Our Pediatric Mental Health Specialists

In our care, your child will have the support of all the mental health specialists they need. Our doctors, nurses and other experts work closely with children, teens and their families to help them feel their best. We also coordinate with your child's primary care provider and other healthcare professionals to ensure your family gets the care and support they need inside and outside our walls.

Learn more about the different mental health specialists who will care for your child.

Mental health doctors

Two main types of doctors provide mental health care for kids and your child will see whoever is best suited to meet their needs.

Pediatric psychiatrist

Pediatric psychiatrists, or child and adolescent psychiatrists, are medical doctors (MD) who have completed at least five years of specialty training after they graduate. They train and have experience in diagnosing and treating mental health issues in children and teens.

Our pediatric psychiatrists are licensed by the state of Colorado, and many are board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Psychiatrists can diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medication and provide individual, group and family therapies.

Pediatric psychologist

Pediatric psychologists, or child and adolescent psychologists, have a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) and complete additional specialty training after they graduate. Our psychologists are licensed by the state of Colorado, and many are also board-certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Psychologists diagnose mental health conditions, conduct psychological testing, create behavior plans and provide therapy in individual, group and family settings.

Mental health nurses

Registered nurses (RN)

Registered nurses (RN) complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing and have specialized training in providing safe and age-appropriate care based on research. They care for children with mental health needs, educate children and families in self-care, coordinate care between teams and more.

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP)

A PMHNP is an RN who has completed an advanced degree as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. A PMHNP is licensed to diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medication and provide psychotherapy.

Other mental health specialists

Behavioral health clinicians

Our behavioral health clinicians are licensed professional counselors (LPC), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), or licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT). They have a master’s degree in therapy and are licensed to conduct evaluations and provide individual, group and family therapy. They also help coordinate care, explain conditions to kids and families, connect families to resources and help families plan for transitioning care to home.

Dietitians

Our dietitians help children with a variety of mental health and other conditions by focusing on their dietary health. They help evaluate children’s nutritional needs and educate parents and children about how their diets can help them feel better.

Behavioral health specialists

Behavioral health specialists (BHS) are professionals with a bachelor's degree who deliver therapeutic care to our patients. These experts work closely with nurses, psychologists and psychiatric professionals to provide safe and therapeutic care for kids who need intensive mental health care.

Creative arts therapists

Creative arts therapists use the arts to help children express, create and heal in an open and supportive environment. Art, music, dance, movement and yoga help children communicate, release emotions, and ultimately, heal. Our creative arts therapists have a master's or doctoral degree and are experts in their fields. They are an important part of your child's treatment team, working in tandem with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses and counselors toward your child's individualized treatment goals.

Clinicians in training programs

The next generation of mental health experts helps provide extra care and support to your child. In our commitment to develop future mental health specialists, we offer formal training programs for master’s level therapists, psychologists, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and psychiatrists. Our training programs are highly competitive and attract top applicants from across the country. Our trainees work closely with our licensed mental health providers in providing high-quality, evidence-based mental health services in all our programs.