Mental and Behavioral Health

This clinic assesses children between the ages of 18 months and 18 years for autism spectrum disorder. Assessments are completed by a licensed pediatric psychologist and may include additional evaluation by a board-certified developmental and behavioral pediatrician and a speech and language pathologist. Psychology and psychiatry services are also available for children with an autism diagnosis or a developmental disability for ongoing assessment and treatment. Our autism spectrum disorders/developmental disabilities clinic is a certified Blue Cross Blue Shield Center of Excellence.

At the Child Psychiatry Clinic our board-certified child psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners and physician assistants focus on your child’s short-term needs and treatment. Treatment plans often include medication therapy and talk therapies. The clinic also coordinates care with primary care providers, specialty providers, school staff and community providers.

This multidisciplinary clinic serves preschoolers through young adults who are experiencing chronic pain for a variety of reasons. Each patient is evaluated by a pediatric physician or nurse practitioner, pediatric pain psychologist, pediatric physical therapist, and social worker to develop a full understanding of your child’s chronic pain. We currently provide:

• Outpatient pain medication management
• Individual and family pain psychology
• Physical therapy
• Social work services
• Coordinated co-treatment with a pain psychologist and physical therapist
• Hospital-based consultation, as needed
• Care coordination with other medical specialties such as behavioral medicine, and pain and palliative medicine

Neuropsychology deals with learning, behavior and how the brain works. Neuropsychological testing and results are often used to:

• Determine a baseline of functioning
• Understand a child’s strengths and weaknesses
• Identify functional locations in the brain
• Guide decisions about treatment, educational planning and future goals

Our neuropsychologists are specialized in neuropsychological assessment, the practical implications of neuropsychological conditions in children and adolescents, brain-behavior relationships and intervention techniques. They work in collaboration with specialists from neurology, neurosurgery, cardiology, hematology and oncology, genetics and other subspecialties.

A complete neuropsychological evaluation may take four to eight hours. The length will depend on the reason and complexity of your child’s referral, as well as your child’s symptoms or behaviors.

Pediatric psychology promotes the health and psychological well-being of children, youth and their families through science and an evidence-based approach to consultation, evaluation and treatment.

Our licensed pediatric psychologists will meet with your child one to three times for cognitive, academic, social, emotional and/or personality evaluation and testing. With this information, the pediatric psychologist will work with you and your family to create and carry out a treatment plan, as well as provide additional information and resources to help address concerns.

Your child may also see a psychologist as a part of another clinic visit such as: hematology, oncology, cystic fibrosis, sleep medicine, cardiology, neurology, or pain and palliative medicine. Psychologists embedded in these clinics provide brief evaluation and consultation to help address complex medical, psychological and social needs that may impact care (such as struggling to take medication as part of a treatment plan) and determine if further evaluation is needed.

At Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, we offer therapy and counseling services for children and adolescents who are facing mental health challenges and/or chronic medical conditions. We treat children ages 3 years and older using evidence-based, talk therapy approaches.

Therapy services are provided by licensed psychologists and licensed master’s of social workers who understand the unique impact of mental health challenges on a child’s development, family life, academics, and social environment. Our providers will work with both you and your child to identify and address these problems by asking questions to learn about your child’s struggles and strengths, developing goals for treatment together with you, and working together to address your concerns.

If your child has a serious medical and mental health concern, we have a dedicated 12-bed unit for pediatric medical/psychiatric patients at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. This is the only pediatric unit of its kind in the state. A dedicated team of psychiatrists, psychologists, hospital-based pediatricians, social workers, nurses, child life specialists, and behavioral health technicians are ready to serve your child.

A crucial time for development is between the ages of 15 and 25. Our specialized team is built around this critical age range - evaluating, diagnosing and treating youth to help them transition into adulthood. Services include psychiatry, psychological testing and psychotherapy to address mental health needs including anxiety, depression, substance use disorder and other diagnoses.