Easily Refer a Patient to Blackbird Health

At Blackbird, we believe effective care begins with a comprehensive understanding of the patient. Our virtual intake appointments allow us to observe children and adolescents in their natural environment, often providing meaningful insight into how they function in daily life.

Virtual intakes have been shown to be as clinically effective as in-person assessments, while also offering faster access and increased convenience for families.

During the intake, a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner conducts a thorough screening, reviews medical and mental health history, and identifies whether additional specialized evaluations are warranted.

If the NP determines that in-person care is clinically necessary, they will recommend in-person appointments moving forward for that patient. In rare cases, insurance requirements may also necessitate an in-person intake. Read more on this topic.

We use Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners to lead our intake evaluations because of their advanced clinical training and ability to assess patients from both a therapeutic and medical perspective.

NPs are equipped to evaluate psychological, behavioral, and physical health factors, including considerations for medication when appropriate. This allows us to form a more holistic picture of a patient’s needs from the very beginning—ensuring the right care path is identified early and accurately. Read more on this topic.

Yes—when available, we offer in-person appointments based on clinical need, patient age, and family preference. We prioritize in-person care for younger children and for those who may not have a private or safe space for virtual visits.

If in-person availability is limited, we can often start care virtually—this may include parent support, check-ins with a medical provider, or therapy with a hybrid clinician who transitions to in-person sessions when openings arise. In some cases, starting with a daytime virtual or in-person session can help families move up the waitlist for preferred appointment times.

Certain evaluations, such as the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule), do require an in-person visit.

Blackbird is here to support our partner pediatricians. In most cases, we assume and maintain primary responsibility for prescribing and medication management. This allows us to manage the interdependencies between medication, therapy, and the patient’s developmental stage.

Because we often see patients weekly and conduct regular interdisciplinary rounds, we can quickly adjust treatment as needed and ensure a coordinated approach to care. That said, we’re always happy to collaborate and tailor prescribing responsibilities to align with your preferences.

We collect height and weight at every medication management visit. Families typically use home scales, blood pressure cuffs, or recent vitals from pediatrician visits. If those aren’t available, we may recommend a brief nurse visit to your office.

For certain medications, we require that the patient have a full physical exam within 30 days of starting treatment and annually thereafter. We’re happy to coordinate with your staff to help ensure these patients are seen in your clinic in a timely manner.

Based on clinical need and family or medical history, our providers may also order an EKG to ensure safe prescribing practices.

Yes. Blackbird provides cognitive evaluations that assess for underlying factors contributing to clinical symptoms such as inattentiveness, language processing difficulties, executive functioning challenges, and processing speed issues. These evaluations are conducted using validated virtual tools and can be a key part of understanding a child's needs.

We also review and incorporate previously completed assessments, including school-based multidisciplinary evaluations and external neuropsychological testing, to build a more complete clinical picture.

Our evaluations do not include standardized IQ or academic achievement testing, which are required for diagnosing a learning disability or informing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) through the school system. In those cases, we provide families with psychoeducation and advocacy support to help them access the appropriate testing through school or other providers.

While Blackbird offers SLP and OT evaluations, we currently do not offer speech and language therapy treatment, or occupational therapy treatment. We plan to offer these services in the near future. For patients requiring these services we have curated a network of high quality therapists and will support patients throughout the referral and treatment process as part of our integrated treatment model.