Pediatric Mental
Health News,
Research, and Media

REACH’s leaders, faculty, and researchers are at the forefront of the national conversation on children’s mental health. Find the latest news, expert commentary, and media resources here.

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BLOG

From the REACH Blog

The latest evidence, clinical insights, and practical perspectives on pediatric mental health — written specifically for primary care clinicians.

Managing SSRI Discontinuation in Children and Adolescents
Managing SSRI Discontinuation in Children and Adolescents

April 30, 2026

The decision to wean a child or adolescent off selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) often comes with feelings of both hope and trepidation—not just from the parent and child, but also from the primary care clinician. A recent meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that 15% of patients experience withdrawal symptoms when stopping SSRI

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Rethinking Burnout in Pediatric Primary Care: Small Shifts to Help You Sustain the Work
Rethinking Burnout in Pediatric Primary Care: Small Shifts to Help You Sustain the Work

March 30, 2026

Insights from Amy Kryder, MD, based on a recent episode of REACHing Solutions, a new podcast from The REACH Institute. Burnout in pediatric primary care is often framed as an individual problem – something clinicians need to “manage” or “fix” on their own. But in reality, burnout is often the natural response to common challenges

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Making Time for Mental Health Care: Advice for Pediatric Primary Care Clinicians
Making Time for Mental Health Care: Advice for Pediatric Primary Care Clinicians

February 26, 2026

Insights from Gene Hershorin, MD, based on a newly released episode of REACHing Solutions, a podcast from The REACH Institute. Time — it’s one of the biggest challenges clinicians face when it comes to addressing patients’  mental health in primary care. With short appointments, lengthy documentation, and countless competing demands, how can clinicians effectively tackle

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RESEARCH

Findings from the field

Peer-reviewed research led by REACH’s founder and faculty, alongside collaborators, demonstrating the effectiveness of training models like REACH in strengthening pediatric mental health care in primary care settings.

Implementation Science Communications

Scaling pediatric mental health care through primary care workforce training: a task-sharing and upskilling implementation strategy

Peter S. Jensen, Ruth E. K. Stein, M. Lynn Crismon, Cathryn A. Galanter, Lawrence V. Amsel

Academic Pediatrics

Improving Primary Care Response to Youth Suicidality: A Longitudinal Study of a Large-Scale Workforce Training Program

Peter S. Jensen, Cori M. Green, Cathryn A. Galanter, Lawrence V. Amsel

Psychiatric Services

Pediatric Mental Health Practice Change: A Scalable Model for Training and Evaluation

Peter S. Jensen, Cathryn A. Galanter, Mark Wolraich, Ruth E. K. Stein, and M. Lynn Crismon

JAACAP

Can a Continuing Medical Education Intervention Change Pediatricians’ Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Practices?

Peter S Jensen, Tiffany W Brandt, Christopher J Kratochvil, Lisa Hunter Romanelli, James Jaccard

BMC Primary Care

Impact of a Continuing Medical Education Program on primary care providers – an analysis of a child psychiatry education program in Saskatchewan

Malin Clark, Madhav Sarda, Mariam Alaverdashvili, Thuy Le, Adrian Teare, James Barton, Peter S. Jensen & Anna Felstrom

IN THE NEWS

REACH in the News

REACH’s work has been covered by leading national outlets — from Good Morning America and POLITICO to Psychiatric Times, ADDitude Magazine, and Contemporary Pediatrics. Read the latest.

AARP Purpose Prize Winner: Dr. Peter S. Jensen
AARP Purpose Prize Winner: Dr. Peter S. Jensen
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Mental Health Weekly – Interview with REACH CEO: Dr. Lisa Hunter Romanelli
Mental Health Weekly – Interview with REACH CEO: Dr. Lisa Hunter Romanelli
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Psychiatric Times – Video Interview with REACH Faculty Member: Dr. Rachel Petersen-Nguyen
Psychiatric Times – Video Interview with REACH Faculty Member: Dr. Rachel Petersen-Nguyen
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VIDEOS

Watch and Listen

Video interviews, podcast appearances, and recorded conversations featuring REACH faculty, leadership, and scholarship recipients speaking on pediatric mental health topics including ADHD, anxiety, depression, and the state of children’s mental health care.

