Fort Health, a virtual pediatric behavioral health company based in New York City, is making a major expansion by integrating its collaborative pediatric behavioral health care services into over 450 primary care practices across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This initiative, launched in partnership with Advocare—a large group practice with 750 providers—addresses the critical shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists by embedding behavioral health expertise directly into pediatric primary care.
What Is Collaborative Pediatric Behavioral Health Care?
Fort Health’s collaborative pediatric behavioral health care model allows clinicians to work closely with pediatricians, forming a unified care team. Integrated within Advocare’s electronic health records (EHRs), this approach makes referrals seamless and allows for coordinated management of behavioral health concerns alongside routine pediatric care. This co-management improves treatment quality and access, especially for children with mild to moderate behavioral health issues.
According to Natalie Schneider, CEO of Fort Health, collaborative pediatric behavioral health services is clinically superior in treating conditions such as depression and anxiety, and it also reduces overall medical costs. “Collaborative care is not only clinically more effective in terms of remission rates, especially for depression and anxiety, but is also more cost-effective in terms of overall medical costs, which is why payers like it,” Schneider explained. “Additionally, you can really increase your patient panel.”
Fort Health’s Services and Patient Focus
Fort Health specializes in offering short-term talk therapy, psychiatric evaluations, and parent coaching for children and young adults aged 4 to 24. For more complex cases, the company refers patients to specialized behavioral health organizations. The integration of Fort’s collaborative pediatric behavioral health care team into primary care settings ensures that children receive timely and appropriate behavioral health support without long wait times or multiple referrals.
Addressing the Child Psychiatry Shortage
This model is especially impactful in light of the severe shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists nationwide. Nearly 90% of children receive annual well-child visits from their pediatricians, making pediatric primary care a critical entry point for behavioral health services. Fort’s collaborative pediatric behavioral health care model leverages this connection to improve access and outcomes.
Supporting Pediatricians and Families
The benefits extend to pediatricians, who often face time constraints and limited psychiatric training. Through collaborative care, Fort’s behavioral health care managers provide skill-building and support for patients, reducing the reliance on medication and alleviating pediatrician burnout. Under this model, pediatricians retain prescribing authority but receive expert psychiatric input, preserving the trust and continuity in the pediatrician-family relationship.
New Revenue Model and Insurance Coverage
In 2024, Fort expanded from a fee-for-service model to include collaborative pediatric behavioral health services as an additional revenue stream, billing on a monthly basis rather than per session. The model uses specific CPT codes covered by most commercial payers and Medicaid in 22 states, making it financially sustainable and more accessible.
Scaling Collaborative Pediatric Behavioral Health Care for Greater Impact
Fort Health’s expansion into New Jersey and Pennsylvania exemplifies how collaborative pediatric behavioral health services can be scaled to address urgent mental health needs. Supported by strong funding, including $9 million raised in early 2023, Fort is positioned to improve access to quality behavioral health care for thousands of children and families by embedding specialized care directly within pediatric practices.
As more primary care providers adopt this model, Fort Health continues to demonstrate that collaborative pediatric behavioral health care is a promising, effective solution for bridging the mental health care gap in children and adolescents—improving outcomes, lowering costs, and supporting pediatricians every step of the way.
