Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) program. The purpose of this program is to promote behavioral health integration into pediatric primary care by supporting the planning and development of statewide, regional or tribal pediatric mental health care tele-consult access programs. These networks of pediatric mental health care teams will provide tele-consultation, training, technical assistance, and care coordination support for pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) to diagnose, treat, and refer children with behavioral health conditions. This funding opportunity is available for (1) continuation of current awardees whose project began in FY 2018 and 2019 whose project period is ending and (2) new awards to expand the program into new geographic areas. • Competing Continuations: Applicants with an existing HRSA funded PMHCA program (that began in FY 2018 and FY 2019) Applicants seeking a competing continuation would be able to access a 3-year period of performance at $700,000 per year to focus on continued implementation and expansion of the existing program (with no planning period). Programs will expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of behavioral health services that PCPs and other providers can provide to children, adolescents, and their families, including in sites such as emergency departments and schools. • New Programs: For interested entities not currently funded, this funding opportunity will support the development of statewide, regional or tribal pediatric mental health care tele-consult access program. Funding will support new award recipients at $500,000 per year. Planning includes developing the needed infrastructure, including establishment of reliable, high-speed broadband technology, personnel, establishing or expanding partnerships, resources, and processes to provide behavioral health (tele-consult and in-person) consultation to pediatricians and other primary care providers, training, technical assistance (TA), and care coordination support services. In addition, planning should include identification of the pediatric mental health care access team (described below) and development of processes, protocols, and procedures needed to execute hiring contracts and implement operations. Applications should detail planning year and two implementation years. To increase capacity to provide behavioral health supports to children, award recipients should use this planning period to bring together key partners, including schools, emergency departments, local and state government, health and social service agencies, Tribal organizations, insurance, family and self-advocacy organizations, PCPs, behavioral health, medical and professional organizations, and academic institutions. Once implemented, these programs will expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of behavioral health services that PCPs can provide to children and adolescents. All successful recipients will focus on addressing disparities in access to care, especially in rural and other underserved areas. Successful applicants will establish methods to achieve health equity goals and objectives in pediatric behavioral health. This program will serve as a resource for pediatric primary care providers serving children and adolescents, including, but not limited to, pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The programs are encouraged to broaden the reach to additional providers such as physician specialists (e.g., developmental-behavioral pediatricians, obstetrician-gynecologists, endocrinologists, and gastroenterologists), pharmacists, occupational therapists, behavioral health clinicians, care coordinators, mental health counselors such as addiction specialists, and social workers. Programs are strongly encouraged to reach school-based and emergency department providers. Program Goals The program’s long-term goal is to: increase routine diagnosis, treatment, and referral of child and adolescent behavioral health conditions in primary care including by reducing disparities in access to behavioral health care, especially in rural and other underserved areas. The program objectives to be accomplished during the period of performance to support program goals are: • Increase the number of providers using the program for real-time behavioral consultations and/or care coordination support services (including referrals). • Increase the number of providers trained on child and adolescent behavioral disorders, including screening, diagnosis, and treatment. • Increase the number of provider trainings that incorporate equity and respectful or culturally and linguistically responsive care. • Increase the number of children and adolescents for whom a provider contacted the program for consultation and/or care coordination support services, especially those living in rural and other underserved areas. For more details, see Program Requirements and Expectations.