Child and Adolescent Latino Mental Health Assessment and Treatment (CALMA) Clinic

What is the CALMA Clinic?

CALMA is a Spanish mental health clinic for children and families who prefer to get some or all of their care in Spanish. Our providers are bilingual in Spanish and English.

We see children age 2 to 18 with:

We do a full evaluation to understand your child’s needs. Then we work closely with you to provide short-term group treatment. We may also suggest seeing a bilingual psychiatrist at Seattle Children’s. This doctor can work with you on medicine that might help your child.

How will the CALMA Clinic meet my needs?

CALMA providers are experts in diagnosis and evidence-based mental health treatments for Spanish-speaking children and their families. Our services include:

  • Thorough, culturally responsive mental health evaluations in Spanish

    To get a complete picture of your child’s challenges and strengths, we interview you and your child. We also gather background information from your child’s primary care provider and school. Our goal is to find the source of your child’s struggles. This allows us to diagnose their condition and provide or recommend the most helpful care.

  • Feedback session in Spanish to share results and recommendations

    This is a 2-way conversation. We explain what we found and what we recommend. We also ask for your input about the diagnosis and treatment plan. Treatment might include referrals for care at Seattle Children’s or in the community.

  • Group treatments in Spanish for anxiety, depression and disruptive behavior

    Our treatment groups are designed to share skills you can use to help your child. They are also a place where you can get support from other families. Some groups are just for parents and caregivers. Some groups include children too.

  • Psychiatric medicine consultation in Spanish

    After your child’s CALMA evaluation, we may recommend seeing a Seattle Children’s psychiatrist. Based on your child’s needs, this doctor may suggest trying medicine for your child’s condition. If your child already takes medicine, they may suggest adjusting it. The psychiatrist will manage your child’s medicine at first. Once the routine is set, you will get follow-up care with your child’s primary care provider, or you will be referred for follow-up care with another psychiatrist in your community.

We do not offer these services

  • Long-term individual therapy or long-term medicine management. If your child needs these services, we will refer you to providers in the community.
  • Autism diagnostic evaluations. Ask your child’s primary care provider for a referral to Seattle Children’s Autism Center. Contact the Autism Center at 206-987-8080.
  • Parenting evaluations for legal purposes, such as developing parenting plans. Visit the Parenting Evaluation Treatment Program (PETP) Graduates webpage for a list of trained providers in the community.
  • School evaluations after suspension or expulsion. Contact your child’s school for a list of providers who do “return to school” evaluations.

Scheduling an Appointment With the CALMA Clinic

Who's on the team?

Psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health therapists provide care in the CALMA Clinic. Psychology and psychiatry trainees also provide care. Trainees are supervised by attending providers.

All CALMA providers are certified to provide care in Spanish. If you prefer care in another language, we work with Seattle Children’s Interpreter Services.

Attending providers 

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When and where are services offered?

Evaluations happen during the day. Patient and family groups may be during the day or evening.

All services are by telemedicine. This means your child’s or family’s appointments or therapy are all done over Zoom from your home.

How to Get Services

Ask your child’s primary care provider for a referral to CALMA. For more information, contact the CALMA Clinic at 206-987-2164.

Providers, see how to refer a patient.

Paying for Care

Seattle Children’s accepts most private insurance. We also accept Apple Health (Medicaid) and the Medicaid Managed Care Organization plans (Amerigroup, Community Health Plan of Washington, Coordinated Care, Molina and United HealthCare Community Plan).

  • If you have questions about your deductible or co-pays, contact your insurance company. 
  • Learn about mental health insurance coverage at Seattle Children’s.

Our clinic will see families with any immigration status and with or without insurance. If your child does not have insurance, apply online for financial aid, or call 206-987-3333.

Learn more about paying for care at Seattle Children’s, including insurance coverage, billing and financial assistance.

Resources

In crisis?

If you, your child, family or friend needs help right away, call, chat or text 988. The free and confidential 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States to provide support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources. The Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.

Seattle Children’s Psychiatric Urgent Care offers in-person and video visits for same-day mental health support for children and teens ages 4 through 17 who may not need the services of an emergency department.

Hotlines for Youth (PDF) provides other options for immediate help for children and teens. (Also available in Amharic, Arabic, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.)