Psychiatric and social work collaboration in pediatric chronic illness hospital.

Recently pediatric literature has noted that pediatric facilities often function as mental health facilities for their patients. There is little acknowledgment of the role of the pediatric social worker in such care. This paper reviews one year of child psychiatry consultations in a pediatric chronic illness hospital, with particular attention paid to quality of social work, pediatric and psychiatric collaboration. In the study year, 72 psychiatric consultations were requested for medical patients, the majority of which were requested by the social worker assigned to the medical service. Organizational and theoretical issues of the psychiatric consultation-liaison and social work service are discussed as well as disposition of consultations. From the data presented, close collaboration between pediatricians, social workers and child psychiatrists can be efficient, effective and offer a high level of continuity for mental health care of children with chronic illness.