DALLAS, Aug 3, 2026 — Children’s Health is expanding access to pediatric behavioral health care in Collin County and across North Texas with the addition of four specialized outpatient programs at Children’s Medical Center Plano. The new services help children, teens and families receive expert, evidence-based care closer to home.
Located in Specialty Center 1, the new outpatient programs come as demand for pediatric behavioral health services continues to increase across North Texas. The 2025 Beyond ABC report found that nearly 20% of children ages 3 to 17 have a mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral disorder, reinforcing the need for greater access to specialized behavioral health care.
“As the need for pediatric behavioral health care continues to grow, expanding access remains one of our highest priorities,” said Jason Isham, Vice President and Clinical Director of Behavioral Health at Children’s Health. “These programs connect children and teens with specialized support closer to where they live, helping families navigate challenges earlier and access the right level of care when it matters most.”
The expanded services include:
- Teen Recovery Program (TRP): The only program of its kind in North Texas, TRP provides psychiatric care, therapy, parent support and intensive outpatient treatment for adolescents experiencing substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions.
- Suicide Prevention and Resilience at Children’s Health (SPARC): Provides evidence-based care for youth at risk of self-harm or worsening suicidal thoughts through therapy, parent education, medication management and coordinated transitions to community care.
- Outpatient Psychiatry and Psychology: Offers medication management and evidence-based therapy to help children and teens manage behavioral health conditions while maintaining school and daily routines.
- Autism Outpatient Care: The UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Health Center for Autism Care, provides autism assessments, diagnostic evaluations, short-term treatment and medication management with coordinated transitions back to referring providers.
Together, these programs establish Children’s Medical Center Plano as a comprehensive outpatient pediatric behavioral health care hub, offering specialized services that support children, adolescents and families across North Texas at every stage of their mental health journey.
About Children’s Health
Children’s Health is the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas and has long been recognized as a leader in pediatric health. Its campuses include Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Children’s Medical Center Plano and multiple Children’s Health Specialty Centers, caring for more than 370,000 patients each year. With more than 11,000 team members and nearly 2,000 medical and dental staff, Children’s Health provides more than $682 million in annual community benefit across North Texas.
In partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center, it is consistently recognized among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. This commitment to excellence and outstanding care has resulted in recognition across all pediatric specialties for eight consecutive years, including Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Behavioral Health, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, and Urology.
Since 2009, Children’s Health has maintained Magnet® designation – the highest honor for nursing excellence – and continues to earn employer-of-choice recognition locally, nationally and globally. These honors include the Great Place to Work® Certification™, the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award and Top Workplaces recognition from USA TODAY and The Dallas Morning News. Children’s Health has also been named one of the 150 Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review for 14 consecutive years.
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