Finnian Steele, D.O., a pediatrician based in Fresno, California, brings a unique perspective to patient care. A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and a Navy veteran, Dr. Steele has a special focus on serving gender-diverse youth and addressing mental health concerns. When they encountered The REACH Institute’s Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP) program, it was a perfect fit.

In their current role, Dr. Steele serves a clinic where the large majority of patients rely on medicaid, and access to effective mental health care can be a challenge. In 2023, Dr. Steele was awarded a scholarship to attend the PPP program, and they completed the training in the fall.

“It can only improve your patient care,” says Dr. Steele of the PPP program.

“For me, the biggest change was a real streamlining of my ability to care for my mental health patients.” The knowledge and skills they gained from the PPP program has even had a ripple effect on the other providers in their clinic. “I was able to very concisely walk one of our residents through assessment, diagnosis and treatment options, and I’ve seen a 180 in their confidence.”

To clinicians considering the PPP program, Dr. Steele’s message is clear: Mental health care in the primary care setting isn’t as daunting as it might seem. “There are screeners and guidelines just like there are for any other medical issue. It’s just about learning those things, but it’s not a big, scary topic.”

To learn more about The REACH Institute’s flagship training, Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP), visit thereach.p17.me/.