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Category: Pediatric primary care

PCPs Are on the Front Lines of Suicide Prevention: Tools to Feel More Confident Having the Hard Conversations
PCPs Are on the Front Lines of Suicide Prevention: Tools to Feel More Confident Having the Hard Conversations

September 12, 2025

“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

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Managing Mental Health Disorders in Adolescent Cannabis Users
Managing Mental Health Disorders in Adolescent Cannabis Users

August 21, 2025

“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

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Culturally Responsive Parent Empowerment and Children’s Mental Health
Culturally Responsive Parent Empowerment and Children’s Mental Health

July 23, 2025

“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.

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Mental Health Care for Under- or Uninsured Pediatric Patients
Mental Health Care for Under- or Uninsured Pediatric Patients

June 26, 2025

“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

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From Screening Tools to Systems Change: Tips for Putting Your REACH Training Into Practice 
From Screening Tools to Systems Change: Tips for Putting Your REACH Training Into Practice 

May 22, 2025

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

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How Clinicians Can Partner with Schools to Support Pediatric Patients
How Clinicians Can Partner with Schools to Support Pediatric Patients

January 30, 2025

“Clinicians who are aware of and know how to direct parents to obtain services for children within the school system can make an enormous difference for patients and families,” explains Dr. Mark Wolraich, MD, a REACH faculty member and retired professor of pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The challenge for clinicians

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Spotting OCD in Pediatric Patients
Spotting OCD in Pediatric Patients

December 19, 2024

“Even among skilled clinicians, misconceptions about obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD can delay diagnosis and treatment,” explains Carla E. Marin, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor at Yale School of Medicine. With common sayings like “we’re all a little OCD” and representations of OCD that center on germs and handwashing, getting a clear picture of

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Why Clinicians Should Consider Coding by Time for Mental Health Care
Why Clinicians Should Consider Coding by Time for Mental Health Care

November 21, 2024

“Many primary care providers are still coding by medical decision-making for mental health care,” explains Eugene Hershorin, MD, a REACH faculty member and medical coding expert. “However, time-based coding is both easier and often results in higher coding levels and therefore higher payment rates, especially for pediatric patients who require ongoing care for mental health

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When parents’ mental health affects children
When parents’ mental health affects children

January 23, 2024

“When we’re thinking about children’s mental health, we’re also thinking about the health of the family unit,” explains Alyx Holden, MD. “In order for children’s neurobiology to develop, they need the support and context of healthy caregivers.”

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July 16, 2026

Ready to join the 9,500+ clinicians who've completed REACH training? The Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP) program equips pediatric primary care clinicians with practical, evidence-based skills to assess, diagnose, manage, and treat common…

July 13, 2026

We're proud to share that REACH CEO Lisa Hunter Romanelli, Ph.D., recently joined the We Are For Good podcast as part of their Stories That Fill the Hope Gap series. In the episode titled "Lead With…

July 9, 2026

Two leading mental health researchers recently highlighted REACH's work in an editorial published in Psychiatric Services (American Psychiatric Association), underscoring the growing recognition of our approach to expanding access to pediatric mental health care. Reflecting on…

July 7, 2026

July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, an opportunity to recognize the unique mental health challenges that many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities face. BIPOC youth and adults have a right to culturally responsive, evidence-based…

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