Psychiatric Care Integration
YES’ Psychiatric Care Integration Allows for a Collaborative Approach
As a way to become a more comprehensive behavioral health agency and serve the community better, in 2015 YES expanded services by integrating psychiatric care. By pairing psychiatric treatment with mental health and substance use services, YES has provided over 400 young clients with the best possible care and the best chance for long-term recovery.
Providing psychiatric care within a behavioral health agency offers clinicians the opportunity to work together with the client as a collaborative care team. They use their various strengths and training to approach the client from different perspectives, ultimately providing the client with a broader set of tools to support their mental health.
“When you work in a typical psychiatric care clinic, insurance usually wants you to only see the client for a limited time, like once a month or so. It is hard to get to know people once a month. But if you have access to their counselor who has been working with a child or family for months or years, there’s just so much more information that makes your decisions as a psychiatrist more informed,” explains YES psychiatrist Dr. Tina Lee.
YES psychiatrist Dr. Ellika McGuire recently treated a client who was previously prescribed a powerful antipsychotic medication. YES’ integrated treatment approach allowed Dr. McGuire to work together with the client’s YES therapist to better understand what the client was struggling with, which included intellectual disabilities. She learned that the client would use their imagination to escape from frightening or uncomfortable situations, which was different from experiencing a severe psychotic episode. Dr. McGuire was able to help the client decrease their medication and manage their fears and discomfort primarily through therapy.
In 2020, YES will continue providing more opportunities for collaboration and increase psychiatric service hours. As private insurance and Medicaid reimbursements only cover a portion of these services, thanks to our donors we’re able to continue to expand our integrated care services.
Whether you’re a teen, a caring friend, a parent or a concerned adult, you can reach out to YES for help. Contact us to schedule an appointment at 425-747-4937. Now offering virtual Telehealth services.
