S2E27: Navigating Mental Health Screenings in Pediatrics with Dr. Jennyfer Uzor

Hello, and welcome back to The Parent Doctor Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Marissa Caudill. Please rate and follow this podcast to help spread this resource, and be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theparentdoctor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or join the monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, both are FREE! Interested in working with me directly? Sign up for my monthly Office Hours call⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. In this episode, I’m thrilled to introduce my dear friend, Dr. Jennyfer Uzor, the founder and CEO of Allegra Family Pediatrics in Coconut Creek, Florida. Jennyfer’s journey is so inspiring—she left corporate medicine to build a pediatric practice that truly reflects her passion for healing. Her clinic is warm, beautiful, and accessible, designed to bring back the kind of care that families deserve. Together, we explore a topic that every parent of tweens and teens needs to understand: mental health screenings during pediatric visits. As pediatricians and child psychiatrists, Jennyfer and I know how critical it is to identify mental health concerns early. We talk about the tools used (like the PHQ-9) to screen for depression and how these screenings are conducted with sensitivity and care. Jennyfer shares her thoughtful approach to helping kids and families navigate tough situations, including what happens if a child screens positive for suicidal thoughts. I also offer my perspective on how larger healthcare systems sometimes fall short, leading to experiences that can feel impersonal or overwhelming. Together, we unpack how parents can ask the right questions to ensure their child’s care is handled thoughtfully. This episode is about empowering you to advocate for your child’s mental health, knowing that screening is a powerful tool for early intervention. Click HERE! to see copies of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS). If you’d like to reach out to Dr. Jennyfer, you can contact her via email at [email protected], or connect with her on social media: Instagram and her Website Thanks for tuning in!