Mental health is the most monumental crisis facing this generation of children. The pandemic exacerbated already record rates of anxiety and depression among youth nationwide.
At Rady Children’s, a dramatic increase in mental health visits to the Emergency Department over the past decade called for strategic action. This meant taking a different approach by identifying children’s needs and delivering intervention early.
Rady Children’s Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program is at the center of a premier, compassion-based behavioral health care model that is transforming mental health for children and families.
The program has made comprehensive, high-quality mental and behavioral health services available in primary care clinics across the region—a pioneering concept drastically improving children’s well-being.
TRANSFORMING MENTAL HEALTH FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
7,000+
children reached with lifesaving screenings and services in primary care clinics since 2020
90%
of young patients received needed mental health care within days
200+
primary care providers trained to better diagnose, treat and manage pediatric mental health concerns
Launched in San Diego, Imperial and southern Riverside counties in 2020, the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program has embedded screenings for anxiety, depression and mental health concerns into standard appointments within neighborhood pediatric care settings, as well as adding therapists and care coordinators to clinic teams to provide support and access to treatment as needed.
This proactive approach has increased access to proven resources enabling early detection, intervention and recovery, promoting whole-child wellness and saving young lives. Since the integration program began, San Diego’s suicide rates have dropped each year for three years in a row—and our experts believe this is largely due to improved screenings for depression.
Finding Behavioral Health & Wellness
Join Rady Children’s on our journey to address the youth mental health crisis and restore wellness for children and families.
Investments in access, quality, innovation and education will ensure a system of support grounded in scientific research and centered on care for the whole child is available to youth experiencing depression, anxiety and other mental and behavioral health concerns—locally and nationwide.
Among our top philanthropic priorities:
- Expand access to best-in-class pediatric behavioral health services across the spectrum of care, improving clinicians’ ability to meet patient needs and leading to better outcomes
- Enhance quality of service delivery through improved diagnostic tools, development of evidence-based practices and measurement of performance and outcomes to continually improve care
- Drive research discoveries into causes, effective treatments and innovative approaches that advance mental and behavioral health science by improving quality of care
- Increase awareness and education through mental health workforce development; integrated care training for clinicians and school personnel; parent resources and support; and dissemination of findings and recommendations to further migration from individual treatment providers to standardized, consistent, evidence-based care approaches
Join Us
as we build on our vision to transform mental health for children and families everywhere and shape a brighter future for generations to come.
To learn more about how you can support Rady Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative, contact:
Amy Weeks
aweeks@rchsd.org
Other giving initiatives
GENOMIC MEDICINE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Orthopedics
Cancer & Blood Disorders
HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
