Integrated Behavioral Health in Pediatrics – New Partnership to Promote

The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) announced a new partnership with Mental Health America (MHA) to promote integrated behavioral healthcare (IBH) for children and adolescents receiving care at community health centers (CHCs).

The NACHC encourages whole-person care within CHCs, sometimes referred to as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), where 2.7 million patients receive services nationwide. As the largest primary care network in the United States, CHCs are uniquely positioned to combat barriers and expand access for individuals who may otherwise go without healthcare. The new partnership between the NACHC and MHA will help ensure that children and adolescents receiving care at these facilities can access behavioral health services.

The collaborative efforts between the NACHC and MHA will include:

• Offering information on screening resources.
• Highlighting areas where access to integrated care can be further expanded.
• Advocating for regulatory actions that encourage integrated care.
• Developing the workforce to meet care demands.
• Creating an advisory group comprised of relevant stakeholders.
• Developing digital assets.
• Providing tools and technical assistance.
• Creating prevention content on relevant topics (e.g., sleep and social media).
• Mobilizing advocates within communities to help redefine primary care for young people.
• Piloting integrated behavioral healthcare for youth within clinical settings.
• Conducting research to measure key outcomes.
• Advocating for systemic policy changes to support sustainable financing for integrated behavioral health at the local, state, and federal levels.

To learn more about CHCs, refer to the NACHC’s “America’s Community Health Centers Deliver Value” brochure. For a better understanding of how FQHCs differ from Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, see the NACHC’s ‘Comparison of Health Centers and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics’ table. To find a health center near you, use the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Find a Health Center tool. For further information on integrated behavioral health in pediatric primary care, read the Academy’s "The Role of Behavioral-Developmental Health Screening and Response for Children Ages 0-5 in Pediatric Primary Care’ topic brief.