The University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences launched a new service to help prescribing providers in Washington receive clinical advice regarding adult patients (18+) with mental health and/or substance use disorders. Funded by the Washington State Legislature, the UW Psychiatry Consultation Line (PCL) helps address the severe shortage of mental health professionals in the state by providing consultation to providers regarding assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning, including management of antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, antipsychotic medications and medications for substance use.
Providers call 877-WA-PSYCH (877-927-7924) and, after a short intake with a UW health navigator, are connected to a UW psychiatrist. At the conclusion of the conversation, the UW psychiatrist will send a brief written documentation of the recommendations to the caller via email. The PCL is available to providers working in primary care clinics, community hospitals, emergency departments, county and municipal correctional facilities, and evaluation and treatment centers.
The consultation line is staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will transition to 24/7 staffing beginning July 1, 2020. Providers calling outside of business hours can leave a message, which will be returned within one working day. There is no limit to how many times a provider can call. The service is free for the caller.
The PCL complements two other provider-to-provider mental health consultation lines affiliated with UW Medicine. The Partnership Access Line (PAL), based out of Seattle Children’s, is for providers who are caring for children or adolescents experiencing a mental health or substance use condition. The second line, PAL for Moms, is for providers caring for pregnant or new moms experiencing a mental health or substance use condition. Providers calling the PCL have the option of being connected to one of these other lines as needed.
For more information visit uwpsychiatry.org/pcl or email PCLWA@uw.edu. (Guest authored by Rebecca Sladek)
