CHCC-CGC launches Pediatric Mental Healthcare Access Program

(CHCC) — The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation-Community Guidance Center is proud to announce the successful launch of the Pediatric Mental Healthcare Access Program, a significant step towards addressing the critical shortage of children’s mental health services in the CNMI. Funded in September 2022, the program completed staff onboarding in the summer of 2023 and officially began services on May 20, 2024. This initiative aims to provide vital support and resources to pediatric care providers, enhancing their ability to identify and treat mental health concerns in children and adolescents.

“Our primary goal is to integrate behavioral health services within pediatric primary care clinics,” said Jackielyn Westbrook, program manager of the Pediatric Mental Healthcare Access Program. “Historically, there has been a challenge of behavioral health support within these clinics. Many of our doctors, nurses, and providers have identified a need for mental health support, medication management related to mental health, behavioral health training, and therapy. These areas represent a gap in the care we provide,” she added.

The Pediatric Mental Healthcare Access Program offers three primary services:

• Care Coordination. Assisting providers with questions or referrals for individual therapy or behavioral health skills training.

• Training. In partnership with Hawaii Project Echo, delivering comprehensive training to help providers access and utilize behavioral health services unique to the region.

• Direct Service. Providing patients with access to individual therapy and behavioral health skills training.

The program is funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration, which supports similar initiatives across 46 states, Saipan, Guam, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

“This is our pilot program,” said Westbrook. “Our entire focus and grant are directed towards integrating behavioral health services within CHCC’s existing clinics. However, we plan to expand our reach to private clinics, school-based settings, and emergency room settings in the future,” she added.

Currently based in Saipan, the Pediatric Mental Healthcare Access Program plans to extend its services to Tinian and Rota. Due to limited staffing on Tinian and Rota, telehealth will be the primary method for consulting referred patients. The CHCC-CGC and the dedicated PMHCA team are committed to finding innovative solutions to make behavioral health services more accessible across the CNMI.

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