Tennessee Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Education
The TCAPES program supports the integration of mental health care into pediatric primary care to address the increasing behavioral health needs of children and adolescents in Tennessee.About Tennessee Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Education and Support (TCAPES)
Purpose
The Tennessee Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Enhanced Services (TCAPES) Program provides pediatric Primary Care Providers (PCPs) in Tennessee with training on screening and managing behavioral health conditions, support in identifying community resources, and access to psychiatry consultation services. Mental health consultation services are available only to pediatric PCPs with practice locations within Tennessee.
Goals
The goals of the TCAPES Program are to:
- Improve access to mental health care for children and adolescents within the primary care setting.
- Provide psychiatry consultation services to enrolled PCPs and support collaboration between PCPs and mental health providers.
- Offer training for pediatric PCPs on screening and managing behavioral health conditions.
- Connect families to behavioral health resources and services in their communities.
- Address health disparities in access to mental health care across Tennessee.
Enrollment
All providers and practices serving pediatric patients (under 21 years of age) within Tennessee are invited to enroll at no cost. Enrollment helps streamline responses to consultation requests and supports program sustainability.
Complete the enrollment form here:
TCAPES Enrollment Form
TCAPES Program Videos
These videos provide an overview of the TCAPES program. Choose the format that best meets your accessibility needs.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the TCAPES Program or need assistance, please email us at TCAPES.admin@tn.gov.
TCAPES Partners
The TCAPES program is supported by funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). TCAPES is a collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Allied Behavioral Health Solutions, and the University of Tennessee–Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists. These partnerships help ensure children and adolescents across Tennessee have access to high-quality pediatric behavioral health support.
Services
The Tennessee Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Enhanced Services (TCAPES) Program provides free behavioral health consultation, training, and resource support to pediatric Primary Care Providers (PCPs) across Tennessee. These services are available at no cost to enrolled providers and practices serving patients under 21 years of age.
Physician Consult Line
The TCAPES Physician Consult Line offers free, same-day telephone consultation with a mental health provider to support pediatric PCPs in caring for children and adolescents with behavioral health needs.
- Consult Line: 833-281-5020
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed on state and institutional holidays)
PCPs may call for guidance on screening, diagnosis, medication questions, treatment planning, and referrals to behavioral health services.
How the TCAPES Physician Consult Line Works
When a Primary Care Provider calls the TCAPES Physician Consult Line:
- A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) answers the call and conducts triage.
- The LCSW determines which intervention is needed.
- If the need is primarily behavioral health support, the LCSW provides the intervention directly (e.g., brief consultation, resource guidance, or care coordination support).
- If a psychiatry consultation is needed, the LCSW refers the call to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) team, who then provide consultation to the PCP.
Additional TCAPES Services
In addition to the consult line, TCAPES offers:
- Behavioral health training and education for PCPs, including opportunities for CME credit, to increase knowledge and confidence in managing behavioral health conditions in primary care
- Assistance with locating community behavioral health resources and services for children, adolescents, and their families
Enrollment
Enrollment helps TCAPES respond quickly to consultation requests and supports continued funding for the program.
We invite all providers and practices serving pediatric patients (under 21 years of age) within Tennessee to enroll at no cost.
- Complete the TCAPES Enrollment Form
- Submit a Consultation Request Online
Expectations for Partnering Practices
To help TCAPES function effectively, partnering practices are asked to:
- Enroll in the TCAPES program
- Participate in training opportunities when possible
- Communicate questions and consultation needs through the TCAPES Physician Consult Line
- Provide ongoing feedback about the usefulness and impact of the program
Contact Us
For general questions about TCAPES, assistance with enrollment, or questions about services, email:
TCAPES.admin@tn.gov
For urgent mental health or suicide-related crises, please dial 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. TCAPES is not an emergency service.
Education and Training
The TCAPES Program offers education and training to help pediatric PCPs better identify and manage behavioral health needs in children and adolescents.
TCAPES uses the ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) peer-to-peer learning model to bring physicians and other pediatric providers together to share successes, challenges, and best practices. Each interactive ECHO session is led by topic experts, and participants may also be eligible to join an associated quality improvement (QI) project.
Program Objectives
By participating in TCAPES ECHO sessions, providers will be able to:
- Recognize the effects of trauma on the developing child
- Identify children with psychological trauma and physical abuse in the primary care setting
- Apply principles of trauma-informed, trauma-competent care in pediatric primary care
- Increase collaboration with community behavioral health providers
- More effectively manage psychopharmacology for children and adolescents
Target Audience
- Pediatricians
- Family physicians and other primary care providers who care for children and adolescents
CME Statement
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
2026 ECHO Session Schedule
All sessions are held from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Time (CT).
