The mental health of children in an HMO program

Collaboration between pediatricians and mental health clinicians in an HMO has provided a useful method of identifying and caring for the usual spectrum of developmental and situational disturbances in children and the associated parent-child conflicts. A social worker is included in the primary-care team in pediatrics; other mental health resources are available when indicated. In 1974, 5.7% of total visits and 8.9% of all children under 19 years of age were noted to have emotional problems. A follow-up study carried out early in 1976 disclosed that most of the observed emotional problems were resolved or quiescent.