Welcoming Remarks and Keynote Presentation
On the Forefront of Colorado’s Youth Mental Health Crisis: The Promise of Primary Care.
Location: Mount Yale
Welcoming Remarks: Dr. Ron-Li Liaw MD, Mental Health In-Chief, CHCO
Keynote Presenter: Dr. Lalit Bajaj, MD, Chief Quality Officer, CHCO

This keynote presentation will highlight the possibility and promise of addressing behavioral health in pediatric primary care.  While the process of treating behavioral health in primary care can be challenging from cultural, financial, and operational standpoints, the promise of broad-based prevention makes it worthwhile.  Dr. Bajaj, who has dedicated his career to helping bridge gaps between primary care and emergency medicine, will launch the conference by addressing not only the “why” of treating behavioral health in primary care but also inspiring participants of its possibility.   

Best Practice Mental Health Care for Youth in Colorado Deep Dive: Q &A with Dr. Andy Keller and Dr. K. Ron-Li Liaw  
Location: Mount Yale

Moderator: Dr. K. Ron-Li Liaw MD, Mental Health In-Chief, CHCO 

Panelist: Dr. Andy Keller, PhD, President and CEO, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute  

Dr. K. Ron-Li welcomes Dr. Andy Keller, the President and CEO of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute back to Colorado. Andy knows Colorado well, having spent his early career in the state. Ron-Li and Andy will explore what it will take to provide more access to best practices across our Children’s System of Care to meet the demands of Colorado youth and families.  

Meeting the Financial Challenges:  Lessons from Across the Country and Colorado 

Location: Mount Yale

Co-Presenters: Roshni L. Koli, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute Sulamita Camargo, Senior Director of Finance, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute 

A primary concern involving behavioral health treatment in primary care is creating a viable business case and financial model. Behavioral health visits require more time in consult rooms, and coding can be elusive, often resulting in reimbursements that do not cover costs. This session explores how practices can implement processes and pathways that result in a better bottom line. 

Breakout Sessions:
Beyond the questionnaire: The ART of Screening and Assessment  
Location: Mount Yale
Presenters: Dr. Brian Pitts, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz 
The availability of screening tools for behavioral health conditions suggests that there is a science to screening. This workshop will overview the evidence-based screening tools for depression, anxiety, suicide, and other conditions. We will weave in the art to this practice.  How practitioners (clinicians and others) enter into conversations, ensure candid answers from patients and actionable next steps. 

Supporting a Practice through a Behavioral Healthcare Model Change
Location: Mount Snowmass
Presenter: Dr. Melissa Buchholz, PsyD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz  

Community Presenter: Anneka Quinn, FNP-C, Pediatrics West 

Integrating behavioral health in pediatric primary care required more than simply embedding a mental health provider into your practice. Operationalizing interdisciplinary, integrated, team-based care approaches is challenging and requires planning, patience, and persistence. This session will focus on strategies that promote practice transformation at every stage of implementation. 

Breakout Sessions:
Brief Behavioral Health Interventions and Medication Management for Anxiety
Location: Mount Yale

Moderator: Bruno Anthony, PhD, Professor, CU Anschutz, Chief of Psychology, PMHI and PCMH 

Co-Presenters:  Dr. Ben Mullin, PhD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz and Dr. Jooyoung Lee, MD, Sr. Instructor, CU Anschutz 

Primary care providers have a range of choices in the direct and immediate treatment of mild and moderate anxiety. Today, many providers are trying “single session” or brief interventions for lower levels of acuity. We will explore what pediatricians can do to manage patients with a specified behavioral health diagnosis, and this session will highlight ways to incorporate psychosocial and pharmacological interventions in current practice. The session will also include discussion of screening and monitoring measures, the evidence behind brief interventions for anxiety, and guidance that pediatricians can provide for parents of anxious children. 

