Pilot program seeks to improve pediatric mental health support in Maui County

The Mental Health Pediatric Access Line is the “first dedicated warmline designed to significantly improve pediatric mental health services” in Maui County, according to an announcement.

A public-private collaboration among The Queen’s Health Systems, the Hawai‘i State Department of Health and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Promising Minds initiative, the Mental Health Pediatric Access Line launched in August 2024.

The pediatric access pilot program provides free, same-day support to all pediatric primary care providers from any health system on Maui, Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i, according to Queen’s. It focuses on timely detection, assessment, treatment and referral of patients ages as old as 21 with behavioral health needs via tele-health.

The goal is to strengthen early prevention and detection by making it easier to collaborate between primary care providers and behavioral health specialists. The free and confidential access line claims to connect pediatric primary care providers with child and adolescent psychiatrists and care coordinators within 30 minutes or less.

The access line is promoted by the Hawai‘i Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and was spearheaded by community foundation’s Promising Minds initiative and the Department of Health Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Project.

“By partnering with HCF’s Promising Minds initiative and the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, we aim to make a meaningful impact by increasing statewide access to pediatric mental health services,” said Sondra Leiggi-Brandon, vice president of patient care, behavioral health, and medicine, The Queen’s Health Systems.

As the service provider, Queen’s will staff the Mental Health Pediatric Access Line with licensed professionals, including child and adolescent psychiatrists and social workers. Specialists will offer real-time support to pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners and other primary care providers, assisting with brief intervention plans, mental health diagnosis and treatment.

“By providing a warmline that offers immediate access to behavioral health professionals, we are making significant strides toward increasing community capacity to identify and respond to the mental health needs of our children and youth,” said Keli Acquaro, administrator, Health Department Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division.

Acquaro added that similar models from Massachusetts and Seattle have been successful in enhancing accessibility to pediatric mental health care.

A key component of the access line pilot program is to build a strong network of support and guidance for pediatric primary care providers across Maui County. This approach aims to enhance caregivers’ ability to identify and manage pediatric mental health concerns. The program will track data throughout the pilot phase to help refine and inform the statewide implementation of the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Project by the end of 2024.