What is the Arizona Pediatric Psychiatry Access Line?
APAL is a telephone access line that helps front-line healthcare providers in Arizona – such as pediatricians, family medicine doctors, PAs, and nurse practitioners – identify and address the mental health concerns of their pediatric patients. When medical providers call our toll-free number, they are connected with a child and adolescent psychiatrist who will help determine the best next steps for treatment.
The APAL team is pleased to be collaborating with District Medical Group (DMG) Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists and Dr. Jennifer Tran from the VA, who will assist us in providing free consultations. We are excited to be working with this excellent group of physicians who are dedicated to serving pediatric providers and their patients with behavioral health concerns. Welcome Dr. Baldwin, Dr. Brichta, Dr. Duffy, Dr. Lepthien, Dr. Silvestrini, Dr. Smith and Dr. Tran!
We also have partnered with the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to provide free online trainings.
APAL is for healthcare providers in Arizona - of all fields, in any setting - with questions about how to about how to address the mental health concerns of their pediatric patients.
Monday-Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Planned expansion to Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m in January 2025
Excluding national holidays, (see specific dates here):
- New Year's Day: Jan. 1
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Veteran's Day
- Thanksgiving & day after
- Christmas Eve & Day
- Winter Closure
There is no cost to utilize these services due to a grant from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). You are welcome to put in a collaborative care code to be reimbursed for your own time.
One of our Clinical Navigators takes the initial call to collect some demographic data and to ensure that the patient is not facing a psychiatric emergency. The Clinical Navigator then connects the provider with a child and adolescent psychiatrist. The psychiatrist consults with the provider and gives treatment recommendations. Subsequently, the provider is transferred back to the Clinical Navigator who will help with additional resources as needed.
We hope this will not happen often, but if it does, there are two options:
- Leave a callback number and you will be contacted at next availability or
- If your time is less flexible, you can leave a brief message with a phone number and the best time window (ie: 1-2 p.m.) to be called back.
We email treatment recommendations and resources to the provider.
No, all initial contact for case consultation must be made through the A-PAL phone line.