Lessons from Primary Care: Strategies for Behavioral Health Clinic Culture Shift 

Location: Mount Snowmass 

Presenter: Dr. Cecile Fraley, MD, CEO Pediatric Partners of the Southwest 

Community Presenter: Dr. Sarah Humphreys, Sapphire Pediatrics 

Introducing new elements to current workflows – anything from depression screening to bringing in a licensed therapist for an immediate consult– requires both operational and cultural shifts for any practice.  When behavioral health elements fail in a practice setting, practice culture and norms are often to blame. This panel discussion with local practitioners will share triumphs, failures and “lessons learned” from their work in treating behavioral health in their clinics. 

Breakout Sessions:   

Roles and Scopes of Team Members   

Location: Mount Yale

Presenter: Dr. Bethany Ashby, PsyD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz  

Community Presenter: Allyson Gottsman, Research Instructor, Family Medicine, CU Anschutz  

Effectively treating and managing behavioral health issues in primary care settings requires team efforts. From reception to clinical care to administrative office support, effective practices include all team members in their approach. This session focuses on how to involve and delineate roles and scopes across the practice and how to lead through cultural change. 

Collaborative Innovations: Promoting Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care – Panel Discussion 

Location: Mount Snowmass

Co-Presenters:  

Kelly Galloway, VP, Associate Chief Nursing Officer, Community Health, CHCO,  

Dr. Maya Bunik, MD, Professor, Pediatrics, CU Anschutz and Associate Chief Medical Office, Ambulatory, CHCO  

Dr. Ayelet Talmi, PhD, Professor, Psychiatry – Harris Program and Director, Section of Integrated Behavioral Health, CHCO 

Join us for a conversational panel exploring grassroots partnerships that promote behavioral health integration into primary care, We'll discuss how collaboration between patient care and administrative teams can streamline processes like screening, consultations, and interventions and team-based care.

We'll highlight successful programs like CLIMB and Healthy Steps, sharing innovative strategies and lessons learned. Together, we'll address challenges faced by these partnerships and explore practical solutions. Let's engage in an open dialogue about the transformative impact of collaboration in enhancing behavioral health integration!

Breakout Sessions:  

Primary Care Crisis Services and Escalation Pathways   

Location: Mount Harvard

Presenter: Dr. Beau Carubia, MD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz 

This session will provide a comprehensive review of treating imminent risk behavioral health patients and will review common diagnoses that can readily escalate including aggression, bipolar, conduct disorder and suicidality.  Dr. Carubia will discuss approaches providers can take and decrease utilization of escalation pathway and community resources available for those in need. 

Financial Sustainability: How Models Can Work for Your Practice Today 

Location: Mount Yale

Co-Presenters:  

Roshni L. Koli, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute  

Sulamita Camargo, Senior Director of Finance, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute  

This session will explore dive deep into approaches that help practices achieve financial sustainability while providing behavioral health care in their practices. We’ll discuss practical considerations for improving financial outcomes, including ways to address common reimbursement challenges and optimize resources. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to create a sustainable financial model that supports both care delivery and long-term viability. 

Breakout Sessions:
High Impact Brief Behavioral Health Interventions for ADHD
Location: Mount Yale
Presenters: Dr. Jessica Hawks, PhD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz and Anne Penner, MD, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz

ADHD and disruptive behaviors are some of the most common childhood mental health concerns seen by primary care providers. Fortunately, there are brief and effective interventions for this patient population that can be implemented in a primary care setting. This session will highlight screening tools used to accurately identify ADHD and/or behavioral concerns, as well as describe evidence-based brief behavioral interventions and pharmacological treatments that can be used to treat these youth. Common questions and concerns raised by parents will be discussed and suggestions will be provided regarding how to best respond. This presentation will end with a description of resources and referral information that can be accessed to provide ongoing support to these patients, including effective partnership with schools. 
 

Behavioral Health and the EHR Workflow Optimization 
Location:  Mount Harvard
Presenters: Michael Ripperton, PedsConnect Manager, CHCO and Dr. Marissa Schiel, MD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz

This session will explore how to add in behavioral health EHR Workflows to create a better tracking system for behavioral health patients. In addition to creating long-term management to help with care coordination, EHR workflows allow less room to fall through the cracks and track additional visits needed for follow-up to help increase financial gains for the practice. In addition, allowing the collection of data to improve practice workflows.

