Community Provider Corner
(From the April 2024 Issue of Medstat)
Free Summer Resources for Families
The Children’s Advocacy Project (CAP4Kids) is a website that provides free and low-cost resources for your patient families – all in one place. With warmer weather right around the corner, it’s never too early to think about summer. Find helpful information on summer programs and activities, such as free meal programs, arts, science and technology programs, college prep and more.
Navigating the Mental Health Crisis in Rural Ohio
by Mikell Rase, MD, FAAP
When I graduated from residency nearly 10 years ago, I did not foresee the struggle I would have when it comes to mental health in the children of my community in rural Ohio.
I grew up in Scioto County, so I was familiar with the culture and the devastating effects the opioid crisis has had here. Generational trauma, drug abuse, and poverty have all contributed to the mental health crisis of many here, but, as the rest of the nation, we are seeing a mental health crisis in our youth who have not experienced these things firsthand. It is uncommon to see a routine well-child check without concerns about tantrums, behavior, ADHD, anxiety, depression or even suicidal ideations. Resources for mental health and behavioral therapies are limited in our area, especially for younger children. Mental and behavioral health providers who prescribe medications are even more limited. Help for these children and their families often comes from the hands of their general pediatrician.
The burden of mental and behavioral health visits in my primary care practice has inspired me to attend many CME courses on such topics. A fantastic resource for us has been the Nationwide Children’s ECHO series. These courses offer much-needed education on a spectrum of mental and behavioral health disorders. They give you the basics you can build upon with more advanced courses.
Even though I have become more comfortable with treating mental and behavioral health conditions in my practice, there are always cases that I need more expert advice on. The Behavioral Health Treatment Insights and Provider Support (BH-TIPS) program has become invaluable to me and many of my colleagues. BH-TIPS is a five-day-a-week, on-demand, virtual consultation service for community providers. It offers a quick peer-to-peer consultation with a psychiatrist and social worker, who can offer recommendations, resources, and advice on treatment through easily scheduled virtual sessions. This service has benefited many children and their families who would have otherwise had to wait months for a specialist appointment.
Unfortunately, I do not foresee this mental health crisis ending any time soon. I always take the time to ask questions related to mental health. I am often surprised at the answers I get. I am thankful for the tools Nationwide Children's has given me in my practice here, and I hope we continue to collaborate to change the outcome.
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Mikell Rase, MD, FAAP
Dr. Rase grew up in the rural town of Minford, Ohio, two hours south of Columbus. After graduating residency from Cincinnati Children’s in 2014, she decided to serve her community by accepting a position at Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC) in Portsmouth. Since then, she has taken on the role of senior medical director and chief of pediatrics. Over the past 10 years, SOMC Pediatrics has grown to include 14 providers at over five locations.