Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Military-connected children and teens face unique behavioral health challenges, from frequent moves and disruptions in care to parental deployments, long wait times and navigating health care systems that don't always move with them.
In part two of this series, tied to the release of two policy papers from Nemours Children's Health and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, the conversation shifts to the clinicians and program leaders working to improve access to behavioral health care for military-connected youth. They explore the barriers families face when seeking mental health care for their children, the potential of telehealth and interstate licensure compacts to expand access, and why military-informed care, cross-sector collaboration and a whole-family approach are essential to improving outcomes.
Watch the episode on YouTube. (youtu.be/7O7agu6ftmc)
Featuring:
Monica Barreto, PhD, Clinical Director, Primary Care Integrated Behavioral Health, Nemours Children's Health
Jeanine Hoff, MSW, MAS, LCSW, Mental Health Provider, Pediatric Acute Telemental Health (PATH) Program, Nemours Children’s Health
Jennifer Crockett, PhD, Director of Telehealth, Director of Behavioral Health Services for Military Families, The Kennedy-Krieger Institute
Host/Producer: Carol Vassar
Resources Mentioned in This Series:
• Serving Military-Connected Children: Access to Care (PDF) (nemours.org/content/dam/nemours/shared/collateral/policy-briefs/serving-military-connected-children-part-1-access-to-care.pdf)
• Serving Military-Connected Children: Mental Health and Well-Being (PDF) (nemours.org/content/dam/nemours/shared/collateral/policy-briefs/serving-military-connected-children-part-2-mental-health-and-well-being.pdf)
• Free, online course: Caring for Children and Teens in Military Caregiving Families (ce.nemours.org/content/online-caring-children-and-teens-military-caregiving-families)
• Initiatives at Nemours Children’s to support military-connected youth (nemours.org/well-beyond-medicine/improving-care-for-children-in-military-caregiving-families.html)
• Military Child and Family Collaboratory (urldefense.com/v3/__https://deploymentpsych.org/DoDKidsStudy__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR87BP4NZw$)
• One Op (urldefense.com/v3/__https://oneop.org/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8VCN6rWg$)
• Star Behavioral Health Providers (urldefense.com/v3/__https://starproviders.org/provider-trainings/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8SU8iDY8$)
• Kennedy Krieger Behavioral Health Program for Military Families (urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/centers-and-programs/behavior-health-services-military-families-fort-meade__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8SHaRtD0$)
Military-focused programs:
• FOCUS UCLA (urldefense.com/v3/__https://focusproject.org/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8EnpLd38$)
• Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness Penn State (urldefense.com/v3/__https://militaryfamilies.psu.edu/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR81Kd7f4c$)
• Military REACH Auburn University (urldefense.com/v3/__https://militaryreach.auburn.edu/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR86vnd0X4$)
• Hidden Helpers Coalition (elizabethdolefoundation.org/campaigns-programs/hidden-helpers)
• To inquire about joining the Hidden Helpers Coalition, email (mailto:hiddenhelpers@elizabethdolefoundation.org)
Past Well Beyond Medicine episodes with related topics:
• Ep. 70: Hidden Helpers, Hidden No More (Part 1 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/hidden-helpers-part-one/)
• Ep. 71: Hidden Helpers Heard (Part 2 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/hidden-helpers-part-two/)
• Ep. 90: Forum – Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 1 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/forum-supporting-our-military-families-and-hidden-helpers-pt-1-of-2/)
• Ep. 91: Forum - Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 2 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/forum-supporting-our-military-families-and-hidden-helpers-pt-2-of-2/)
• Ep. 167: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 1 of 2) (buzzsprout.com/2170925/episodes/18214449)
• Ep. 168: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 2 of 2) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2170925/episodes/18...
Military-connected children and teens face unique behavioral health challenges, from frequent moves and disruptions in care to parental deployments, long wait times and navigating health care systems that don't always move with them.