Breakout Sessions:

Brief Behavioral Health Interventions for Depression 
Location: Mount Yale
Presenters: Dr. Marissa Nunez Moreno, PhD, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz, and Dr. Melissa Batt, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz

Pediatric primary care providers are often at the forefront of identifying mood-related challenges in children and adolescents. Our session will equip you with practical techniques for assessing depression and other mood disorders, developing a comprehensive differential diagnosis, and identifying when to refer for behavioral healthcare services. We will recommend when to initiate medication for depression during the critical bridge period between services and recommend when to avoid prescribing antidepressants for children at risk for developing bipolar disorder. We will also provide you with actionable behavioral health strategies to integrate into your practice designed to boost patient motivation and start alleviating depressive symptoms. 

Schools: A Connection with Primary Care
Location: Mount Harvard
Presenters: Dr. Lauren Henry, Psychologist, PMHI, and Dr. Lauren Eckhart, PsyD, Clinical Director of Colorado Springs Division 

This session will explore best practices in collaborating effectively with families and schools. Topics include the types of behavioral health providers in schools, the role of pediatrics in support plans (504s, IEPs), psychiatric medications, and behavioral health services delivered in schools. 

Patients on Your Mind: Case Discussions with your Partners at Children’s  

(Expert Roundtable Lunch)  

Location: Mount Yale

Tables and Hosts: 

CoPPCAP & E-Consults - Dr. Sandra Fritsch, MD Professor, Psychiatry, CU Anschutz 

Specialty Care Referrals to Children’s - Dr. Jessica Hawks, PhD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz 

Neurodiverse Populations -Dr. Elizabeth Coan, PsyD, Assistant Professor, Director, PCN Autism Program, Developmental Pediatrics

Systems Transformation: Thinking Big - Dr. K. Ron-Li Liaw MD, Mental Health In-Chief, CHCO 

Partnerships with the PCN - Katie Denman, MBA, Vice President Service Lines, CHCO 

Suicide Screening in Primary Care - Dr. Brian Pitts, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz and Erica Gleason, PhD 

Depression - Dr. Marissa Nunes Moreno, PhD, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz and Dr. Melissa Batt, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz 

Schools - Lauren Henry, Psychologist, PMHI and Lauren Eckhart, PsyD, Clinical Director of Colorado Springs Division 

Anxiety - Dr. Ben Mullin, PhD, Associate Professor, CU Anschutz and Dr. Jooyoung Lee, MD, Sr. Instructor, CU Anschutz 

While brief interventions may work for some patients, others need referrals to specialists and subspecialists. This expert roundtable lunch will focus on when and where referrals are most appropriate. Providers are often faced with “managing in the meantime” because referrals can take weeks or months before a bed opens, or an appointment is available. This session will explore the opportunity to ask and learn about the tools and techniques to manage patients during this waiting period unique to your needs.

Children’s Hospital Colorado and other medical care centers offer many specialty and subspecialty programs and services. While access is often difficult, many programs have availability that goes unused. This session will profile the inpatient, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs available to Colorado kids and families, Epic referral tools and referral pathways and partnerships with CHCO and across the state.

Lessons in Advocacy: A Conversation with Michele and Sandy  

Location: Mount Yale

Moderator: Michele Lueck, Senior Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Executive Director of PCMH 

Panelist: Dr. Sandra Fritsch, MD Professor, Psychiatry, CU Anschutz 

Policy takes on many forms – from decisions made in the clinic to testifying in front of state and federal agencies.  Policy development and decisions throughout this continuum impact how care is delivered. Join Michele Lueck and Dr. Sandra Fritsch for a conversation on the intersection of mental health policy. This session will explore key insights into advocacy efforts and the challenges faced by providers in Colorado. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of mental health care and the importance of advocacy in shaping the future of integrated care.