Behavioral Health

Talkspace for Youth Mental Health Integrated Care Rounds (November 2025)

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

Description

NC InCK's November 2025 Integrated Care Rounds introduces Talkspace as a secure, accessible online therapy platform for North Carolina youth ages 13–17, offering virtual therapy, peer support communities, and self-guided mental health courses without requiring parental consent or insurance. The discussion highlights the urgent need for youth mental health support, describes Talkspace’s privacy protections and suicide risk algorithm, and shares upcoming community events and resources for promoting mental wellness.

Click this link for the November 2025 Integrated Care Rounds Slide Deck

Key Takeaways

  • NC Dept. of Health and Human Services is collaborating with Talkspace to offer free virtual behavioral health services for NC-based youth ages 13-17 who have been affected by the legal/justice system (including directly justice-involved youth, youth who have been victims of crime, and youth affected indirectly by the justice system, e.g. teens who have family members who are/have been incarcerated or detained by immigration enforcement).
  • The program is available for free regardless of insurance and citizenship status. Caregiver/guardian consent is not required for youth to enroll.  
  • Available services include messaging and live sessions with licensed providers, moderated online peer support communities, and a two-week self-guided mental health course designed for teens.

Resources

  • Talkspace Program for NC Youth: Form to learn more about and enroll in free Talkspace services. Page is English-only, although Spanish-speaking therapists are available; care managers may need to assist patients speaking languages other than English with completing the request form.
  • Talkspace Resources: Printable and digital materials to share program information with interested teens.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Integrated Care Rounds (May and June 2025)

Posted on by manda.hufstedler@duke.edu

Description

NC InCK's May and June 2025 Integrated Care Rounds discuss autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through a trauma-informed, strengths-based lens. These sessions share practical resources and insights that offer a deeper understanding of how we can best support individuals with ASD and their families.

Click this link for the May 2025 ASD Integrated Care Rounds slide deck.

Click this link for the May 2025 ASD Integrated Care Rounds slide deck.

Key Takeaways

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents with varying degrees of severity and may require different levels of support. If developmental concerns are present, getting evaluated can be critical to accessing services and supports.
  • Evaluation referrals can be made by the individual’s pediatrician, primary care provider, or school for students in grades K-12. Due to the volume of referrals, individuals are encouraged to get on several wait lists and to follow up often on any cancellations or no-shows.  
  • While waiting for an evaluation, learning more about autism spectrum disorder is encouraged, as it can provide helpful context and informed decision-making. It may also be helpful to practice coping skills while not in a state of crisis to reduce the inability to access them during times of stress. 
  • Getting connected to therapies- such as outpatient behavioral health, speech/occupational/physical, or music/art/equine- could also be beneficial while waiting to be evaluated. 
  • Most individuals with an autism spectrum diagnosis will be eligible for tailored care management provided by the MCO specific to their county. 

Resources

  • Autism Society of NC (ASNC) - Aims to improve the lives of individuals with autism, their families, and communities through advocacy, education and direct services. ASNC offers a directory of resources for evaluations, support groups, training, and advocates for policies that support the needs of individuals with ASD.
  • Children’s Developmental Services Agency (CDSA) - Provides early intervention supports and services for families and their children ages 0-3 with special needs in the form of assessments and evaluations, service coordination, and transition planning. 
  • Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) - Provides information, support, training, and resources to assist families caring for individuals with special needs from birth to age 26. 

Behavioral Health Part 2 Integrated Care Rounds (November 2023)

Posted on by manda.hufstedler@duke.edu

Description

In this second discussion of behavioral health, the NC InCK team outlines crisis resources, whole-person care, and therapies that help better understand and support behavioral health.

Click this link for the November 2023 Behavioral Health Part 2 Integrated Care Rounds Slide Deck

Key Takeaways

  • There are many evidenced-based therapies to treat different behavioral health diagnoses. Having a basic understanding of evidence-based treatment modalities can help with identifying an appropriate treatment provider and allow Family Navigators to share knowledge of what to expect with families. Trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidenced-based therapy that can be beneficial for children and young adults who have experienced trauma.   
  • There is a continuum of behavioral health crisis supports available to children and families in NC InCK counties. It is important for Family Navigators to be aware of available crisis supports and share them proactively with family or members that have a known or suspected behavioral health diagnosis.  
  • Tailored Care Management (TCM) provides whole-person care management to individuals who are Tailored Plan eligible. TCM providers can link individuals to enhanced supports available in the Tailored Plan to address mental health and I/DD diagnoses.  Family Navigators can assist with transitions to TCM by supporting families in reaching out to LME/MCO member services and the enrollment broker. 

Resources

Behavioral Health Integrated Care Rounds (July 2022)

Posted on by manda.hufstedler@duke.edu

Description

The July 2022 Behavioral Health Integrated Care Rounds event discusses behavioral health needs, resources, and crises. The NC InCK team and our guests got the chance to listen to family perspectives and learn more about Tailored and Standard Plans.

Click this link for the July 2022 Behavioral Health Integrated Care Rounds slide deck.

Key Takeaways

  • If a child is experiencing a behavioral health crisis and there is an immediate danger to themself or others, a Family Navigator should call 911 and ask for a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT).  
  • Family Navigators should support families in discussing behavioral health concerns with primary care providers, and Family Navigators can reach out to PCPs directly for recommendations for a child. 
  • Before beginning to help a family find behavioral health supports, Family Navigators should be familiar with a child's engagement with behavioral health supports, diagnoses, and medications. 
  • After assessing unmet behavioral health needs, Family Navigators can also support the effects of the behavioral needs in other areas of a child’s life (school, eating, sleeping, hygiene, etc.).

Resources

Online search engines to find providers by Prepaid Health Plans or LME-MCO:  

  1. AmeriHealth Caritas 
  2. Carolina Complete Health 
  3. Healthy Blue 
  4. United Healthcare Community Plan  
  5. WellCare 
  6. Alliance Health 
  7. Vaya Health 

Behavioral Health Guide for Schools

Posted on by manda.hufstedler@duke.edu

The ABC Science Collaborative and NC InCK developed the Behavioral Health Guide for Schools, which is designed to serve as a quick reference tool for school social workers and others in North Carolina schools who may need to connect students and families with behavioral health-related community services and resources.

Behavioral Health Guide

Posted on by manda.hufstedler@duke.edu

This guide provides education and resources on behavioral and mental health services and supports for children and families in the NC InCK model. This guide includes tips to help Family Navigators and health care providers recognize behavioral health needs and an overview of the behavioral health service array in standard and tailored health plans. In addition, information on safety planning and how to access crisis services in NC InCK counties will help Family Navigators and health care providers better assist NC InCK members experiencing a behavioral health crisis.