About Us Our Mission Our mission is to help primary care clinicians screen, diagnose, and treat the mental health and substance use problems of children, adolescents, and perinatal women through consultation, training and referral assistance. Scope of the Problem Nearly 20% of children and adolescents in the United States experience significant mental health disorders. Of these, only one in five are receiving treatment for their condition.¹ This problem is compounded by the well-documented shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists in Illinois and the nation. The high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, combined with limited access to mental health specialists, creates an environment where primary care providers often diagnose and treat children and adolescents with mental health, behavioral health, and substance use issues. ¹ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General—Executive Summary. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, 1999. Acknowledgements Illinois Doc Assist is funded by the State of Illinois Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).