UVA Health Children’s and Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital have partnered to open a new clinic to expand access to behavioral health and neurodevelopmental care for children across Central Virginia.
Located directly off U.S. 29 at 2325 Seminole Lane in northern Albemarle County – with free, convenient parking located directly in front of the building – the UVA Health Children's Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Health Clinic will see its first patients Dec. 20. The clinic is staffed by UVA Health Children’s care providers and supported by a substantial investment from Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital along with other generous gifts from private donors.
State and national data highlight the growing need for services provided by the new clinic. About 1 in 5 children and teens in the United States live with a mental health condition, while 1 in 6 children and adolescents have a developmental disability. More than 95% of pediatricians surveyed by the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics reported that during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, child and adolescent anxiety increased by 55%, while child and adolescent depression increased 49%.
The clinic will serve as the cornerstone for expanded behavioral health and neurodevelopmental care for children at UVA Health Children’s, combining the expertise of developmental pediatricians, child psychologists, child psychiatrists and integrative medicine specialists.
“This clinic marks a new day for the care of children in our region with behavioral health and neurodevelopmental conditions,” said K. Craig Kent, MD, chief executive officer of UVA Health and executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Virginia. “We are proud to both expand access to these greatly needed services and make it easier for children to receive comprehensive care in a single location.”
The new clinic will provide equitable access for all children, regardless of their insurance coverage or their family's ability to pay. It will accept both private insurance and Medicaid to help expand access for low-income and underserved children. Interpreters will be available for patients and families for whom English is not their first language.
"With the support of several local donors and our partners at Sentara Martha Jefferson, we are honored to open this much-needed resource for the children of our region," said Wendy Horton, PharmD, MBA, chief executive officer of UVA Health University Medical Center. "Our dedicated team is committed to meeting the growing care needs of children and families across Central Virginia.”
Services available at the clinic will include:
- Care for youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities such as autism and ADHD.
- Evidence-based therapies for children with mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression.
- The first location in the region outfitted for Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a behavioral parent training therapy to address behavior concerns in early childhood.
- Integrative health practices such as mindfulness and meditation, along with one of the first pediatric medical yoga clinics in the United States.
“We are proud to collaborate with UVA Health Children’s to bring this vital resource to Central Virginia,” said Paul Gaden, SVP, Regional President, Sentara Health. “This clinic represents a significant step forward in providing children and their families with the specialized care they need, delivered in a compassionate and supportive environment.”
As part of ongoing regional efforts, the clinic will coordinate and collaborate with community partners serving children and teens and provide training for families and pediatric primary care providers to better recognize and respond to children who may be at risk for behavioral health conditions. Group therapy sessions will be available in person and through telehealth, and all clinic rooms will be equipped with telehealth equipment to ease access for patients and families with transportation issues.
"Starting care early is critical to addressing the mental health and developmental health needs of children," said Madhusmita Misra, MD, MPH, physician-in-chief for UVA Health Children's and chair of UVA's Department of Pediatrics. "Our goal with this clinic is to make that vital care as easy to access as possible."
