When pediatrician Dr. Gretchen Hoyle opened the doors of MindBridge Behavioral Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, it marked the culmination of a vision to improve access to behavioral health services for children, adolescents, and young adults in her community. Northwest Area Health Education Center (NWAHEC) leaders and staff joined community partners, healthcare professionals,
During her opening remarks, Dr. Hoyle described MindBridge as "the realization of a promise" she made to serve the community she has called home her entire life. A Winston-Salem native and pediatrician with more than two decades of experience caring for children and families, Dr. Hoyle has witnessed firsthand the challenges families face when trying to access behavioral health services.
As she explained:
"For me, this is not just the opening of a medical practice. It is the realization of a promise I made long ago to serve the community I call home. This community has given me so much. And now it is my turn to give back and help address a need that can no longer be ignored."
Throughout her career, Dr. Hoyle cared for children experiencing anxiety, ADHD, depression, trauma, behavioral concerns, and other mental health challenges. She repeatedly encountered parents searching for answers and support, often asking the same question:
"Where do we go for help?"
MindBridge Behavioral Health was created to answer that question by providing timely, family-centered behavioral health care that integrates medical care, behavioral health support, parent guidance, and school collaboration into one coordinated approach.
To transform her vision into a sustainable practice model, Dr. Hoyle partnered with Northwest Area Health Education Center (NWAHEC) and Practice Support Coach Lara Dickerson during the planning and implementation of a Collaborative Care program.
Working alongside the MindBridge team, Northwest AHEC provided technical assistance and guidance in:
The partnership helped establish a strong foundation for long-term success while ensuring the practice could effectively meet the growing behavioral health needs of children and families.
Reflecting on that support, Dr. Hoyle said:
"I truly don't believe we would have been able to build a successful Collaborative Care program without the guidance of the AHEC team. They were with us every step of the way, from workflow design and documentation to compliance, billing, quality improvement, and implementation. They didn't just teach us the model; they helped us build a sustainable program that works for our patients and our practice."
The Collaborative Care model has fundamentally changed how behavioral health services are delivered within MindBridge.
According to Dr. Hoyle:
"Collaborative Care has completely changed the way I practice medicine. Families tell us they finally feel heard because we have the time and the team to truly understand what they're going through. Instead of trying to solve complex behavioral health challenges in a single office visit, we're able to provide ongoing support and follow-up that meets families where they are."
The model provides a structured, team-based approach that includes a Behavioral Health Care Manager, patient registry, measurement-based care, and psychiatric consultation. These resources allow providers to proactively support patients rather than simply responding to crises.
"As a pediatrician, one of the most rewarding aspects of Collaborative Care is having the resources to care for children the way they deserve. Our Behavioral Health Care Manager, patient registry, measurement-based care, and regular psychiatric consultation allow us to provide thoughtful, coordinated care instead of simply reacting to crises. It has transformed some of the most challenging visits into some of the most meaningful."
For families, the difference has been profound.
Rather than navigating a fragmented behavioral health system alone, parents and children receive continuous support from a coordinated care team.
As Dr. Hoyle explains:
"Our families frequently tell us that they feel like someone is finally walking alongside them instead of handing them a list of referrals and wishing them luck. That continuity and partnership are incredibly powerful, especially for children with anxiety, ADHD, depression, trauma, or other complex behavioral health needs."
The model also empowers providers to deliver the care they have long wanted to provide.
"Before Collaborative Care, many pediatric providers knew what our patients needed but simply didn't have the infrastructure to deliver it. Today, because of this model, we have extended visits, proactive follow-up, and a dedicated team working together on behalf of each child. It's made caring for children with behavioral health conditions not only more effective, but genuinely enjoyable."
Dr. Hoyle credits Northwest AHEC's ongoing support as a critical component of MindBridge's success.
"I'm incredibly grateful to the AHEC Collaborative Care team for believing in practices like ours. Their expertise, encouragement, and willingness to answer every question gave us the confidence to build something that has fundamentally improved the care we provide. The impact they've had extends far beyond our practice. It reaches every child and family we serve."
Looking ahead, Dr. Hoyle believes Collaborative Care represents the future of pediatric behavioral health.
"Collaborative Care represents what pediatric behavioral health should look like: evidence-based, team-based, measurement-driven, and centered around families. Thanks to AHEC's leadership and mentorship, we've been able to create a program that is sustainable for our practice and life-changing for our patients."
Through collaboration with Northwest AHEC, MindBridge Behavioral Health successfully:
As Dr. Hoyle told attendees during the ribbon cutting, "The real work begins after the ribbon is cut." With a strong Collaborative Care foundation and ongoing community commitment, MindBridge Behavioral Health is helping ensure that children and families no longer have to ask where to go for help. Instead, they have a bridge to the care and support they need.
Learn more: MindBridge Behavioral Health was recently featured by WXLV ABC45 for its innovative approach to pediatric-led mental health care for youth: https://abc45.com/news/local/mindbridge-behavioral-health-opens-offering-pediatric-led-mental-health-care-for-youth