Children's Psychiatric Intake Response Center

The Children’s Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC), located within the Emergency Department at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham, provides an essential link between families and the mental health care system. Designed to serve as a free and confidential telephone resource, PIRC helps adults and community providers find the most appropriate mental health services for children and adolescents. Staffed by licensed mental health clinicians, the center offers professional guidance tailored to each young individual's emotional, behavioral, or psychiatric needs. This program supports statewide access to care by connecting families with community-based providers and resources, ensuring children receive the right level of support at the right time.

Operating seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., PIRC plays a critical role in early mental health intervention. While not a crisis response center, the team assists with risk assessment, safety planning, and referrals to outpatient or inpatient services as needed. Children and teens in high-risk situations may be triaged for emergency psychiatric assessment by a multidisciplinary mental health team, including board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, social workers, and counselors. By offering follow-up services and real-time recommendations, PIRC bridges the gap between immediate concerns and long-term mental health solutions for Alabama's youth.