Posts by The REACH Institute
PCPs Are on the Front Lines of Suicide Prevention: Tools to Feel More Confident Having the Hard Conversations
“The first time you ask a kid about suicide, it’s scary,” explains Eugene Hershorin, MD, a developmental pediatrician and REACH faculty member. “But navigating that fear and asking the question can save a child’s life.” Research shows that primary care providers have a critical role to play in suicide prevention. Among youth, 80% of those…
Read MoreManaging Mental Health Disorders in Adolescent Cannabis Users
“Mental health disorders and substance use are a very common comorbidity, including among youth cannabis users,” shares child and adolescent psychiatrist Blair Ritchie, MD FRCPC. With 40% of youth reporting prior cannabis use, pediatric primary care providers are increasingly likely to see patients in this population who also have mental health needs. Research on the…
Read MoreCBT for Anxiety in Adult Primary Care – November 2025
In this dynamic full-day, virtual workshop, participants will learn how to effectively use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to help adult patients who suffer from anxiety. The one-day workshop will be followed by four, case-based group learning calls to solidify their learning. Participants can earn up to 11.25 CME credits for both components. Read more…
Read MoreCulturally Responsive Parent Empowerment and Children’s Mental Health
“Parents want to feel like they’re part of the solution for their child’s mental health needs. As pediatric primary care providers, we can help make that possible by being thoughtful in how we navigate cultural differences,” explains Noor Jihan Abdul-Haqq, MD, a REACH faculty member and pediatrician with her own practice in Oklahoma City, OK.…
Read MoreMental Health Care for Under- or Uninsured Pediatric Patients
“Evaluating and treating mental health problems in under- or uninsured pediatric patients often presents more challenges, but it is even more rewarding when you are able to provide life-changing mental health care,” explains Natalie Robiou, MD, a pediatric primary care provider at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Philadelphia, PA. The number of pediatric…
Read MoreREACH Founder Dr. Peter Jensen, M.D. Responds to New York Times Article, “Have We Been Thinking About A.D.H.D. All Wrong?”
“It depends.” That’s my response (and that of most of my clinician-scientist colleagues who participated in the MTA study) to Paul Tough’s recent commentary. For context, from 1990-2000 I served as Associate Director for Child & Adolescent Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and was the NIMH scientist responsible for initiating and…
Read MoreFrom Screening Tools to Systems Change: Tips for Putting Your REACH Training Into Practice
When providers attend their first Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP) training with REACH, many leave feeling empowered and excited to implement their new knowledge. But having evidence-based tools is only the first step in supporting mental health for children and adolescents. We asked several PPP alumni—and one who is now a faculty…
Read MoreHow Social Media is Impacting Teens
The most important question that we can ask teens isn’t if they use social media, it’s how. Just last May, the Surgeon General’s advisory on social media use in youth exposed some shocking statistics: Among 13 to 17-year-olds, up to 95% use social media, with 35% saying they use social media “almost constantly.”
Read MoreTips for Managing Mental Health Disorders in Children with Autism
“It used to be that when a diagnosis of autism was given, no other mental health comorbidities could be recognized,” explains Ruth E.K. Stein, MD, a REACH faculty member and Professor of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. “That changed in 2013 with the release of the DSM-5. For…
Read MoreUsing CBT to Support Pediatric Patients with Depression
“As primary care providers, we can help our pediatric patients with depression using basic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tools,” explains pediatrician and REACH faculty member Jackie Cotton, MD. “Many common recommendations currently used align with CBT best practices. As part of an evidence-based treatment protocol, a clear roadmap for using these tools helps clinicians save…
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