Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line (PPCL)

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 In Louisiana, there is an increasing need for mental health services for children, but a shortage of providers, especially in rural areas. It is often left to pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) to care for and treat children with behavioral health disorders even when it falls outside of their typical scope of work. Pediatric PCPs have reported a lack of training, confidence, and time needed to address the behavioral health needs of their patients. 

Women are at an increased risk of experiencing mental health issues during pregnancy and postpartum. However, like pediatric providers, healthcare clinicians providing care for women during these times often have limited mental health training and their patients have limited access to community mental health support.

The Louisiana Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line (PPCL) is a no-cost provider-to-provider telephone consultation and education program to help pediatric and perinatal health care providers address their patients' behavioral and mental health needs. PPCL was created to help address these issues. Mental health consultation has shown to be an effective approach to addressing mental health issues within clinical settings.

How Can We Help?

• Real-time telephone consultation: A provider will be able to call PPCL at (833) 721-2881 and talk immediately to a care coordinator or mental health professional who can provide information about resources, and triage calls. A psychiatrist is available to speak with about clinical questions such as diagnoses, medications, and psychotherapy interventions for a wide range of behavioral health needs (e.g. mental health care guides, screening forms).

• Guidance: on pediatric and perinatal behavioral health issues through a TeleECHO series, webinars and in-person training events.

• Resources: to connect with community partners and agencies (e.g. intensive in-home providers, support groups).

 

Get Started Using the Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line

The Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line is a no-cost call line providers can use for mental health-related questions and concerns and to get connected to resources. Any pediatric or perinatal provider (OB-GYNs, family physicians, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, doulas, general psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers and licensed professional counselors) in Louisiana can access the consultation line and utilize services provided through PPCL. Our team can provide consultation for all pediatric patients ages 0-21 and pregnant/postpartum women and their caregivers.

• If they're not already, the provider will register for PPCL—it should only take a few minutes. This helps us track what types of providers are utilizing our services so we can continue to improve them. Once registered you will be able to utilize the consultation line, TeleEcho sessions, resources and more.

• The provider calls (833) 721-2881 or requests a consult using this form and a team member will get back to you within one business day.

• A Licensed Mental Health consultant responds to questions about behavioral health and local resources, and, if necessary, connects the provider to an on-call psychiatrist who can assist with diagnostic clarification and medication management questions.

• Once complete, the provider receives a summary report of the consultation via email.

 

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Example Scenario of When a Provider Should Call

When there are mental health-related questions, concerns, and/or resources needed. Here are a few scenarios:

A 15-year-old came into the clinic today. Mom reports he came home blackout drunk from a football game last week, and, when searching his room, his parents found marijuana. Dad is a recovering alcoholic, and the family has experienced lots of loss from both hurricanes and illness. The parents are really worried about their son. What resources are available for this child and his parents? 

The mother of a two-year-old patient is reporting that her son has just been kicked out of his childcare center due to behavior. This is the second center that has kicked him out. How can I help this family?

I have a patient that is not responding to the maximum dosage of Methylphenidate, what is the next step?

Disclaimer

As a consultation service, PPCL makes recommendations based on a single consultation and we cannot take over the care of the patient. These recommendations can be used to develop a treatment plan in the context of the provider’s clinical judgment and experiences with the child, family, and knowledge of community services.

PPCL Training Videos

• General Video Series: A playlist of webinars and trainings about ADHD, anxiety, medication guides, and more mental health topics.

• Continued Learning Series: A playlist of recordings from trainings committed to providing professional development opportunities to assist perinatal and pediatric health care providers in identifying and addressing the mental and behavioral health needs of their patients.

Meet Our Staff

Jody West, LCSW-BACS

Jody West, LCSW-BACS is the Program Manager with PPCL. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master of Social Work from Louisiana State University in 2000. Jody’s years of social work practice have focused on working with children and their families in multiple systems and settings, including schools and home-based services.

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Laina Raggette, LCSW-BACS, PMH-C

Laina Raggette, LCSW-BACS, PMH-C is a Mental Health Consultant with PPCL. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Louisiana State University and a Master of Social Work from Louisiana  State University in 2008. Laina’s years of social work practice have focused on working with adults, children, and their families in multiple systems and settings, including schools and community-based services, both stateside and abroad. 

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Jen Bordelon, LCSW, LAC, PMH-C

Jen Bordelon, LCSW, LAC, PMH-C obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master of Social Work from Louisiana State University in 2015. Their years of social work practice have included working with individuals and families in Acadiana as well as across the state. They have nurtured a special interest in substance use disorders and attained status as a Licensed Addictions Counselor in 2015. Jen has also obtained their certification in Perinatal Mental Health from Postpartum Support International and is now working to apply accumulated clinical expertise in areas where these populations overlap.

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Daniel Waldman, MD

Daniel Waldman, MD is board certified in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He previously served as the Training Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at LSU Health in New Orleans. While on faculty, Dr. Waldman led the consult-liaison service at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. He also worked at multiple high schools and provided direct patient care and consultation for school-based professionals. He is an active member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

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Julianna Finelli, MD

Julianna Finelli, MD is board certified in general psychiatry and in child and adolescent psychiatry. Her academic and clinical interests focus on infant and early childhood mental health and perinatal psychiatry. She is the former medical director for the Louisiana Mental Health Perinatal Partnership (LAMHPP). She supervises residents, fellows, and medical students at the Tulane Infant Mental Health Services (TIMHS) at the Metropolitan Human Services District (MHSD).

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Maegen S. Vincent, MD

Maegen S. Vincent, MD is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Tulane. Her academic and clinical interests include Reproductive and Perinatal Psychiatry as well as Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry. She serves as a perinatal psychiatry consultant for the Louisiana Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line and provides direct clinical care at her private practice in New Orleans.

Brandie Gallien, BS

Brandie Gallien, BS is an alumna of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Brandie is a dedicated mother of two with a diverse professional background in mental health and social services. With experience as a mental health specialist, child welfare specialist with DCFS, crisis intervention expert, and human trafficking interdiction survivor advocate, she now serves as the Resource Specialist with PPCL. In this role, Brandie works behind the scenes to identify mental health supports and resources for pediatric and perinatal patients.

Michelle "Shelly" Daigle, LPC, PMH-C

Shelly, LPC, PMH-C, is a licensed professional counselor with certification in perinatal mental health and specialized training in adoption competency. She recently joined the Provider to Provider Consultation Line after five years of direct work with perinatal clients and their families at The Family Tree Information, Education, and Counseling Center in Lafayette. Shelly has also completed doula training and is passionate about supporting breastfeeding families. She is dedicated to providing compassionate, trauma-informed care to parents and providers alike.

Victoria Manuel Lewis, BS

Victoria Manuel Lewis, BS, acquired her degree in Child and Family Relations from Northwestern State University in 2013. Immediately after, she began her professional career as a Mental Health Specialist. She served in that capacity for 6.5 years. In 2019, she moved on to Second Harvest Food Bank, where she specialized in office management and executive support. She currently serves as the Administrative Coordinator for the Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line.