January 13, 2006

MGH Psychiatry makes pediatric mental health care more accessible

The MGH Department of Psychiatry recently began the pilot phase of a new program — the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project — to provide support and guidance to pediatricians and primary clinicians treating children and adolescents with mental health issues. Designed to enhance the ability of physicians outside of the MGH to assess, diagnose and care for patients with mental health issues within their own practices, the program offers real-time access to MGH mental health professionals who can provide telephone consultations, answer medication questions and see patients for initial consultations and brief transitional therapy.

"We have been very pleased to provide this exciting and innovative program," says Leah Grant, MSW, LICSW, a clinical social worker with the program. "We have received a very positive response from pediatricians and the patients they have referred to us, and we all look forward to providing the very best care possible as the program develops in the future."

The project is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership and is led by team administrator Bruce J. Masek, MD. Other members of the team are MGH psychiatrists Jeffrey Q. Bostic, MD; Hector Parada, MD; Lisa Price, MD; Susan D. Swick, MD; and care coordinator Stephanie Parker. To learn more about the project, call (617) 724-8282.