Strengthening Pediatric Mental Health in Primary Care: Learning With and From Northeast Colorado

ByEmily Bishop

By Kaitlin Whelan, MD

If you’re a family physician, you already see it every day—kids and teens showing up with anxiety, mood concerns, behavior challenges, and developmental questions. Primary care is often the first stop for families, and in many Colorado communities, it may be the only accessible mental health support. Family medicine plays a critical role in helping children get the care they need close to home.

That’s where the Colorado Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation & Access Program (CoPPCAP) comes in. CoPPCAP connects primary care clinicians with child psychiatry consultation, practical education, and support navigating local resources. The goal isn’t to add more work—it’s to strengthen the care you’re already providing and give you backup when you need it.

I’ve experienced CoPPCAP from both sides. Before becoming involved as a pediatric consultant, I was a caller—reaching out about real patients and everyday clinical questions. The conversations were practical and grounded in primary care realities: short visits, limited referral options, and the need to make thoughtful decisions quickly. The education about on patient helped me be ready for the next.

Now that I’m part of the consultation team, I see how much learning flows the other way too. Family physicians and community clinicians help us understand what’s realistic in busy practices, what resources truly exist locally, and what education is most useful. Those conversations shape how CoPPCAP evolves. In many ways, the program is built by primary care clinicians, for primary care clinicians.

One of CoPPCAP’s newer initiatives is developing regional hubs—grouping areas of Colorado with similar needs and practice environments. Physicians in Northeast Colorado face different challenges than clinicians along the Front Range or in mountain communities—whether that’s workforce shortages, travel distances for specialty care, or unique community strengths and partnerships. A regional approach allows us to tailor education, learn from local expertise, and build connections between clinicians who practice in similar settings.

Virtual consultation and education will always be a core part of CoPPCAP. But we also know that in-person conversations matter. Sitting down with colleagues from your region can spark honest discussion, shared problem-solving, and practical ideas you can take back to clinic the next day.

We’re excited to host our first in-person event for the Northeast Colorado regional hub—and we hope family physicians and primary care clinicians in the region will join us.

CoPPCAP Northeastern Regional Event
February 24,  6:00–7:30 PM
DoubleTree by Hilton — 919 7th St, Greeley
Free registration
Dinner and networking included

This evening is designed to be interactive and grounded in real-world practice. We’ll include a practical educational talk on anxiety in pediatrics—one of the most common concerns showing up in primary care—plus time for networking, conversation, and a few prizes. You’ll have the chance to meet CoPPCAP psychiatrists and team members, hear insights from fellow primary care clinicians in Northeast Colorado, and share your own feedback about regional needs and challenges. Lastly, we want to listen. Whether you’ve never used CoPPCAP or you’ve been calling for years, your perspective helps shape how we support family physicians moving forward.

Family physicians bring a unique and essential perspective to pediatric mental health care. You care for entire families, understand community context, and manage behavioral health across the lifespan—all within the realities of busy primary care practice. Your experiences help keep programs like CoPPCAP practical, relevant, and truly supportive.

If you practice in Northeast Colorado, I hope you’ll join us in Greeley. Come connect with colleagues, share what you’re seeing in your clinic, and help us continue building a program that reflects the needs and strengths of family medicine. If you’re not in Greeley, look out for our next event as we work to create regional pediatric mental health hubs across the state.

Learn more about CoPPCAP at https://www.coppcap.org/ or register for the event here. We are excited to continue to partner with all of you. 

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Kaitlin Whelan, MD is a pediatric consultant to the Colorado Pediatric Psychiatry Consultation and Access Program (CoPPCAP) team. Dr. Whelan is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado.