Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD  –   As the school year approaches, it’s time for back-to-school wellness exams and behavioral health check-ins at Walter Reed's Pediatric Department.

What sets Walter Reed National Military Medical Center apart? Dr. Erica Jarrett, chief of Health Psychology Service, says, “The Pediatric Department at Walter Reed is one of the select few pediatric clinics in the Military Health System that integrates behavioral health services.”

This integration means children can see both their primary care provider and a behavioral health consultant (BHC) during the same visit, leading to faster, more focused care.

Walter Reed has three BHCs supporting its pediatric and adolescent clinics. Dr. Rebecca Cowan serves the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic, Dr. Leisa Small works in the Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Clinic (AYA), and Dr. Elizabeth Burleson covers pediatric subspecialty clinics.

“A lot of issues can be treated right in the primary care clinic—it’s all in one spot—so it makes behavioral services more available,” Cowan said. “A primary care manager (PCM) will knock on my door and say, ‘I have a patient here with anxiety,’ and if I am able to see them on the spot, I will.”

Cowan adds that therapy often requires just a few appointments. “Our therapy services are often brief; there could be several appointments or just one.”

If children need more intensive care, the BHCs help families navigate additional resources. “We are a ‘bridge service’ in helping families navigate if a child needs more intensive care and resources,” Cowan said.

Small, who works with patients aged 12 to 25, emphasizes accessibility. “We strive to be readily available, so PCMs can ask questions. And we offer some walk-in and same-day appointments if necessary and available,” Small said.

“We work collaboratively to support military families by providing early intervention for behavioral health needs, which may involve helping families connect with valuable community resources or programs available here at Walter Reed,” she said. Small also leads a virtual teen emotion regulation group to help adolescents develop coping strategies.

Burleson, who is embedded within the pediatric subspecialty clinics, elaborates. “I see patients within this clinic for challenges with adjustments to diagnosis, mood, anxiety concerns, or problems impacting medical treatment, and then I offer treatment recommendations.

Burleson treats patients from infancy through young adulthood.

“As BHCs, we strive to support medical teams in assessing pediatric patients, providing brief, solution-focused interventions,” Burleson said.

For more information on pediatric behavioral health services at Walter Reed, visit https://walterreed.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Mental-Health.