Child Psychiatry Access Programs in the United States
October 2025
Child Psychiatry Access Programs (CPAPs) serve as a vital force multiplier in addressing the pediatric mental health crisis by strategically building the capacity of frontline providers, including pediatricians, family physicians, and school-based health professionals, to deliver evidence-based mental health care directly within their existing practices. These programs operate through a consultation model (often using telehealth infrastructure and tools) that provides primary care clinicians with rapid access to child psychiatry expertise, offering real-time guidance on diagnosis, treatment planning, and medication management, while also facilitating hand-offs to specialty care when needed. By equipping frontline providers with knowledge, confidence, and ongoing support to manage common mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and ADHD, CPAPs expand the mental health workforce without requiring families to navigate lengthy specialty waitlists or travel long distances to see a psychiatrist. This is transformative in rural and underserved communities where child psychiatrists are scarce or nonexistent, enabling children to receive timely, appropriate care in familiar, trusted settings while reserving specialty psychiatric services for the most complex cases. The result is a more efficient, accessible, and integrated system of care that meets children where they are, reduces stigma associated with mental health treatment, and prevents the escalation of treatable conditions into crises, ultimately improving patient outcomes while making more effective use of limited psychiatric resources. CPAPs are often supported by federal funding through programs such as the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Pediatric Mental Health Care Access programs or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) block grants for Community Mental Health Services and/or Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services.
State-Specific Resources
Arizona
The Arizona Pediatric Psychiatry Access Line (APAL) offers a statewide pediatric psychiatry access telephone line with child and adolescent psychiatrists to answer provider questions and review treatment options. They can be reached at 888-290-1336 Monday - Friday 12:30 - 4:30 PM.
Website: apal.arizona.edu
Email: team@apal.arizona.edu
Colorado
The Colorado Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation & Access Program (CoPPCAP) assists pediatric primary care providers assess and provide treatment for pediatric behavioral/mental health conditions presenting in the primary care setting. They can be reached at 1-888-910-0153 Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
Website: CoPPCAP.org
Email: Xiaoshen.Jin@CUAnschutz.edu
Nevada
The Nevada Pediatric Access Line (NV PAL) supports primary care clinicians across the state for youth ages 0-25 with telephonic 'curbside consultations' and one-time video consultations to patients and their families. They can be reached at 702-553-4528.
Website: nvpal.org
Email: natasha.mosby@unlv.edu
New Mexico
The New Mexico Access to Behavioral Health for Children (NM-ABC) includes child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers to provide treatment recommendations and resource assistance to healthcare providers and other professionals who support children’s mental health needs. They can be reached at 505-272-3459.
Website: https://hsc.unm.edu/cdd/training-programs/nm-abc/
Email: nmabc@salud.unm.edu
National Resources
The National Network of Child Psychiatry Access Programs (NNCPAP) is a membership organization supporting child psychiatry access programs to effectively integrate mental health and substance use disorders within primary care for children and adolescents. Their goal is to increase pediatric primary care clinicians’ comfort and skills in managing mild to moderate mental health and substance use disorders. Their Child Psychiatry Access Programs in the United States interactive map shows which states have programs.
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