Managing Behavioral Health Concerns in Early Childhood: The Role of Child Psychiatry Access Programs

Child Psychiatry Access Programs (CPAPs), like Maryland Behavioral Health Integration in Pediatric Primary Care (BHIPP), help address the behavioral health treatment gap. This study examined demographic and clinical characteristics of children aged 0-5 years for whom primary care providers (PCPs) and/or families sought BHIPP services, and recommendations provided by BHIPP.

Descriptive and chi-square statistics were used to examine BHIPP services received, patient demographics, presenting problems, diagnostic impressions, clinical severity, treatments the patient was receiving before BHIPP contact, and BHIPP's treatment recommendations and referrals from 1,671 unique patient-specific contacts between October 2012 and June 2023.

Older children in this sample presented to BHIPP as more complex and severe. The most common treatment recommendation and referral made by BHIPP were referral to a community behavioral health provider and outpatient psychotherapy, respectively.

This study highlights the important role of PCPs in addressing early childhood behavioral health concerns and CPAPs' role in supporting PCPs and improving access to early childhood behavioral health care.