Integrated Early Childhood Behavioral Health in Primary Care: A Guide to Implementation and Evaluation

This book provides a step-by-step guide to integrating early childhood behavioral health care into primary care with hands-on advice for creating, implementing, and evaluating programs. It discusses the unique advantages of pediatric primary care as a setting for mental health services from birth into the early school years, particularly for addressing parent/child stress and trauma issues. Contributors illustrate in depth how bringing behavioral health into pediatric services can engender care that is replicable and sustainable, not only cost-effective but also clinically effective. Guidelines and case examples from frontline practitioners highlight typical challenges and workable recommendations.

Among the featured topics:

• The fit between early intervention programs and primary care.

• Staffing, workforce development, and funding issues.

• On-the-job teamwork concerns, from time constraints to continuity of care.

• Culturally competent care geared toward key child care issues.

• Intervening with parents of young children in the integrated pediatric setting.

Integrated Early Childhood Behavioral Health in Primary Care is an essential resource for clinicians/practitioners, graduate students, and researchers in child and school psychology, pediatrics, and social work.