Pediatric Mental Health Clinic

Melissa Reffitt, DNP, PMHSKalamazoo Child and Family Counseling’s Pediatric Mental Health Clinic, led by Melissa Reffitt, DNP, PMHS, provides advanced assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and management of common developmental, behavioral, and mental health concerns in children, adolescents, and young adults.  Managing your child’s care across multiple providers can be challenging and may put a strain on the whole family. We make time with you and your child to deeply understand your current needs, coordinate care across multiple providers, and minimize the challenges of obtaining and completing the best possible treatment. Your family’s individual needs will be seen, heard, and included throughout our time together. From your first visit through treatment, we maintain a child-centered focus with a family-inclusive perspective.

During your first visit to our office, we will thoroughly review your child’s individual story. We will examine the prenatal environment, family and developmental history, in addition to learning about the current challenges that brought you here. We evaluate mental health status and cognitive abilities, viewing the presenting problem through the lens of pediatric mental health and past difficulties. Children respond to and absorb the world around them differently than adults, and they deserve a care team that understands those differences. Upon completion of the evaluation, we will provide you with a comprehensive intervention plan tailored to the specific needs of both your child and your family. This may include prescribing medication to treat mental health conditions. It may also include connecting you to therapies such as: parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), trauma-focused cognitive  behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), family therapy, parenting support, occupational therapists, or speech and language therapists. We will take the time to walk you through each  recommendation and option, and make sure you understand the value and impact of every intervention.

 

Families served by our clinic may be struggling with any of the following:
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Hyperactive or Inattentive types
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Post-traumatic stress-related symptoms (PTSD)
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Communication is key to our approach, and a large part of what makes this clinic unique. We will collaborate with caregivers, school staff, therapists, and primary care providers to provide comprehensive support for you, your child, and your family. We directly communicate medication and treatment plans with your primary care provider. Short-term follow-up and management, typically lasting 6-12 months, is included in our services. If behaviors escalate despite interventions, we will initiate higher levels of care, including referral to Psychiatry or coordination of access to acute psychiatric evaluation.
How to get started?

Ask your child’s pediatrician or primary care provider for a referral to the Pediatric Mental Health Clinic. We will promptly call you once we receive a referral to schedule an appointment.

Referrals can be faxed directly to (269) 213-5557

PMHC-Referral Form

Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling

269-615-7637

Kalamazoo Child and Family Counseling