Advancing the evidence for integrated pediatric primary care psychology: A call to action

Abstract

Objective: There has been recognition of the importance of integrating psychology services into the pediatric medical home to meet the developmental and behavioral needs of patients for the past 50 years. Momentum for integrated primary care has grown substantially over the past decade, related to an evolving health care landscape, including the passing of the Affordable Care Act, increased focus on patient-centered medical home models, and a shift in payment structures from fee-for-service to value-based care models. Method: There is a need to continue to develop the evidence base for pediatric integrated primary care to support clinical care models, roles in teaching and training, and advocacy efforts. Results: In this introduction, we present background and current state of integrated primary care with reference to several articles to follow in this issue. Conclusions: The paper concludes with a call for papers for an upcoming special issue of Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology focused on contributing to the literature base on integrated pediatric primary care.