Delaware Child Psychiatry Access Program Looks to Remove Barriers, Empower Primary Care Providers

WILMINGTON – The Delaware Children’s Department has launched a program that links pediatric primary care providers with free psychiatry consultations and assistance to streamline behavioral health care for children and youth.

Implemented in 2019, the Delaware Child Psychiatry Access Program (DCPAP) is a beneficial resource for primary care providers serving young people with behavioral health needs. The goal of this program is to remove barriers to behavioral health care and provide quicker services to patients when they need it, as well as empower primary care practitioners.

According to the Institute of Medicine, about 13 –20 percent of children living in the United States (up to 1 out of 5 children) experience a mental disorder in a given year. Children’s mental health disorders have a significant impact on children, their families and communities constituting an important public health issue. According to a study published in the journal “Pediatrics,” primary care providers have substantial interactions with children when it comes to managing mental health disorders with about 1/3 of children exclusively receiving their mental health care through primary care.

“Pediatric primary care practitioners (pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners and medical assistants) are increasingly being asked to provide direct behavioral healthcare services for their patients. DCPAP supports pediatric practitioners by offering consultations and trainings by a child psychiatrist, and referrals to resources and services by a behavioral health care coordinator. The goal is to empower health professionals to treat their patients within their practices,” said Dr. Richard Margolis, DCPAP Project Director and Medical Director for the Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services.

“We want primary care providers to take advantage of these free services and look forward to helping them with their practices’ behavioral health needs. Integrating behavioral health care with primary care provides better access – and comfort – to our young patients and their families.”

Pediatric primary care providers enrolled in DCPAP can request a consultation with a board-certified child psychiatrist or behavioral health resources to help them address their patients’ needs. These services aim to help expand providers’ skill and comfort in managing their patient’s behavioral health disorders in their office, as opposed to referring their patients to limited psychiatry services that may take months to access. Providers interested in consultations or more information can call the DCPAP “warm line” at 302-513-0929 or fill out this online form. Consultations often focus on questions about diagnosis, screenings, medications and treatment choices for behavioral health disorders.

So far, 175 pediatric primary care practitioners have registered for the program. Interested providers, including pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants caring for patients up to age 21, can register by calling 302-513-0929 or by emailing DSCYF_DCPAP@delaware.gov. Enrolled providers will also have access to a newsletter, information and webinars.

DCPAP also offers various training and education opportunities for the pediatric primary care practitioners and their staff, as well as the general behavioral health community. These training sessions, accessed on a virtual platform and available for free Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits feature live sessions with a child psychiatrist on a variety of topics. The current DCPAP fall training series is ongoing.

Please Save the Date for the below trainings by Dr. Mark Borer MD:

Youth Suicide Parts 1 & 2: Tuesday 10/6 & Tuesday 10/13
Bipolar Disorder Parts 1 & 2: Tuesday 11/10 & Tuesday 11/17
Trauma & PTSD Parts 1 & 2: Friday 12/4 & Tuesday 12/8
Look for the Autism Spectrum Disorder series to start 2021!
***All sessions will occur from 12:30 – 1:30 PM on Zoom.***

DCPAP is funded through a five-year $2.225 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to provide pediatric primary care professionals with child psychiatry consultation and behavioral health training. For additional information, DCPAP is modeled after the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (McPAP) and receives consultation from the Massachusetts-based program. The McPAP program, in existence for 15 years, covers the entire state of Massachusetts and offers services to approximately 96 percent of the pediatric serving primary care practitioners in the state.

Media Contact: Jen Rini, jen.rini@delaware.gov

Delaware Receives $9M Federal Grant to Expand Mental Health Supports in Schools

Grant funds Project DelAWARE, a new partnership between the State of Delaware and three school districts

WILMINGTON, Del. – Delaware has won a $9 million federal grant to expand school mental health supports. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant will fund Project DelAWARE, a new partnership between the Delaware Department of Education, Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families, and three school districts. The grant will fund $1.8 million per year for five years.

“The trauma that children experience in their lives affects their health, learning and overall well-being. Too often those children also face barriers to accessing the supports they need,” said Governor John Carney. “This grant will be used to overcome some of those barriers by training treatment providers to deliver identified culturally-competent and evidence-based practices in children’s schools and homes.”

One school district in each county – Colonial School District in New Castle County, Capital School District in Kent County and Indian River School District in Sussex County – will participate. The districts’ enrollment totaled almost 27,000 in 2017-18, about a fifth of the state’s overall public school enrollment.

