The Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service provides multidisciplinary evaluation and management for psychiatric health concerns through consultation with pediatric and subspecialty pediatric care teams for youth medically admitted to Mott from the emergency department to all inpatient medical floors and critical care units. The service is available 24/7 to address mental health emergencies in the children’s emergency department, as well as to address diagnostic and treatment concerns impacting medical care on the inpatient care units within the children’s hospital. Youth are seen in the children’s hospital who have:
- Primary psychiatric concerns that require medical care, such as youth with substance use concerns, eating disorders or at suicidal risk
- Youth with significant physical health concerns with mental health need, such as youth with delirium or somatic symptom and related disorders
- Youth with medical concerns that may have concurrent depression, anxiety, psychological trauma, difficulties coping or challenging behaviors related to or exacerbated by medical or developmental concerns
The Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service works closely to coordinate communications and care with outpatient care providers, community services, hospital-based care teams, and at times, the inpatient psychiatry unit to facilitate timely communications and smooth transitions of care to meet the unique needs of patients and families.
This service has also been instrumental in developing clinical practice guidelines, protocols, educational interventions and trainings, as well as programming to support the holistic care of the child, recognizing the importance of supporting youth physically, emotionally and behaviorally during their hospital stay and working closely with families in the process. As a multidisciplinary service with social work, nursing, advance practice provider and physician collaboration, the Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service can leverage the expertise and value each discipline brings to attend to the psychiatric needs of youth that are medically admitted.