Setting the Standard for Pediatric Addiction Care

In January 2026, the Pediatric and Adolescent Addiction Consult Service at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital celebrated its five-year anniversary.

Established in 2021 by Deepa Camenga, MD, MHS, associate professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine, with collaboration from the YPAM’s adult Yale Addiction Medicine Consult Service (YAMCS), the service sees patients up to age 21 in the emergency department and admitted to the hospital for at-risk substance use, mild to severe substance use disorders (SUDs), and associated complications such as overdose and withdrawal.

“It was apparent when we started that a great need was there in terms of treatment access and clinical competency,” shares Camenga. “Children, teens, and families deserve hospitals and emergency departments prepared to provide evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions.” National data indicate that hospitalizations for substance-related concerns among individuals under the age of 18 have been steadily rising since 2020.

Five years on, the impact extends well beyond the walls of the hospital. Says Camenga, “Not only has our presence at the Children’s hospital influenced culture change at Yale, the service has emerged as a national model. Our team is regularly contacted by other clinicians near and far, looking to consult our expertise or establish something like this at their own institutions. We’ve really provided proof of concept that this work is needed and has value.”

Camenga notes increased awareness of substance use and addiction in pediatric and adolescent patient populations among clinical teams at the Children’s hospital since launching the consult service. “They may not know exactly how to approach their patient’s SUD, but they’re more willing to because they have a team they can call for consultation and support.”

The service has been instrumental in instituting substance use and addiction training requirements for all pediatric nurses and expanding access to hands-on clinical experience in pediatric and adolescent addiction medicine for collaborating Yale pediatric and child psychiatry fellows. Yale Addiction Medicine physician and advanced practice provider fellows benefit from rotating with Camenga, as well as on the adult consult service.

“Rotating on the pediatric and adolescent addiction consult service has immensely enriched the training afforded our addiction medicine fellows, providing them the opportunity to gain experience treating substance use and addiction across the lifespan, engage with families and the unique considerations come into play with the care of minors, and contribute to true cutting-edge practice,” shared YAMCS Medical Director, Melissa Weimer, DO, MCR, associate professor of medicine (general internal medicine) and of chronic disease epidemiology at Yale Schools of Medicine and Public Health.

Looking to the future, says Camenga, “We’ll be keeping a careful eye on sustainability and expansion to bring our expertise and services to other health systems, regionally and nationally. As many children’s services are funded through Medicaid, federal policy will be a key factor in longitudinal maintenance and growth. We hope to continue building upon the foundation we’ve laid for exceptional pediatric and adolescent care.”

This article is part of Yale Program in Addiction Medicine's 2025–2026 Year-in-Review Report.