“Our children are confronted with new and unique challenges every day. It is critical that we provide them with the best mental and behavioral health services available,” said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, Chair of Delaware’s Behavioral Health Consortium. “This grant will give our educators the tools they need to help students become stronger and healthier both in and out of the classroom.”

The grant will allow the Department of Education to build on its preexisting relationship with the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families’ Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (PBH) to increase awareness of mental health and improve understanding and system response to mental health problems in schools across the state.

“We are extremely grateful that the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has awarded Delaware this grant. The Department of Services for Children, Youth, and their Families has been on the forefront of recognizing the need for mental health and behavioral health supports in our schools,” said Josette Manning, Secretary of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families. “This grant will assist our school-based family crisis therapists in the districts’ K-5 schools and will assist our behavioral health consultants in their middle schools by increasing access to supports and services in the school and community. This grant, coupled with another $400,000 grant that we were just awarded from SAMHSA for outreach in the City of Wilmington for youth at risk for psychosis, will serve more children and youth who need our help in becoming healthy adults.”

Project DelAWARE will include:

Professional learning for all school staff personal on how the school’s multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) relate to mental health. MTSS will be used as a framework to promote and implement standardized, evidence-based procedures for screening and intervention.
Hiring of additional in-school clinical staff and contracted support from outside providers.
Provision of mental health services – including screening, assessment and treatment – in school and/or students’ homes.
Coordination of referral to services and follow up for students and their families for evidence-based school- and community-based mental health practices and services.
Creation and implementation of a workforce development training plan to increase mental health awareness and literacy of school staff, administrators, families and students to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness and link to appropriate services.

“Project DelAWARE will be used to develop and implement a comprehensive plan of school- and community-based mental health services,” said Susan Bunting, Secretary of the Department of Education. “By coordinating with other activities and services already provided in our schools, these additional supports and resources can make a real difference for our students, their families and communities.”

Each participating school district will engage its students, their families and community partners to develop behavioral health services in its schools.

“The students who come to school today are dealing with issues and trauma that we have not dealt with in the past,” said Dan Shelton, Superintendent of the Capital School District. “Having the opportunity to partner with DSCYF and PBH is an opportunity for us not only to build and strengthen relationships between the agencies that are working with our young people but to work in collaboration to develop the new best practices that are necessary to meet the needs of the whole child.”

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Children’s Department Recruiting for 30 Behavioral Health Consultants

Wilmington – A massive recruitment effort is now underway to fill 30 positions for Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) in middle schools statewide. The Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF) through its Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (PBHS), has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to fill these positions in response to funding made available by the General Assembly through Governor Jack Markell’s budget initiatives to expand access to mental health services for children.

“We owe it to our youth to ensure they have access to the services they need to get the most out of their school experience,” said Governor Markell. “The work of our Behavioral Health Consultants is vital to our mission of giving every Delawarean the best chance to reach their potential. These specialists will fill a critical gap in services and provide help to children at a vulnerable time in their young lives.”

While many Delaware elementary schools have Family Crisis Therapists and high schools have Wellness Centers where children can access help, middle schools have lacked similar supports. In his State of the State, Markell emphasized the “huge gap in our care for adolescents” and asked the General Assembly to help him address this need. The budget funded his proposed ten-fold increase in the number of trained, front line mental health personnel in our middle schools.

BHCs are highly trained and licensed mental health professionals. They provide suicide risk assessments, substance abuse and trauma screening, short-term individual and family counseling, training and consultation for parents, teachers and administrators, and referrals to longer term treatment in the community. As part of the RFP, PBHS is also looking for a Contract Manager to oversee the program along with three County Coordinators. Applications are due by September 12th.

Lt. Governor Matt Denn worked with the Governor and DSCYF to champion this initiative which will place at least one BHC in every school district in Delaware. “Every step we take brings us closer to helping students in need, so I am hopeful that the RFP process brings us quality candidates who can get into schools quickly in order to start making a difference,” said Lt. Governor Denn.

A Delaware Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed the need for middle school students’ access to mental health services through the following data: Over 20% of Middle school students reported having seriously considered suicide at some point in their life; 33% reported using alcohol; 14% reported having used drugs.

DSCYF Secretary Jennifer Ranji says, “The pre-teen, years can be very challenging for our young people. Negative behaviors that stem from an inability to cope with those challenges can result in family stress and suspension or expulsion from school – changes that can impact a child for a lifetime. The BHCs will help us identify at risk children earlier than before, so that we can provide appropriate interventions, and improve the number of positive and successful outcomes for these youth”.

