Information for Providers
The Vermont Child Psychiatry Access Program offers consultative services for Vermont Primary Care Providers who have questions about diagnosis and treatment planning for children and adolescents ages 21 and under.
The goal of this service is to help primary care providers appropriately care for children and adolescents as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
We are available to answer calls between 9-3p daily starting June 2022. The PCP initiates this direct consultation by calling or emailing the VTCPAP line. When open, the call or email will be returned within 30 minutes, or the PCP can schedule a time for a call back.
Most calls will be a direct conversation between the PCP and the Liaison Coordinator and Child Psychiatrist. This may result in an appropriate screening, treatment, or referral resources.
Please do not have patients contact this service directly, this is a service to directly support PCP decision making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can families call VTCPAP?
No. This is a consult service to support primary care providers (PCPs) as they manage the care of their patients.
Do I need to get my patient’s consent before calling?
No, you do not need patient authorization or consent to call. This is due to the following:
- No bill or payment is collected, therefore, no financial consent is needed.
- Provider-to-provider consultation is covered within the boundaries of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Is it appropriate to call when my patient is in crisis?
If your patient is currently in crisis, call 911. If your patient is not in imminent danger, our VTCPAP consultants are available to discuss best practices for treatment and support.
Can the VTCPAP help get my patient get admitted to a higher level of care?
VTCPAP cannot expedite or change the admitting process for higher levels of care.
What if I call/email when VTCPAP is not open?
Your request will be reviewed the next morning that we are open, at which point we will be in touch to answer the query.
For which holidays will VTCPAP be closed?
VTCPAP will be closed the following days in 2022:
- New Year’s Day
- MLK Day
- President’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Veterans’ Day
- Thanksgiving
- Friday following Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
Mental Health and Primary Care Algorithms and Guidelines
- Developmental, ADHD, ASD, bipolar, depression, disruptive behavior and aggression, eating disorder, substance abuse
- Psychosis
- Prodromal Family and Provider Resource
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
- Aggression in Youth (T-MAY Guidelines)
- Address Youth Vaping VCHIP Toolkit
- Eating Disorders
Suicide Prevention
- Suicide Screening and Prevention
- Caring Contacts Examples
- CALM Training Course
- Patient Safety Plan Template
- PCP Office Letter of Introduction to Local Mental Health Colleagues
Screening Tools and Diagnostic Resources
- University of Washington PALS
- Project TEACH NY
- Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program
- Short Guide to Mental Health Screening
Vermont Resources
Family Handouts
- Needle Phobia
- Feeding and Eating
- Sleep
- ADHD
- Washington PALS Resources for Families
- Executive Function/Self-Regulation Activities for Kids
- Building the Skills Adults Need for Life for Parents
Future Directions
Many states provide a stepped care approach to increase mental health support for the patients of primary care providers. This consultation line is one aspect of that approach. We are working with Vermont partners to further enhance the level of support available for PCPs.