At Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, our behavioral health team provides compassionate, patient- and family-centered care for behavioral and emotional challenges. We have outpatient behavioral health clinics and work with inpatient physicians to provide services while children are admitted to the hospital as well. From mental health care and therapy to autism, feeding challenges or difficulty coping with a medical diagnosis, our team can help.
CHLA is consistently ranked the best care for kids in California and among the top 5 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. Our holistic approach to mental and physical health is an important part of the high-quality care we provide.
Pediatric Behavioral Health: Why Choose Us
Every child has unique needs. Our specialists create personalized treatment plans—no care plan is one-size-fits-all. We use a range of treatments backed by research and designed to improve your child’s well-being.
Our Behavioral Health Program offers:
- Holistic, compassionate treatment: Our specialists take a comprehensive approach to behavioral health care. They consider how social, emotional and developmental factors may affect your child. And they use a variety of treatment approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, child-parent psychotherapy, medication and more.
- Innovative programs: When your child comes to Children’s Hospital for treatment, your whole family has access to innovative programs not found elsewhere. Infant-family mental health services, autism assessments and the interprofessional feeding clinic are just a few examples of our unique specialty services. Other institutions model their behavioral health services after our leading-edge programs.
- Integrated behavioral health support: Every child at CHLA has access to behavioral health specialists. Psychologists, psychiatrists and developmental-behavioral pediatricians work in multiple departments across the hospital. These specialists support children who experience anxiety, trauma or other mental health challenges related to medical conditions. They also treat children with developmental disabilities, feeding issues and other behavioral health challenges.
- Established expertise: Established expertise in pediatric mental health at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) is a cornerstone of the institution's commitment to holistic pediatric care. CHLA, renowned for its comprehensive pediatric healthcare services, boasts a multidisciplinary team of experts dedicated to addressing the unique mental health needs of children and adolescents.
- At CHLA, pediatric mental health care is approached with a blend of compassion, innovation, and evidence-based practice. The hospital's specialists encompass a wide array of disciplines, including child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, pediatricians, and specialized therapists. This collaborative team works seamlessly to provide comprehensive assessments, accurate diagnoses, and personalized treatment plans tailored to each child's specific needs.
- One of the hallmarks of CHLA's expertise in pediatric mental health is its emphasis on early intervention and prevention strategies. Recognizing the importance of identifying and addressing mental health concerns in their nascent stages, CHLA offers a range of services aimed at promoting resilience and well-being in children and families. These may include psychoeducation, parenting support, and community outreach initiatives designed to reduce stigma and increase awareness surrounding pediatric mental health issues.
- CHLA is at the forefront of research and innovation in the field of pediatric mental health. Through its partnerships with leading academic institutions and participation in clinical trials, CHLA remains committed to advancing knowledge and improving outcomes for children with mental health disorders. This dedication to research not only enhances the quality of care provided at CHLA but also ensures that patients have access to the latest evidence-based treatments and interventions.
- CHLA plays a vital role in education and advocacy surrounding pediatric mental health. The hospital offers training programs for healthcare professionals, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively address the mental health needs of their pediatric patients. Furthermore, CHLA actively engages with policymakers and community organizations to promote policies and initiatives that support children's mental health and well-being on a broader scale.
- Exceptional access to care: No matter your family’s circumstances, we give your child expert care. We offer financial aid resources and support services, such as help coordinating transportation, finding financial grants or advocating for individualized education programs (IEPs). And we have language interpretation services so that more parents can participate in their children’s care.
Behavioral Health Programs
From infancy through young adulthood, children need age-appropriate, compassionate behavioral health care. Children’s Hospital offers comprehensive mental health support for your child. Major programs include:
Behavioral Health Institute Locations
- Behavioral Health Institute – Wilshire
- Autism and Developmental Disabilities Center
- CHLA Community Behavioral Health Program
- National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement - schoolcrisiscenter.org
- Behavioral Health Institute – Sunset Campus
- Services of Psychiatry and Psychology, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics and Social Work are all available at our Sunset Campus.
- Services are also available for patients of Primary Care/AltaMed – General Pediatrics
- Behavioral Health Institute in the community
- The Behavioral Health Institute has partnered with members of the CHLA Care Network to address medical and mental health care together.
CHLA Care Network: Behavioral Health Specialist – Collaborative Care Model
Making an impact on behavioral and mental health care for children.
The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Care Network is actively working to improve where and how children and teens can access behavioral and mental health care.
Offering mental health screenings and interventions in a pediatrician’s office is more supportive and convenient for patients and families. They already know their child’s doctor and are familiar and comfortable with the setting. Plus, referrals for behavioral or mental health services often have a 3 to 6 month wait and can involve questions about insurance, creating a whole host of hurdles for families.
Members of the CHLA Care Network have come together to leverage the Collaborative Care Model, which addresses medical and mental health care together in a primary care setting. This model has been demonstrated to be successful, and CHLA is the first children’s hospital in Southern California to use the model to support children in this way.
In this model, the pediatrician partners with two key team members: a behavioral health specialist and a psychiatric consultant. Together, all three provide integrated, evidence-based behavioral health services within the pediatric medical home.
For additional Information, please reach out to Kevin Widjaja at kwidjaja@chla.usc.edu.
