Native American SmartCare Services


Young woman seeking guidanceVista Hill’s Native American SmartCare Behavioral Healthcare Consultation Service is here to support and guide Primary Care Providers and their Behavioral Health affiliates by offering timely access to expert psychiatric and behavioral health consultative supports to aid in the identification and treatment of youth and families experiencing behavioral health challenges.  In addition, the program provides consultation to motivated families seeking support in understanding the significance and impact of behavioral health symptoms and in offering them assistance in accessing appropriate care in their communities.

This innovative program, funded by the CA Area Indian Health Services, helps address the critical shortfall of psychiatric resources available for clinics that service Native American families in California.  The program understands that primary care providers can be an important resource for families facing behavioral health challenges and works to help primary care and affiliated behavioral healthcare providers enhance their competence, confidence, and capacity to screen, assess and, where feasible, treat behavioral health issues within the primary care setting.

Native American SmartCare partners with clinics seeking to enhance their capacity to provide integrated behavioral and physical health care for their patients.

Native American SmartCare Offers:

Psychiatric Consultation to Primary Care & Behavioral Health Providers to

  • Provide on-demand consultations to primary care and behavioral healthcare providers regarding screening, diagnosis and treatment of behavioral health issues
  • Support the implementation of functional manageable screening protocols to better assess patient needs
  • Offer clinical trainings for clinic staff and healthcare providers regarding best practices in providing integrated behavioral health treatment
  • Disseminate concise and informative guidance on a variety of behavioral health care topics applicable to primary care settings

Native American SmartCare Family Line

  • Consult with motivated youth and family members seeking support for their behavioral health concerns, including information about accessing behavioral health treatment and related services
  • Offer sensitive and clinically grounded screening tools to help parents and youth more effectively communicate their concerns to their primary care and behavioral healthcare providers
  • Recommend appropriate resources and facilitate referral linkages to care, with follow-up to ensure families’ needs are addressed

Professional Staff

SmartCare’s team of experienced psychiatrists and clinicians are available to provide real time consultation for providers and family members to help them identify and address behavioral health concerns and access needed resources.

Who is Eligible?

Children, youth and their parents receiving medical care at any of our partnering clinics are eligible to seek consultation from the Native American SmartCare program.

Primary care and affiliated behavioral health clinicians working at in programs serving tribal communities can access consultative supports from Native American SmartCare.

SmartCare services are provided at no cost to families or providers with services underwritten by a grant from the California Area Indian Health Services.

Vista Hill’s SmartCare Behavioral Healthcare Consultation Services programs have been providing support to rural clinics and community based pediatric practices for nearly 20 years across San Diego County. With the support of California Area Indian Health Services, the SmartCare program is now expanding to begin outreach to clinics in other areas of the state to better serve Native American tribal communities.

For More Information or Referral
Physician & Behavioral Health Providers:
Toll free phone: (888) 987-0960
[email protected]

Family Access
Toll Free Phone: (888) 660-6616
[email protected] 

Nativeamericansmartcare.org