MEDIA RELEASE
BOLIVIA, N.C. – On July 17, 2024, Brunswick County Social Services’ Child Welfare team received a Certificate of Recognition from the North Carolina Psychiatry Access Line (NC-PAL) for engaging in the 2023-2024 NC-PAL Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative for Child Welfare (PPC-CW) Pilot Program. Brunswick County is one of three counties that volunteered to participate.
The PPC-CW program, which is an extension of NC-PAL, was developed by the Duke School of Medicine to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents in North Carolina's foster care system. The goal of the program is to
- Improve mental health care and outcomes for youth within the child welfare system;
- Provide clinical support and mental health consultation for DSS staff who encounter youth with complex mental health needs;
- Build capacity for child welfare staff to communicate and advocate for appropriate mental health services for youth and families; and
- Strengthen relationships with local DSS staff and pediatric and mental health providers.
Throughout the first year of program, PPC-CW team members worked with Department of Social Services (DSS) offices in Brunswick, Sampson, and Wilkes Counties to help staff optimize mental health treatment and identify appropriate long-term placement for foster children and adolescents. Local DSS staff were provided case consultation, resource support, and case-based learning to help improve multisystem management of behavioral health needs.
“Brunswick County values the partnership and support we received during the pilot program,” Brunswick County Health and Human Services Executive Director Catherine Lytch said. “Our child welfare team members gained the confidence and skills they need to better respond to the mental health needs of local children in foster care. I hope more counties across the state take part in this remarkable program.”
Learn more about resources, services, and programs offered by Brunswick County Social Services at brunswickcountync.gov/Social-Services.
About the North Carolina Psychiatry Access Line (NC-PAL)
NC-PAL is a partnership between the Duke Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the UNC School of Medicine, and the Division of Child and Family Wellbeing in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). NC-PAL is a free resource that was established to address the steady rise in mental health issues among children and adolescents, as well as the shortage of pediatric mental health specialists, across the state by providing consultation to primary care providers. The access line allows primary care providers to consult with on-call psychiatrists who provide their expert advice in diagnosing pediatric patients and answering questions about their medication management. It provides primary care providers with consultations for patients from birth to 21 years old, pregnant women, and patients who have recently given birth. Learn more about NC-PAL at ncpal.org.
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