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Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN)

The Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network (PeriPAN) offers real-time, evidence-based support for clinicians caring for women who are pregnant, postpartum, suffering perinatal loss, or planning pregnancy. Our reproductive psychiatrists and mental health experts are here to consult and help you expand your capacity to meet the standard of mental health care for your patients.

What is PeriPAN?

PeriPAN is a trusted, state-funded program for clinicians who treat pregnant and postpartum mothers with mental health concerns. PeriPAN offers clinician-to-clinician consultations related to specific patients, general questions, care coordination, and training to assist with identifying and treating mental health issues in your patients from conception through one year after delivery or loss of pregnancy.

Our services include:

  • Provider-to-provider consultations with reproductive psychiatrists on differential diagnosis, and medication recommendations and management assistance.
  • Experienced behavioral health therapist assistance for needs such as identifying appropriate therapies, behavioral health, and safety planning, and validated mental health referrals and resources personalized to the needs of the patient.
  • A toolbox of screening tools covering a wide range of mental health concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety, non-suicidal self-injury, etc.).
  • Support for clinics who would like more information on developing a practice crisis intervention plan.

Think of PeriPAN as a “curbside consult” with a reproductive psychiatrist and an extra referral coordinator all wrapped up into one simple phone call. All services are funded through the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium (TCMHCC) and are provided at no cost to the provider, clinic, patient, or health plan.

Why PeriPAN?

  • Maternal mental health conditions are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
  • Maternal mental health conditions affect 1 in 5 perinatal women and are the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related death in the U.S. In Texas, 50k postpartum women experienced depression in one year.
  • Women who get treatment can and do recover.
  • Every Texas county has a persistent shortage of mental health care professionals.
  • PeriPAN connects frontline maternal health providers to reproductive psychiatrists and specialists to help address maternal mental health concerns, using the best practice of collaborative care.
  • Enrolling is quick and easy — it only takes five minutes.
  • PeriPAN is state-funded, and there is no cost to the clinician or patient to use the service.

How does PeriPAN work?

  • It’s simple to enroll in and easy to use. In Northeast Texas, call 888-901-2726, choose option 1, then option 3 to enroll, and get help with a patient quickly. (Texting service available for registered providers.)
  • Speak directly to a mental health expert to assess and address your questions. If you have a diagnostic or medication question, a reproductive psychiatrist will return your call within 30 minutes, or you can schedule a call back at your preferred time.
  • PeriPAN staff are live on the phones Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST, except for institutional holidays (e.g., Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.). There is also a secure voicemail system where you can always leave a message outside of these times and receive a call back during regular business hours the next business day.
  • PeriPAN psychiatrists can also recommend and provide free, one-time only patient-to-psychiatrist direct consultations when indicated.
  • Enrolled providers may call or text PeriPAN to request a provider-to-provider consultation about the patient.
  • During the call, the PeriPAN psychiatrist will determine if a 1:1 consult would benefit the patient.
  • The PeriPAN psychiatrist will discuss their reasoning for the 1:1 consultation with the provider along with next steps needed to prepare for the appointment.
  • The PeriPAN team will coordinate a one-time virtual visit with the patient within 10-14 business days.
  • All patient-to-psychiatrist direct consultation appointments will be performed via video. If the patient does not have access to the Internet or Wi-Fi at home, the PeriPAN team will work with the provider to coordinate the use of an exam room, conference room, or other private space at their clinic to conduct the consultation.
  • After the direct consult has been completed, the PeriPAN team will provide the referring provider with:
    • Clarification on the presenting mental health issue.
    • Diagnosis of a specific mental illness (if applicable).
    • Treatment options.
    • Applicable psychosocial and educational resources/recommendations.
  • The PeriPAN psychiatrist’s recommendations will be shared in writing with the provider, and they will also follow up with a phone consultation. Once completed, the provider may share the full information with the patient to discuss next steps in care.

Texting for PeriPAN Services

All enrolled providers can use texting services. The PeriPAN team will call back to complete the consultation or collect information for resources and referrals. Our goal is to respond to the text within five minutes.

Texting initiates a PeriPAN consult, whether the request is for resources, referrals, or provider-to-provider consultation. No protected health information (PHI) will be sent via text. PeriPAN will call the provider at a convenient and preset time to collect more patient information to complete the request, if needed.

Please note: PeriPAN is not a crisis line. If your patient is in crisis, call 988 instead.

Who should call PeriPAN?

PeriPAN is available to clinicians who screen or provide care to women in the prenatal, perinatal, birthing, and postpartum period, such as:

  • OB/GYNs
  • Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinicians
  • Pediatricians
  • Family Practice Clinicians
  • Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Clinicians
  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Midwives
  • Other Primary Care Physicians
  • Nurses and other Clinicians

How does PeriPAN help?

  • Call us and get the real-time support and mental health expertise you need to treat your patients within their primary care setting.
  • Save time by delegating the PeriPAN team to provide you with vetted lists of local referrals and resources specific to your patient’s needs and circumstances.
  • PeriPAN offers regular, free CMEs, collaborative learning opportunities, and ethics credits in maternal mental health topics.
  • No call or text is too small. We are here to support you.

Service Area

The PeriPAN team at The University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center serves the following 25 counties in Northeast Texas: Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Delta, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rains, Red River, Rusk, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood.

Business Hours  

The PeriPAN – Northeast Texas office is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., excluding institutional holidays.

If you have questions about the PeriPAN program or would like to enroll or schedule a virtual or in-person presentation, call 888-901-2726, choose option 1, then option 3, email PeriPANinfo@uttyler.edu, or visit TXPeriPAN.org.