Child and Adolescent Community Psychiatry Services

Child and Adolescent Services treats children and adolescents who have attention difficulties, learning problems, impulsive or aggressive behavior, depression, substance abuse problems, school difficulties, poor social adjustment, and behavioral problems. Referrals to the program are made by parents, caretakers, school personnel, physicians, or involved agencies. Medical assistance and some private insurance are accepted. Clinical services for children and adolescents take the form of specialty clinics, partial hospitalization programs, mobile treatment, and on-site services in schools. Descriptions of each of the services follows below. All patients receiving treatment in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry programs may access an on-call therapist from 5 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. Monday to Friday and 24 hours a day weekends and holidays.

GENERAL OUTPATIENT SERVICES

Program Supervisor: Susan Cohn Klein, MA, ATR, LCPC
Clinical Supervisors: Paige Johnston, MA, LCPC, and Krista Baker, LCPC

The Outpatient Clinic services include an in-depth psychiatric and social evaluation for children and adolescents. After an evaluation is complete, the child and his/her parents or guardians attend individual, family, or group treatment sessions. An individualized treatment plan is developed with the family to help identify areas of difficulty and ways to resolve them.

Close collaboration with all care providers is also an important part of these services. Treatment includes psychological and educational assessments, medication evaluation and follow-up, group therapy and casework services. In addition, several staff members specialize in the treatment of adolescents who are diagnosed with both substance abuse disorders and other psychiatric disorder, adolescents who have experienced an initial psychotic episode, and children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.

To  make a referral, call 410-550-0104.

ADOLESCENT INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM

Program Supervisor: Hector Opulencia, MS, CRC, LCPC
Clinical Supervisor: Brenda Memel, RN, MS, CS

The Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program is an after-school day hospital program targeting adolescents ages 12 through 18. This program offers a complete psychiatric and psychosocial evaluation, occupational therapy assessment, family therapy, nursing support and, if necessary, pharmacotherapy. The patients participate in a variety of groups, including occupational therapy, problem solving, and behavioral psychotherapy. Each adolescent has an individual therapist.  Family members are also involved in treatment through weekly family therapy meetings. Socialization and recreation therapies round out the treatment.

For more information or to make a referral, call Brenda Memel, clinical supervisor, at 410-550-7173.

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Program Supervisor: Hector Opulencia, MS, CRC, LCPC
Clinical Supervisor: Antoinette Moon, LCSW-C

This after-school psychiatric rehabilitation program serves youths, ages 4 to 17, in coordination with outpatient services. A complete assessment is provided to determine a course of group treatment for the development of educational, social, and independent living skills. Services are available up to five days a week for three and half hours a day.

For more information or to make a referral, call 410-550-4766.

CHILD MOBILE TREATMENT SERVICES

Program Supervisor: Annastasia Kezar, MA, LCPC
Clinical Supervisor: Steven Shapiro, Ph.D., LCPC

Mobile Treatment Services serves those children and adolescents with psychiatric problems that require intensive treatment in order to remain in the community, but have been unable to access traditional mental health services. The goal is to provide short-term community and home-based services, avert hospitalization, preserve families, and connect patients to local treatment programs. Services include diagnostic evaluations and case management.

For more information or to make a referral, call 410-550-0067.

CHILD CASE-MANAGEMENT

Clinical Supervisors: Annastasia Kezar, MA, LCPC and Steven Shapiro, Ph.D., LCPC

Child Case-Management provides intensive case management in the home, community, and at school to children and their families. The program offers in-depth home assessments and an individualized case-management plan, which is developed in conjunction with the patient's family or other providers. This plan helps identify problem areas, strengths, and treatment goals.

Since children in this program may receive additional services within the Children's Center in outpatient clinics, or from community agencies, the staff maintains close contact with all treatment providers. Interventions can include school assessment or school monitoring, family assessment, aftercare coordination, emergency assessment, advocacy, in-home treatment, case/agency coordination and resource procurement.

For more information or to make a referral, call 410-550-0067.

CHILDREN'S CENTER INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM

Program Supervisor: Hector Opulencia, MS, CRC, LCPC

The Children Center is an after-school intensive outpatient program for children ages 4-12, offering complete psychiatric evaluations, psychological and educational testing, individual and family counseling, medication evaluation, nursing support and, if necessary, occupational therapy assessment. Each child has an individual therapist and family members are involved in treatment through weekly family therapy meetings and parent groups. In addition, the Center collaborates with each child’s school. Treatment is provided Monday through Friday with transportation provided for children attending schools and living within a certain distance of the hospital.

For more information or to make a referral, call 410-550-1377.

EARLY CHILDHOOD/PRESCHOOL CLINIC

Program Supervisor: Susan Cohn Klein, MA, ATR, LCPC

The Early Childhood/Preschool Clinic provides psychiatric and social assessment and treatment for children under five years of age. Our team consists of a child psychiatrist and four therapists with special interest in and experience working with very young children and their families. A two-hour initial assessment with the psychiatrist and a licensed therapist is followed by team discussion to develop an individualized treatment plan, with referral for other services, such as speech and language evaluation, as needed. In addition, our Preschool Therapeutic Learning Center, an intensive outpatient program, offers therapeutic and parent support/training services for children ages two to five, and their caregivers, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information or to make a referral, call 410-550-2284.

SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Program Supervisor: Anastasia Kezar, MA, LCPC
Clinical Supervisor: Gillian Wood

School-based Mental Health Services are available in 18 schools within Baltimore City and Baltimore County. These on-site services include evaluation, individual/group/family therapy, as well as diagnostic assessment and medication evaluation.

For more information or to make a referral, call Gillian Wood, clinical supervisor, at 410-550-8271.

TRANSITIONAL YOUTH PROGRAM

Program Supervisor: Susan Cohn Klein, MA, ATR, LCPC
Clinical Supervisor: Paige Johnston, MA, LCPC

This program is designed for young people, ages 16 to 22, who have psychiatric disorders (including substance abuse) and who face family, legal, social, medical, and environmental stresses. Services are coordinated between the child and adult outpatient programs to include the traditional outpatient services, case management, and vocational rehabilitation by staff specifically trained to access both systems. A psychiatric rehabilitation program on site that is designed to address the development of pre-vocational, educational, social, and independent-living skills of transitional-age clients. 

To make a referral, call 410-550-0104.