The RFP and application instructions can be found on the DSCYF website at www.kids.delaware.gov, or the State bid website at www.bids.delaware.gov under the title of Behavioral Health Services. Questions should be directed to H. Ryan Bolles, DSCYF Procurement Administrator, at herbert.bolles@delaware.gov or (302) 633-2701.

The Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance problems, have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. For more information, please visit www.kids.delaware.gov.

DSCYF Announces Mini Grants for Summer and After School Programming

Wilmington – The Delaware Children’s Department is releasing up to $200,000 worth of mini grants so that organizations statewide can apply for funds to offer end of summer and after school programming aimed at violence and suicide prevention. The mini grants are being administered by the Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (PBHS), under the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF). Funds to support expanded youth mental health services were part of Governor Jack Markell’s FY 14 Budget proposal and were fully funded under the FY 14 Budget just passed by the General Assembly.

“Many of our young people are in need constructive activities outside of school,” said Governor Markell. “This funding provides opportunities for positive social interactions and learning new skills, while also addressing the mental health needs of our youth and ensuring their overall safety and well-being.”

“We know that after-school and summer programs have many positive impacts on the kids that participate, including improved performance and better behavior in school. These grants are an important part of our effort to improve the overall well-being of Delaware’s children,” said Lt. Governor Matt Denn who spearheaded the initiative.

Two point two million dollars in overall funding was approved to support targeted prevention programs. The mini grants will be available for use between August and December. PBHS plans to make larger, more comprehensive grants which will run from October 2013 through June 2014, available in August. DSCYF Cabinet Secretary Jennifer Ranji said the mini grants will provide immediate support for organizations.

“We chose to roll out a portion of the funding through mini grants now, to allow organizations to take immediate advantage of the resources that have just been made available. We are looking forward to working with our community partners in this prevention effort.”

Applicants can request funding for programs that address suicide and/or violence prevention. The programming and/or activities may be academic, cultural, artistic, or agricultural in nature, and activities may occur in community centers, faith-based institutions, and educational settings. The primary targeted population is youth and their families, where “youth” is defined as individuals 18 years of age and younger.

Public, private non-profit agencies; public or private colleges and universities; faith-based organizations; local school districts; and city and county governments in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties are eligible to apply.

Grant applications can be found online at www.kids.delaware.gov/phbs/pbhs.shtml or by calling Deanna Watson at (302) 633-2586; or emailing her at Deanna.Watson@delaware.gov.
The Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance problems, have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. For more information, please visit www.kids.delaware.gov.

19th Annual Delaware Prevention Forum Kicks off Mental Health Month

Dover – “Building a System of Care to Support Youth, Families and Communities” is the theme for the 19th annual Delaware Prevention and Behavioral Health Forum held May 1st and 2nd at the Dover Sheraton. The two-day conference, which coincides with the start of Mental Health Month, provides an opportunity for attendees to hear and explore the latest theory and science, research findings, practical application, as well as innovative approaches and emerging trends in the field of child mental health. The Forum is expected to draw 450 attendees.

Governor Jack Markell presented a proclamation recognizing May as Mental Health Month and spoke about the importance of treatment and early intervention. “Children and youth dealing with mental or behavioral health issues need the services and supports that will enable them to achieve their full potential. Suicides among youth are the most tragic child mental health problem in our state. We must close a gap in the care of our adolescents by providing mental health resources in our middle schools. This investment will help ensure our kids get the services they deserve and over the long term, help Delaware build a better private network of child mental health providers. ” Governor Markell’s recommended budget for FY 14 includes a ten-fold increase in the number of trained, front line Behavioral Health Consultants in middle schools and after school and summer programming for youth statewide.

Workshops at the Forum covered a variety of topics including practices surrounding trauma informed care, the impact of gang violence and gun control on communities, and the inclusion of spirituality in mental health practice. Keynote speakers included Dr. William Geary, Ph.D., of CADCA’s National Coalition Institute who will address the Role of Treatment in Community-wide Prevention and Dr. Michael A. Lindsey, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H. a child and adolescent mental health services researcher who will speak on Engaging Families and Children in Mental Health Services: The ACCESS Challenge.

Nearly one in five Delaware children, ages 2 – 17, to have one or more emotional or behavioral health conditions according to Kids Count data. “Working with pediatricians, mental health practitioners, early care and education programs, families and other community partners we can continue to strengthen our system of care, help remove the stigma associated with mental health issues for children, and put them on the pathway to a hopeful and fulfilling future,” said Jennifer Ranji, Secretary for the Delaware Children’s Department. The Department’s Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services organizes the Forum each year.