Advice for Providers Gender Diverse Patients

Pediatrician Finnian Steele, D.O. shares their advice for providers who are unsure where to start when it comes to creating a safe space for adolescent LGBTQIA+ patients. For information on the HEADSSS assessment, click here: https://www.heardalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/HEADSS.pdf

The REACH Institute: About Us

The REACH Institute is dedicated to ensuring that the most effective, scientifically proven mental health care reaches all children and families.

The REACH Institute Video Testimonial: Grizelda Anguiano, M.D. Pediatrician

Grizelda Anguiano, M.D., FAAP, a recent alumni of the Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care course talks about how the course helped her to be a more confident pediatrician

The REACH Institute Testimonial: Hilary Bowers, MD Dir of Behavioral & Mental Health Services

Hilary Bowers, MD, Director of Behavioral Mental Health Services at Children’s Primary Care Medical Group talks about how an interaction with one of her patients, and their mother changed the course of her business.

PODCAST

REACHing Solutions is a podcast dedicated to helping pediatric clinicians better understand and navigate the world of children’s mental health in primary care.

Presented by The REACH Institute, our mission is simple: to enhance the nation’s capacity to address pediatric mental health through transformative training for healthcare professionals.

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Lisa Hunter Romanelli, PhD

CEO, The REACH Institute

Available for Media Inquiries

Lisa Hunter Romanelli, PhD, is a mental health expert and passionate advocate for children’s health. A clinical psychologist, trained at Harvard University, Rutgers University, and Yale University, Dr. Hunter Romanelli specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents and serves as a lead faculty for multiple REACH programs, helping primary care clinicians, behavioral health specialists, and school support staff across the country to transform their practices. 

Peter S. Jensen, MD

Founder & Board Chair, The REACH Institute

Available for Media Inquiries

Peter S. Jensen, MD, is a child psychiatrist, researcher, and leading voice on the gap between mental health science and the care children actually receive. As former Associate Director of Child and Adolescent Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dr. Jensen led landmark studies — including the influential Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) — and went on to found The REACH Institute in 2006 to put that science to work. His model for training primary care providers in evidence-based pediatric mental health care has since reached more than 9,000 providers nationwide. A recipient of the AARP 2024 Purpose Prize, Dr. Jensen remains actively engaged as Chair of the Board of Directors and teaching faculty, bringing nearly two decades of experience to every conversation about children’s mental health.

RESOURCES

Media Pack

Everything journalists and media professionals need to cover REACH accurately and compellingly — including organizational background, key statistics, leadership bios, approved photography, and brand assets. All in one place, ready to use.

About The REACH Institute

The REACH Institute is a professional development nonprofit and the only training institute focused exclusively on expanding pediatric mental health capacity nationwide. For nearly two decades, REACH has trained thousands of primary care clinicians, mental health clinicians, and educators across the U.S. and Canada in evidence-based approaches to child and adolescent mental health care. REACH is a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in New York, NY.

Contact Communications Team

For media enquiries, interview requests, expert commentary, or press information, please reach out to the REACH communications team directly. We aim to respond to all media requests within one business day.

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July 7, 2026

July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, an opportunity to recognize the unique mental health challenges that many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities face. BIPOC youth and adults have a right to culturally responsive, evidence-based…

July 2, 2026

🎉 Registration is now open for the REACH 2026 Alumni Conference & 20th Anniversary Celebration! This September, we're bringing the REACH community together in New York City for a weekend of learning, connection, and celebration. Designed…

June 29, 2026

🚨 Registration for our July 15 CBT-A course closes this Friday, July 3 “This course provided excellent education not just on the facts about anxiety and CBT but also on the ways to impart this information…

June 19, 2026

Juneteenth is a time to reflect on our history, celebrate Black freedom and resilience, and recognize that everyone deserves access to compassionate, culturally responsive mental health care. If you or someone you know is looking for…

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