Montefiore Model, Providers and Patients Showcase Innovative Program and Positive Outcomes 

NEW YORK (June 26, 2017) – The HealthySteps Program at Montefiore Health System is featured in a new marketing campaign launched by the HealthySteps National Office, and ZERO TO THREE, the HealthySteps parent organization. The campaign showcases the success of HealthySteps in transforming the way pediatric primary care is practiced, by combining primary care with behavioral health services for comprehensive support and guidance on common and complex parenting challenges at every early childhood check-up.  

Healthy Steps at Montefiore was launched in 2006 by Rahil D. Briggs, Psy.D, director, HealthySteps Program and Pediatric Behavioral Health Program, Montefiore, and associate professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Briggs recognized the need for children to have positive, nurturing relationships with caregivers from the very earliest stages and implemented the program at Montefiore.

HealthySteps at Montefiore is offered at 20 Medical Group sites, serving more than 30,000 pediatric patients. The HealthySteps teams consist of pediatricians/family medicine doctors, nurses and HealthySteps Specialists who regularly screen children from birth through age five, for developmental, social and emotional risks, such as parental depression, child autism, and history of trauma issues. If needed, families are connected with a range of behavioral health services to address problems such as disruptive and defiant behaviors, anxiety and depressive symptoms, tobacco, alcohol and drug misuse, and aggression and violence.

“We are honored to have been selected by the HealthySteps National Office as a model for how the program can effectively support positive relationships and enhance childhood development,” said Dr. Briggs. “We have enjoyed a long and rewarding relationship with the HealthySteps National Office and are proud to showcase how the program can have a lasting impact on children and families.”

In a video on the new website, Montefiore patient two year-old Lake Anderson and his mom Brittany appear with HealthySteps Specialist Janelle Bercun, LMSW. The video captures a day-in-the-life of the Anderson family and documents a visit to the clinic where Lake and Brittany regularly see Janelle. Since Lake was six weeks old, he and his mom have worked with the HealthySteps team at Montefiore to gain developmental and behavioral guidance about feeding, sleeping and how to manage stressful parenting experiences. The relationship between patients and provider, and the receptiveness of Brittany to the positive parenting advice has enabled Brittany and Lake to have a strong parent/child relationship and has had a positive impact on the whole family.

The model of integrating primary care and behavioral health specialists in the same building has been shown to increase access to services and improve both mental and medical health outcomes for families. Having witnessed the benefits of the HealthySteps Program for children up to five years old, Dr. Briggs, a nationally recognized child psychologist, created the Pediatric Behavioral Health Integration Program (BHIP) at Montefiore. With strong institutional support, Dr. Briggs brought together a robust team of psychologists and psychiatrists to work hand-in-hand with pediatricians and address the behavioral health needs of children five to 21 years old. Together, HealthySteps at Montefiore and Pediatric BHIP make up the most comprehensive integrated pediatric behavioral health system in the nation.

The revamped HealthySteps website and new campaign was made possible thanks to generous funding from the Blue Meridian Partners. The new look and logo are designed to illustrate HealthySteps’ mission to support all families as a critical aspect of high-quality pediatric primary care. The website will be a resource for pediatric providers who can access information on best-practices and the latest research and evidence on HealthySteps; and parents who will be able to find resources such as age-specific handouts and links to educational materials from ZERO TO THREE and the American Academy of Pediatrics.