Child mental health specialists are available Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm (except major holidays) to provide consultation in many areas of behavioral health including medication management, diagnostic issues, developmental delays, school/learning issues, autism spectrum disorders, trauma, and early childhood mental health. Our Behavioral Health Consultants can also assist with identifying local resources, including information on wait times and accepted insurances.
BHIPP’s services are available to primary care clinicians, including: pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, school nurses, and also to emergency department providers who care for children and adolescents. Mental health providers who are co-located in pediatric primary care settings may also access BHIPP services.
Providers can enroll in BHIPP online. You can also submit an online consultation request or call us at 855-MD-BHIPP (855-632-4477).
BHIPP is free to all Maryland pediatric primary care clinicians. This program is funded by the Maryland Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration. Consultation may be sought for all children and youth regardless of insurance coverage.
Primary care and emergency medicine professionals may call with questions around the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of child mental health or developmental concerns. We can also help identify local community referral options for children and youth for management outside of the primary care or emergency department setting. Information about available services, wait times, and accepted insurances will all be provided to you in a written summary.
BHIPP is staffed by a team of professionals with extensive experience in the care and treatment of children and youth with psychiatric disorders. Calls are answered by a masters-level behavioral health consultant who can assist with resources, referrals, and general questions regarding children’s mental health. Calls that require consultation are triaged to a child and adolescent psychiatrist on the BHIPP team.
BHIPP operates during normal business hours (M-F, 9am-5pm). During those hours your call will be answered immediately by a behavioral health consultant who can assist with resources, referrals, and general mental health questions. Calls that require a consultation with a psychiatrist or other specialist will be returned at a time that is convenient for you within 24 hours.
The Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) will ask you for a brief description of why you are calling. For case specific consultations, the BHC will ask for the patient’s age, gender, race, and insurance coverage, as well as any pertinent history, including current/previous treatment, medication regimen, and current diagnosis. During your consultation with a psychiatrist, you may be asked additional questions to assist in providing the best consultation possible.
Following your consultation you will receive a written summary, along with any relevant resources and referral information that you may have requested. This will be sent to you via fax or email (based upon your preference).
The BHIPP line is designed to be a resource for primary care providers and mental health providers co-located in primary care settings. We also accept referrals from emergency department providers for post-discharge care coordination. We are not able to consult directly with families. Family members can encourage their PCP to call BHIPP.