Pediatric Mental Health Care Access - The Kentucky Mental Health Access for Resiliency in Kids (KY MARK) program is Kentucky’s Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) project. KY MARK is applying as an expansion of an existing statewide PMHCA program to strengthen pediatric primary care provider capacity to identify, assess, treat, and refer children and youth with behavioral health needs through the primary care setting. KY MARK’s program model is organized around three core PMHCA components: the teleconsultation line, education and training, and resource and referral support. Through these components, KY MARK provides pediatric primary care providers with access to child and adolescent psychiatric consultation, training on child and youth behavioral health conditions, and support identifying behavioral health, community-based, and health-related social need resources. For this project, KY MARK’s care coordination support primarily means resource and referral support for pediatric primary care providers, consistent with the PMHCA program definition. The proposed continuation will build on implementation procedures, partnerships, regional consultation teams, data systems, and training activities developed during the current project period. KY MARK will continue to emphasize providers practicing in rural areas, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), and Medicaid-serving practices, where access to child and adolescent behavioral health specialty care is limited. By expanding provider recruitment, enrollment, and engagement, strengthening consultation line use, continuing education and training, and standardizing resource and referral support, KY MARK will improve provider capacity and expand access to behavioral health support for children, youth, and families through primary care.
