health care services. Exploring the barriers families with young children face in accessing behavioral health care services will support insights into potential strategies to improve access through primary care settings. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were used to explore the perspectives of 27 caregivers of young children (ie, ages 0-5 years) regarding access to behavioral health care. Participants were recruited from a large pediatric clinic affiliated with a pediatric residency program serving a high proportion of Medicaid-eligible families (>85%). Deductive and inductive methods were used to develop a codebook followed by content analysis to identify and characterize access barriers. RESULTS: Qualitative content analysis revealed several interconnected barriers families face accessing behavioral health care services for their young children. Barriers were organized into the categories of logistical, financial, and psychosocial. Logistical barriers included 1) childcare, 2) time, 3) transportation, and 4) employment-related issues. Financial barriers included 1) inadequate insurance coverage, and 2) broader financial constraints. Psychosocial barriers included 1) education and understanding of behavioral health issues, 2) anxiety or shame, 3) judgment, and 4) mistrust of health care providers. CONCLUSIONS: Improving access to behavioral health care services through pediatric primary care settings will require a multifaceted approach that addresses logistical, financial, and psychosocial barriers. Solutions should consider systemic and individual factors, promote behavioral health education, and reduce stigma.
PY - 2026
SN - 1876-2859 (Print); 1876-2859
SP - 103287
ST - Caregiver Perspectives on Barriers to Accessing Behavioral Health care: Opportunities and Challenges for Pediatric Settings
T1 - Caregiver Perspectives on Barriers to Accessing Behavioral Health care: Opportunities and Challenges for Pediatric Settings
T2 - Acad Pediatr
TI - Caregiver Perspectives on Barriers to Accessing Behavioral Health care: Opportunities and Challenges for Pediatric Settings
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1016/j.acap.2026.103287
VL - 26
VO - 1876-2859 (Print); 1876-2859
Y1 - 2026
ER -