"A lot of what children are exposed to today, whether through social media, peer influence, or even family dynamics, is tough. The truth is, the game – social dynamics and the online environment – is rigged against them. We need to tip the odds back in their favor."
Fort Health’s Founding CEO Natalie Schneider is a parent of a blended family of five amazing kids. She knows firsthand what a crucial and trusted role pediatricians play in our children's mental health.
During Mental Health Awareness Month, and Children’s Mental Healthcare Week, Fort Health is celebrating our pediatric partners.
Natalie was thrilled to be in conversation with one of the best.
Dr. Gurmit Saluja, MD, FAAP, is a board certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Board of Pediatrics. He also happens to be our partner at Advocare, a 750-provider multi-specialty group practice based in New Jersey with the largest number of pediatric providers in the state.
In March 2024, Fort Health partnered with Advocare to expand access to pediatric behavioral health services across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. At the core of this collaboration is a shared belief: pediatricians are the most accessible entry point to mental health care. By integrating behavioral health into pediatric settings through the Collaborative Care Model, the partnership aims to deliver high-quality mental health support to both children and their parents—right where they already receive care.
The mental healthcare crisis is overwhelming our pediatricians. Remember when taking your kid to the pediatrician was all about height, weight and vaccinations? Now, mental health has surpassed physical conditions as the most commonly presenting clinical and non-clinical issue. The Collaborative Care Model provides a proven approach to tackling this crisis of care.
Dr. Saluja is a third-generation pediatrician and a passionate advocate for integrated care. As the first clinician to implement Fort Health’s co-designed Collaborative Care Model, he brings a unique, on-the-ground perspective from the front lines of pediatric behavioral health. I recently spoke with him about how this model is transforming care for children and their families in real time.
Natalie: Dr. Saluja, you're a pediatric expert and a passionate advocate for integrated practices. What led you to pursue a career in pediatrics?
Dr. Saluja: I come from a family of pediatricians—I'm a third-generation pediatrician. Both of my parents and grandparents were in the field, and I grew up watching them build close, trusting relationships with families. That experience made the decision easy for me. I still live and work in the same community where I grew up—the same community that cared for me. Now I have the privilege of caring for them.
Natalie: And they have the privilege of receiving your expert care!
I’d love your insight: We know that 75% of children who are diagnosed with a mental health condition are diagnosed by their primary care provider. Yet many pediatricians haven't completed a child and adolescent psychiatry rotation and may not feel equipped to manage those conditions. What solutions exist to better support pediatricians and the families they serve?
Dr. Saluja: Given the gaps in training and the fragmentation of access to specialists, I’ve become a strong advocate for the Collaborative Care Model. It aligns with the Medical Home approach bringing a multidisciplinary team into the primary care setting and—critically—keeps the parent involved as a core member of the child’s care team.
Natalie: What has the impact of the Collaborative Care Model been on your patients and their families?
Dr. Saluja: It’s been tremendous. We’re engaging families in a much deeper way, and children are getting the comprehensive support they need.
Collaborative Care keeps the pediatrician at the center, which means I’m looped in on every patient’s progress. We work as a team—pediatricians, behavioral care managers, and child psychiatrists—setting goals, building care plans, and being available for families when they need us.
Before Collaborative Care, when I referred a patient to therapy, I often didn’t know what happened next. Because of privacy constraints and limited communication, I couldn’t be sure my patients were getting the best care. Now, with the support and communication that Collaborative Care provides, there are no surprises—just a plan and a team. And perhaps most importantly, Collaborative Care makes mental health support more accessible because it is more affordable.
As you know, traditional therapy can carry a significant out-of-pocket burden when not covered by insurance. But my experience with the Collaborative Care program has been one of broader commercial and Medicaid insurance coverage with minimal out of pocket expenses – families typically pay just one monthly copay. This affordability removes a major obstacle in seeking care and can be life-changing for families — especially if they are managing care for multiple children.
Natalie: Dr. Saluja, I recently read a study from the National Survey of Children’s Health that showed a steady increase in anxiety and depression diagnoses among children under 18 from 2016 to 2022. Do you think that reflects better identification—or is the crisis truly worsening?
Dr. Saluja: It’s a combination of both, and it depends on how you interpret the data. There are still major obstacles to diagnosing mental health conditions—stigma, limited access, and gaps in education. But there’s no denying that behavioral health concerns are now the most common presenting condition in pediatric visits.
We often say “one in five” children have behavioral health symptoms, but whether it’s one in five, one in four, or one in seven, the impact is significant. We see it in kids who struggle to get up for school, to engage socially, to sleep or eat regularly, to progress academically, or to manage the effects of social media and screen time. All of these disrupt their ability to function at their full potential.
The question always stands: How do we best care for our children?
Natalie: The U.S. Department of Education has officially canceled approximately $1 billion in federal grants designated for school-based mental health programs. These grants were initially funded through the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act following the tragic Uvalde school shooting. What impact do you think that will have on pediatricians?
Dr. Saluja: It’s deeply concerning. As we’ve discussed, a multidisciplinary approach is essential—and that includes schools. Children and parents interact with schools daily. Pediatricians rely on educators and counselors as partners in managing a child’s behavioral health. Removing that support takes away a key part of the ecosystem. It leaves pediatricians and families to shoulder even more of the burden, often without the resources to do so.
Natalie: You’re a parent yourself. What would you like to see happen in the next five years when it comes to youth mental health?
Dr. Saluja: I’d love to see more emphasis on education and coaching—on equipping children with real coping strategies to navigate life. Life isn’t a Christmas card.
We need to teach children how to handle setbacks, develop confidence, and understand the risks of online engagement—how a simple click can spiral into anxiety or depression. A lot of what children are exposed to today, whether through social media, peer influence, or even family dynamics, is tough. The truth is, the game – social dynamics and the online environment – is rigged against them. We need to tip the odds back in their favor.
Natalie: With everything going on—the crisis, the change, the pressure—what keeps you up at night?
Dr. Saluja: I’m a pediatrician. I lose sleep at night worrying about children. The mental health of our youth is in crisis, and it’s not being addressed adequately—not at the scale or speed it demands.
Natalie: Thank you, Dr. Saluja. Here’s to keeping our children equipped with the tools they need to live healthy, hopeful lives.
