by Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan

Newswise — For years, pediatricians have faced a growing dilemma. Families increasingly turn to primary care for help with mental health concerns, yet many pediatricians feel underprepared, and child psychiatrists remain in short supply.

More than a decade ago, University of Michigan Health tried a different approach: bringing child psychiatry directly into the pediatric medical home and embedding it into pediatric resident training.

The result was the Pediatric Psychiatry Colocalized Consult Clinic, or P2C3, a model designed to improve access to care while training future pediatricians to manage common mental health conditions.

Newly reported outcomes from the clinic, published in the journal Psychiatric Services, show the approach worked. The program proved durable, scalable and beneficial for both patients and pediatric physicians.

 by Johns Hopkins Medicine 

Newswise — What: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center is like a dog with two tails! The children’s hospital now has its first full-time facility dogs. The two dogs, Rosalina and Yoda, are part of the Child Life Department’s Paws for Healing Facility Dog Program funded by a $150,000 grant from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. The pair are expertly trained canines who work directly with pediatric patients during their clinic or hospital care. The dogs were carefully matched by the professionals at Canine Companions, who have bred, raised and trained service and facility dogs since 1975.

Before arriving at the Children’s Center, Rosalina, now almost 2 years old, and Yoda, who recently turned 2, underwent almost two years of training to be able to interact with patients on specific, individualized goals. Their handlers, Carrie Potter, senior child life specialist, and Molly Trippe-Gallagher, child life specialist III, also received specialized training.