The 2018 Cox Corporate Social Responsibility Report CEI_2018_CSR_Report | Page 45

Help Is a Phone Call Away
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children and adolescents.
Yet the individuals who are often on the front lines of addressing children’s
behavior and mental health issues, such as teachers and pediatricians,
frequently lack specific training in pediatric mental health.
Orange County, California, is no exception. There, more than 150,000 children
and teens have been diagnosed with mental health conditions, but the number
of psychiatrists who specialize in treating children is below the state average.
In early 2018, Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) opened an 18-bed
in-patient mental health facility to serve children ages three to 18.
To offer care to a broader population, CHOC envisioned launching a pediatric
psychiatric access line, the first of its kind in Orange County. The line connects
pediatricians to board-certified psychiatrists by phone, allowing them to
recommend treatment options and resources to their patients sooner than
they would be able to otherwise. According to Heather Huszti, pediatric
psychologist at CHOC, “With this access line, pediatricians can get children
started on treatment or medication while they are waiting to see a psychiatrist.”
The Cox Foundation made a $200,000 grant to pilot the access line, which
will go live in 2019.
The Cox Foundation
made a
$200,000
grant to pilot
Children’s Hospital of
Orange County’s
pediatric psychiatric
access line.

Cox Enterprises, Inc. 2018 Corporate Social Responsibility Report
43