Dyadic Care in Pediatrics

This video takes viewers through the accompanying document, offering practical guidance for implementing dyadic, team-based well child visits in pediatric primary care, where a behavioral health clinician (BHC) and primary care provider (PCP) collaborate to support both the child and caregiver. It includes an interview with a pediatric primary care provider sharing her experience offering dyadic team-based services.

This video offers guidance on documenting dyadic care visits — where both the pediatric patient and caregiver are involved — while protecting sensitive caregiver information in compliance with the CURES Act and “Open Notes” requirements. It includes some background information on the CURES Act, documentation strategies, adaptable templates, and real-world clinic examples. There is an accompanying document along with a video explanation to support users in navigating and applying the guidance effectively.

Infants rely on relationships with caregivers for survival. The relationship between an infant or young child and their caregiver(s) is one of the most critical factors influencing health and development for the rest of a person’s life. “Dyadic” approaches to health and wellness integrate the science of relationships into pediatric healthcare by centering significant relationships into assessment, intervention, and referrals as part of the pediatric patient’s care plan. Dyadic care in pediatric primary care means expanding the focus of pediatric ...

In this integrated care model, pediatric mental health professionals are available to address developmental and behavioral health concerns as soon as they are identified, bypassing the many obstacles families face when referred to offsite behavioral health services. Furthermore, in this model, health care for the child is delivered in the context of the caregiver and family (i.e. “dyadic health care services”) so that families are screened for behavioral health problems, interpersonal safety, tobacco and substance misuse, and social determinants of ...

Children and families with Medi-Cal insurance can access dyadic care benefits under the Non-Specialty Mental Health services benefit. The dyadic benefit is designed for patients ages 0-20 and is only reimbursable to this age group. Typically, dyadic care is provided by another member of the healthcare team, such as a licensed behavioral health provider, or a community health worker, who works alongside a pediatric healthcare provider. In this video series, learn more about billing for dyadic care.

In this webinar, part of the Implementation with Intention series, participants will explore the opportunity of primary care-based dyadic care for improving child and family well-being. They will review the new dyadic care Medi-Cal benefit and opportunities to pay for health promotion and prevention and explore the intersection between dyadic care and toxic stress prevention.

Pediatric primary care offers an unparalleled opportunity to promote child health by also supporting the health of caregivers through dyadic interventions. This handout is useful for understanding the rationale for dyadic care models in primary care settings.

Dyadic care improves child health and the way healthcare is delivered. This handout offers a summary of dyadic care in behavioral health settings.

These dyadic documentation templates provide examples of how dyadic care services may be documented in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Non-Specialty Mental Health Services (NSMHS) Manual (last updated January 2025) and are intended solely for educational and training purposes.

This document outlines billing codes identified in the Non-Specialty Mental Health Services Manual as available for dyadic and family services in primary care. It includes each Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code, any known time requirements, required International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes, and additional billing details. It also provides practical examples to illustrate how dyadic care visits may look in real-world settings, helping teams apply the codes accurately and confidently.