Session 1
Date: February 11, 2026
Title: Behavioral Health Case Conversations: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Faculty and Moderators:
- Psychiatry Team
- Michelle Bowden, MD
Session 2
Date: April 8, 2026
Title: Early Identification of Autism for Pediatric Providers: Using STAT and ASD-PEDS in Primary Care
Faculty and Moderators:
- Jeffery Hine, PhD
- Michelle Bowden, MD
Session 3
Date: June 10, 2026
Title: Behavioral Health Case Conversations: Depression
Faculty and Moderators:
- Psychiatry Team
- Michelle Bowden, MD
Session 4
Date: August 12, 2026
Title: Behavioral Health Case Conversations: Sleep
Faculty and Moderators:
- Psychiatry Team
- Michelle Bowden, MD
Session 5
Date: October 7, 2026
Title: Behavioral Health Case Conversations: Anxiety
Faculty and Moderators:
- Psychiatry Team
- Michelle Bowden, MD
Session 6
Date: December 9, 2026
Title: Developmental Pediatrics
Faculty and Moderators:
- Stephanie Klees, MD
- Michelle Bowden, MD
To register for an upcoming ECHO training session, visit: Register for TCAPES ECHO Training
Resources and Support
The resources on this page provide pediatric Primary Care Providers (PCPs) with crisis support information, educational materials, screening tools, community referral resources, and answers to frequently asked questions.
External Links Disclaimer
Some links on this page direct you to external websites that are not maintained by the Tennessee Department of Health. These sites are provided for informational purposes only. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or accessibility of content on external websites, and linking to them does not constitute an endorsement.
Crisis Resources
This section provides immediate support options for mental health emergencies, including crisis hotlines and urgent behavioral health services available to children, adolescents, and families in Tennessee.
Emergency Services
- Life-threatening emergencies: Dial 9-1-1
- Suicide or mental health crisis: Call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
State Crisis Services for Children and Youth
Crisis Services for Children and Youth
Tennessee Suicide Prevention Resources
Educational and Informative Resources
These resources provide information, guidance, and support to help pediatric Primary Care Providers (PCPs) better understand and address the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents in Tennessee.
TNAAP Behavioral Health in Pediatrics (BeHiP)
A resource from the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics offering tools and guidance for integrating behavioral health into pediatric primary care.
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Services Statewide Directory (2021–2022)
A comprehensive directory of behavioral health and suicide prevention services available across Tennessee.
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS)
Information on statewide behavioral health programs, services, and supports.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Resource Center
Educational materials and resources for families and providers.
Find a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in Tennessee
A searchable directory to help locate licensed child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout the state.
Family and Community Support Resources
Tools and information for families and caregivers supporting children with behavioral health needs.
AIMHiTN Resource Map — Association of Infant Mental Health in Tennessee
A statewide interactive map connecting providers and families to infant and early childhood mental health services.
Screening Tools
Screening tools help identify potential mental health concerns and track treatment progress. These tools do not provide a diagnosis, but they can support clinical decision-making and early intervention. TCAPES provides training on the appropriate use and interpretation of selected screening tools.
Aggression
Modified Overt Aggression Scale
A tool used to assess levels and types of aggressive behavior.
Anxiety
GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7)
Brief screening tool for symptoms of generalized anxiety.
SCARED – Screen for Childhood Anxiety-Related Disorders (Child Self-Report)
Screening tool designed to assess anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers)
Screening tool for children ages 16–30 months to identify potential signs of autism.
Depression
Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17)
A 17-item screening tool with scoring to identify psychosocial problems.
Pediatric Symptom Checklist-35 (PSC-35)
A 35-item tool available in parent-report (ages 6+) and youth self-report (ages 11+) versions.
Substance Use
CRAFFT Screening Tool
Evidence-based tool used to screen adolescents for high-risk alcohol and substance use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Enroll in TCAPES services using this link.
We encourage enrollment as individual providers, even if that provider is part of a practice.
ANY Primary Care Providers (PCPs), including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who care for pediatric patients (less than 21 years) and have their practice located in the state of Tennessee are eligible to enroll. The TCAPES consult line is a provider-to-provider consultation line. It is not for patients or parents.
The TCAPES consult line is designed to be a resource for primary care professionals. Consulting with families is outside the scope of our services. Therefore, we will refer families back to their PCP for questions or concerns.
The TCAPES training and consultation service is free for the providers and is available to all PCPs in Tennessee who care for youth (less than 21 years) with Mental Health Care needs.
TCAPES is provided at no cost to providers, thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which resulted in expansion of the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program through the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA).
Yes, CME credit will be offered through BeHiP trainings, online BeHiP modules and an ECHO Learning Collaborative.
No, once enrolled, you may call the consultation line regardless of your patient’s insurance.
No, the mental health provider will not take over the care of the patient but will provide information, guidance and ongoing consultation if needed. The PCP shall remain the primary provider in charge of patient care. If mental health needs of the patient are beyond the scope of the consultation line, a referral can be made to a local mental health provider.
No, you do not need patient authorization or consent to call the TCAPES consult line. The patient is not billed for the call and so financial consent is not needed. Also, provider-provider consultation is covered within the boundaries of HIPAA (Health Insurance and Portability Accountability Act).
The consult line is open Mondays to Fridays from 8.30am – 5pm (except on public/institutional holidays).
Enrolled providers should first participate in training provided by TNAAP. The training supports the integration of mental health care into primary care, including when to call the consultation line.
As a PCP enrolled in the program, you may call regarding any mental health question or concern pertaining to a pediatric patient. You may also call about general questions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of a specific disorder, use of a particular medication, use of mental screening tools or about questions pertaining to mental health resources within the area.
If the pediatric patient is a registered patient in your practice and your practice is located within the state of Tennessee, you may call about this patient.
You may call the TCAPES consult line even if you are not enrolled, but you will be encouraged to enroll when you call. Having data on the number of enrolled providers will help us maintain funding.
This Page Last Updated: March 26, 2026 at 3:47 PM