Mental Health

If you believe your child has a psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Help is Available 24/7

How can Forest Hills Peds help your child?


Although 1 in 5 children in the United States suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder, less than a quarter of these children receive proper treatment. Mental illness is like any other disease; the earlier it is identified and treated, the better the health outcomes. 


The goal of the mental health coordinator at Forest Hills Pediatrics is to help patients and families with mental health care referrals and access to services. Our coordinator also helps monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of care. FHPA strives to meet patient and family mental health care needs and improve the outcomes of care.


Our mental health coordinator will help address concerns about your child’s mental health by:

  • Connecting your child with the right counselor or therapist
  • Facilitating referrals to psychology or psychiatry
  • Following up by phone to make sure your child's mental health needs are being met
  • Working with your pediatrician to facilitate care

What We Do



In cooperation with community based mental health providers, we treat children for:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Other related mental health concerns

If you have concerns about your child's mental health, please call our office and ask to speak to our Mental Health Coordinator. She will discuss your concerns and gather information that will be used to determine how we can best help your child. If your needs are not emergent, she will align you with a mental health provider in the greater Grand Rapids community. If it is determined that medication may be helpful, we will schedule an appointment with your pediatrician. 


Ongoing Medication Management

After your child's initial evaluation, if medication is started, your child must be seen within 28 days in order to continue the medication. If your child is doing well, subsequent appointments will be scheduled every 4 months. Continued care with your mental health provider is expected if you are to continue on medication. If a medication or dosage change is needed, your child will be seen more frequently to assess your child's progress and to determine if the medication can be refilled.

Resources