This article was originally published in The Texas Tribune on June 17, 2024.
In Austin, Dr. Roshni Koli, is one voice primary care physicians turn to when they need help with a mental health diagnosis for a child.
As a psychiatrist and chief medical officer for Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Koli has been answering primary care doctors’ questions as part of the state’s Child Psychiatry Access Network, which provides telehealth mental health consultations.
The questions she takes range from “What kind of diagnosis goes with these symptoms?” to “What kind of medication is needed for anxiety?” to “Where should I refer someone with suicidal thoughts?”
“I just got off a call where a primary care physician was asking about a plan for anxiety for one of his patients. They had already figured out the diagnosis but just needed some help with medication. Most people call me with some idea already,” Koli said.