In part two of this series, tied to the release of two policy papers from Nemours Children's Health and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, the conversation shifts to the clinicians and program leaders working to improve access to behavioral health care for military-connected youth. They explore the barriers families face when seeking mental health care for their children, the potential of telehealth and interstate licensure compacts to expand access, and why military-informed care, cross-sector collaboration and a whole-family approach are essential to improving outcomes.
Watch the episode on YouTube. (youtu.be/7O7agu6ftmc)
Featuring:
Monica Barreto, PhD, Clinical Director, Primary Care Integrated Behavioral Health, Nemours Children's Health
Jeanine Hoff, MSW, MAS, LCSW, Mental Health Provider, Pediatric Acute Telemental Health (PATH) Program, Nemours Children’s Health
Jennifer Crockett, PhD, Director of Telehealth, Director of Behavioral Health Services for Military Families, The Kennedy-Krieger Institute
Host/Producer: Carol Vassar
Resources Mentioned in This Series:
• Serving Military-Connected Children: Access to Care (PDF) (nemours.org/content/dam/nemours/shared/collateral/policy-briefs/serving-military-connected-children-part-1-access-to-care.pdf)
• Serving Military-Connected Children: Mental Health and Well-Being (PDF) (nemours.org/content/dam/nemours/shared/collateral/policy-briefs/serving-military-connected-children-part-2-mental-health-and-well-being.pdf)
• Free, online course: Caring for Children and Teens in Military Caregiving Families (ce.nemours.org/content/online-caring-children-and-teens-military-caregiving-families)
• Initiatives at Nemours Children’s to support military-connected youth (nemours.org/well-beyond-medicine/improving-care-for-children-in-military-caregiving-families.html)
• Military Child and Family Collaboratory (urldefense.com/v3/__https://deploymentpsych.org/DoDKidsStudy__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR87BP4NZw$)
• One Op (urldefense.com/v3/__https://oneop.org/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8VCN6rWg$)
• Star Behavioral Health Providers (urldefense.com/v3/__https://starproviders.org/provider-trainings/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8SU8iDY8$)
• Kennedy Krieger Behavioral Health Program for Military Families (urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/centers-and-programs/behavior-health-services-military-families-fort-meade__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8SHaRtD0$)
Military-focused programs:
• FOCUS UCLA (urldefense.com/v3/__https://focusproject.org/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR8EnpLd38$)
• Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness Penn State (urldefense.com/v3/__https://militaryfamilies.psu.edu/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR81Kd7f4c$)
• Military REACH Auburn University (urldefense.com/v3/__https://militaryreach.auburn.edu/__;!!Li743BnW!nyZ3md-FtuT0q6q6YfJSKJ1ct4_OgIZe4Ayptz9UMc1kzV6TpBT2c5VP0-rsOy4rRfCjIut2w2bwRv8tHrR4eYR86vnd0X4$)
• Hidden Helpers Coalition (elizabethdolefoundation.org/campaigns-programs/hidden-helpers)
• To inquire about joining the Hidden Helpers Coalition, email (mailto:hiddenhelpers@elizabethdolefoundation.org)
Past Well Beyond Medicine episodes with related topics:
• Ep. 70: Hidden Helpers, Hidden No More (Part 1 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/hidden-helpers-part-one/)
• Ep. 71: Hidden Helpers Heard (Part 2 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/hidden-helpers-part-two/)
• Ep. 90: Forum – Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 1 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/forum-supporting-our-military-families-and-hidden-helpers-pt-1-of-2/)
• Ep. 91: Forum - Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers (Part 2 of 2) (nemourswellbeyond.org/episode/forum-supporting-our-military-families-and-hidden-helpers-pt-2-of-2/)
• Ep. 167: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 1 of 2) (buzzsprout.com/2170925/episodes/18214449)
• Ep. 168: Accessing Pediatric Mental Health Services (PATH) (Part 2 of 2) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2170925/episodes/18...
