Behavioral & Mental Health (Pediatric)

Emotional, behavioral, and developmental problems and disorders are common in children and adolescents, and at some point most families face difficulties such as physical illnesses that can prove especially troubling for children and adolescents. The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital offers a wide range of Behavioral and Mental Health services to address the needs of children, adolescents, young adults and their families. Michigan Medicine comprises professionals from many areas, such as child and adolescent psychiatry, developmental behavioral pediatrics, adolescent medicine, pediatric psychology, nursing, child life and social work. We work together to determine the best treatment options for your child.

Behavioral and mental health services for children and adolescents are available through several programs at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.  Depending upon the specific issue, evaluation and treatment care can be delivered by one or more specialists. The information below provides guidance in identifying the most appropriate health care provider for your child, teen, or young adult.

Department of Psychiatry

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section

Our staff consist of child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses who work together to provide comprehensive evaluation and ongoing medical and psychosocial treatment of psychiatric illnesses, as well as behavioral and emotional difficulties, with psychotherapy and/or psychiatric medications.  These issues include, but are not limited to, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder; pervasive developmental disorders; mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders; parent-child relational issues; and substance-related mood or behavioral disorders. 

Treatment may occur in a variet of outpatient settings, including subspecialty clinics, such as:

For more information on Pediatric Psychiatry, visit: https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/psychiatry/programs/child-adolescent-psychiatry

Department of Pediatrics

Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics

The Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics is dedicated to the development and implementation of evidence-based treatment through our research, training, and use of the best available practices to care for children, adolescents and their families.

Developmental behavioral pediatricians evaluate children and adolescents with concerns that may involve both medical and behavioral features such as developmental problems, school problems, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bedwetting, constipation, sleep problems and parent-child challenges.

For more information on Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, visit https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/pediatrics/divisions/developmental-behavioral-pediatrics 

Division of Adolescent Medicine

The Division of Adolescent Medicine provides developmentally appropriate comprehensive evaluation and treatment for adolescents and young adults with complex health care needs including those with eating disorders, mental health problems affecting physical health, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and other chronic health care needs.

This program provides adolescent medicine services delivered by the following specialists:

  • Adolescent Medicine – Adolescent medicine specialists focus on the health care of patients from pre-teens to young adults.  Comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment for patients with eating disorders is an area of special expertise as is the evaluation and management of adolescent school difficulties and ADHD. Our Adolescent Medicine specialists also provide evaluation and treatment for problems of growth and development, care for depression, anxiety disorders, and other emotional difficulties, issues related to chronic illness, and evaluation and management of substance abuse. These specialists are also skilled in managing the reproductive health concerns of adolescents including, menstrual problems, issues related to sexuality, screening for sexually transmitted infections, and birth control.
  • Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Eating Disorders Program – Treatment for children, adolescents, and young adults with eating disorders is offered by a multidisciplinary team in our nationally recognized program.  Comprehensive services for patients 8-30 years old are offered, in a range of treatment settings to meet individual patient needs.  In addition to treatment for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, we offer treatment for patients with selective eating, food avoidance, and other non-traditional disorders of eating. 

Division of Pediatric Psychology

The Division of Pediatric Psychology provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment for children and adolescents who have problems with growth, development, behavior, or adaptation to illness.

Pediatric psychologists have specialized training to provide behavioral assessment, treatment and prevention to children and adolescents with acute and chronic health conditions. Our psychologists are members of pediatric subspecialty clinics and teams, including sleep, weight management, constipation, solid organ transplant, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and disorders of sex development.  

Pediatric psychologists also provide service to children, adolescents and their families needing help with:

  • Improving adherence to medical regimens, including medications, nutrition, exercise and other treatments
  • Coping and adjustment to medical diagnosis, including difficulty with pill swallowing, procedural anxiety, and school avoidance/re-entry
  • Learning and maintaining behaviors that lead to improved health outcomes, such as stress management
  • Biofeedback and relaxation therapy for pain conditions and anxiety disorders related to medical conditions
  • Behavioral treatment for childhood feeding problems, including picky eating
  • Self-management skills and preparation for the transition from pediatric to adult-centered medical care.
  • Evaluation and treatment of depression, anxiety or behavioral disorders in children and adolescents with acute and chronic medical conditions
  • Developmental assessment of young children

Make an appointment

Call 877-475-MOTT for guidance to the most appropriate clinic.