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Indiana Behavioral Health Access Program for Youth

The Indiana Behavioral Health Access Program for Youth ("Be Happy") within Indiana University School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry is an innovative new child psychiatry access program for pediatric primary care providers. The program aims to improve Hoosier families’ access to best practice pediatric behavioral health care across the state by supporting health care providers in their local communities with guidance from psychiatric specialists.

For Providers

How to Enroll

Primary care providers who treat children and adolescents in Indiana can enroll by registering and completing the participation agreement.

Participate

Be Happy offers the following services at no cost to providers

  • Provider-to-Provider Consultation
    Board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists consult with community based providers to help with assessment, diagnostic clarification, medication management, treatment planning and other pediatric mental health questions.
  • Referrals
    Staff will assist with finding the most appropriate evidence-based treatment programs available in a patient’s local community.
  • Education
    The program offers additional training opportunities through webinars and free continuing medical education (CME) events.

Be Happy now offers therapy and assessment services

  • How to access therapy services

    Be Happy's direct patient services may be accessed after the primary care provider completes an initial consultation with one of our Be Happy psychiatrists.

  • Types of therapy offered
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    • Dialectic Behavioral Therapy

    • Parent Management Training

Contact

For provider-to-provider consultations with pediatric behavioral health specialists, call the provider line at 317-278-7700 (weekdays, 9am-5 pm).

Not intended for use by families.

Meet the Be Happy Team

Quick Facts

  • Who is eligible for these services?
    This program is available to all health care professionals (including physicians, nurse practitioners, psychologists, nurses, social workers, etc.) in the state of Indiana who work with youth and families.
  • How soon will my call be returned?
    Most calls are answered live, but all calls will be returned within 30 minutes. Once the need of the call is identified, the specialist will inform the caller of the follow-up time. Psychiatrists can be paged immediately and will often return calls within an hour and resources and referrals can be identified in real time. Most consultations should be concluded within the business day.
  • Will the psychiatrist take over care for my patient?
    No, the psychiatrist can provide information and guidance but the primary care physician will continue to provide care to their patient. If ongoing care is needed, the physician can make a referral to appropriate medication management facilities in their area. The psychiatrist can provide ongoing consultation regarding a case, if needed.
  • Will the psychiatrist meet with families to assist them in finding psychotherapy services?
    Unfortunately, at this time the program is not providing in-person sessions with families. The program is currently a resource for physicians to support them in linking their patients to appropriate behavioral health services and psychiatric care.
  • If I call for a resource are you able to get my patient into Riley right away?
    The program is not able to provide speedier access to Riley Hospital for Children programs.
  • Does this program provide support and training in suicide risk assessment?
    Yes, the Be Happy program is able to provide a primary care doctor training in a specific assessment area. The program may also be available to provide the practice with an in-service if a need is identified. The program is able to share assessment tools that would be easy for physicians to use in everyday practice and provide consultations around these assessment tools.
  • Is this program a resource for families to contact?
    No, this program is designed as a consultation service that supports primary care providers in managing the care of their patients. If someone is interested in accessing Riley Hospital for Children’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry clinical services, please call 317-944-8162.
  • Is it appropriate to call when my patient is in crisis?
    If a patient is currently in crisis or imminent danger, call 911. If a patient is not in imminent danger, program consultants are available to discuss best practices for treatment and support.
  • Can someone else from my office call to set up a consultation?
    Yes, any clinic staff member may call to set up a consultation. Please be sure the caller is able to provide information about provider availability for follow-up, as well as key information about the case to guide the consultation or referrals.
  • Who pays for this program?
    Be Happy is provided at no cost to providers thanks to generous support from the IU Health Values Program, IU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, and Indiana FSSA Division of Mental Health and Addictions.
  • Who should I contact with additional questions?
    For additional information, please contact the project coordinator at behappy@iupui.edu.

News about Be Happy

$2.7M grant will help pediatric primary-care providers address youth mental health needs

Thanks to $2.7 million in recent grants, the Indiana University School of Medicine's Indiana Behavioral Health Access Program for Youth will be able to help more children and families facing mental health challenges.

December 16, 2021

Indiana Health

Bridging the gap between primary care and mental health

Currently, Indiana ranks 48th in the U.S. in availability of child psychiatrists. The Indiana Behavioral Health Access Program for Youth gives local primary care providers guidance from psychiatric specialists to improve Hoosier families' access to pediatric behavioral health.

Sonder Collins  |  May 08, 2020