Welcome to the NJ pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative Telehealth network
The New Jersey pediatric mental health care access (NJPMHCA) program
The NJPMHCA program promotes behavioral health integration into pediatric primary care through the use of telehealth modalities to provide early identification, assessment, treatment, and referral of children and adolescents with behavioral health conditions. The program provides pediatric primary care (or some specialty care) practice teams with teleconsultation, training, technical assistance, telehealth equipment (as program resources allow), as well as care coordination to diagnose, treat and refer children with behavioral health conditions. For families, the NJPMHCA program improves access to treatment and referral services via telehealth.
The NJPMHCA program enhances and supplements the NJ Collaborative Mental Health Care Program known as the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative (NJPPC), comprised of 9 regional Hubs across New Jersey. The NJPPC is an integrated pediatric mental/behavioral health delivery system. Participating pediatric clinicians conduct universal mental/behavioral and substance use screening to identify and refer their patients as needed to their regional NJPPC Hub. Once referred, pediatric patients are assessed for further behavioral health care needs, resulting in linkage to community programs and resources, or if deemed appropriate, scheduled for a free psychiatric evaluation with one of the Regional Hub’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists (CAPs).
COVID-19’s Impact on the Rise of Telehealth
In March of 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency proved just how valuable the telehealth network efforts were to ensure the continuation of access and availability to integrated pediatric behavioral health services throughout New Jersey. The program has redefined telehealth to go far beyond the traditional patient-to-provider video visit. Multiple-use cases have been developed to leverage telehealth as viable alternatives during the continuity of care workflow, which can include consultations between referring pediatric clinicians and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists.
Needless to say, the NJPMHCA Program has become more than just a supplemental part of the NJPPC, it has become an essential part of ensuring that vulnerable populations have the same access to care as the entire state’s pediatric population.
