New institute brings specialties together to provide seamless health care

News and Announcements | July 20, 2022 | M. Scott Perry, M.D.

Cook Children's is excited to announce plans for an innovative clinical care model dedicated to the care of children with disorders of the nervous system -- the Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health. Designed to care for behavioral, developmental and neurological conditions, the institute brings together multiple groups that specialize in the treatment of these disorders.

While the Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center has established national preeminence over the last decade with Neurology, Neurosurgery and Neuropsychology, Cook Children's seeks to build on that strong foundation by enhancing patient care through collaboration with the departments of Psychology, Psychiatry and Developmental Pediatrics, forming the Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health.

The participating divisions have already begun working together to create this institute, planned to open when the expansion and revision of the Dodson Specialty Clinics is complete in the Fall of 2023. At the Institute for Mind Health, neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists and experts in developmental and behavioral health will work together in one location. And, walking across the hall to consult with one another on a patient's case will be the norm. For the patient, that translates to better care. Until then, we'll continue to streamline our services to improve the convenience of care for patients visiting our center.

It is the vision of the Institute for Mind Health to uphold the Promise of Cook Children's, by providing easily accessible, well-coordinated and comprehensive evaluation and treatment. Guided by innovation, research and a relentless dedication to improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

The Institute for Mind Health will have three primary goals:

The first is to expand upon the excellent care already provided by the participating departments, further ensuring that we provide every child under our care access to appropriate neurological, mental, behavioral and developmental health care, all in a collaborative environment.
Second, we want to eliminate barriers to exceptional care. We want to use innovation, technology and the collaboration between our groups to make sure that the patient is the center of care and convenience when seeking our assistance.
Finally, we want to leverage the clinical efficiencies of our collaboration to achieve research excellence, expanding our Dodson Research Endowment Program to include research into the mental health and developmental pediatric realms.

The Institute will continue to grow and evolve over the next several years and we look forward to helping take care of each family at the Institute for Mind Health.

Consultations and Referrals
682-885-2500

Cook Children's Neurology team

Great outcomes begin with great input. Having a medical system where every department, doctor, and care team member works together means that your child can have quick access to testing, diagnosis and treatment, and that means better outcomes now and in the future.

Contact the Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center at Cook Children's to refer a patient: 682-885-2500.