Richmond Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Address
901 Nevin Ave.
Richmond, CA 94801
Medical Office Building 2, 3rd floor
(upstairs from Pediatrics)
Map and Directions
Telephone
510-307-1591
Is your child struggling with issues like these?
- Behavioral problems at school or at home
- Depression or anxiety
- Problems with peers or siblings
- Adjustment to life stresses
- Inattention and hyperactivity
- Family communication difficulties
- Serious emotional problems
- Engaging in destructive patterns of behavior
Childhood and adolescence should be a time of happiness, success at school, and positive relationships with parents and friends. Yet many parents have real concerns about the behavior and emotional development of their children and teens. We also know that many young people experience considerable stress in their lives that may come from a variety of sources.
When mental health concerns begin to interfere with a child’s well-being or a child’s ability to engage in school, play or other activities, important aspects of childhood may be lost. It is our goal to help you assess your child’s condition more accurately, and to treat or prevent any problems that may interfere with their ability to enjoy their childhood.
Families are always involved in the work we do to help children and teens. In our experience, parents and other family members can be the most effective agents of change, though they may at times need to adapt their approach to the specific needs of their child. Some children may benefit from a parental approach to behavior change which may be quite different from the approach that worked well for their older siblings, or for their parents when they were children.
Most of the children treated by us get well without medication. When necessary, medication is also an option. We consult closely with pediatricians, and we can refer your child to a specialist in child psychiatry as needed.
What to Expect
We schedule first visits for teenagers on Thursday mornings from 9am to 12 noon, and for children under 12 years old on Friday mornings from 9am to 12 noon.
Parents/guardians will complete questionnaires and attend a presentation about the type and scope of services we offer. They will also learn about common childhood psychiatric concerns and our approach to treating them.
While adults are in this presentation, children ages 5-11 will be in a group observation similar to a classroom setting. This is an essential part of our diagnostic process, as it allows us to observe patterns of behavior similar to those you may be hearing about from teachers, and to get an initial assessment your child’s overall emotional, academic, and social functioning in a group context.
Adolescents ages 12-17 will meet as a group with therapists to introduce them to our services. In this session, they will receive information about psychiatric conditions and treatment, and the benefits of group therapy treatment. Many of our most effective treatments for teens are delivered through group programs in which the peer influence can be directed to therapeutic ends.
After the group meetings, each family will have an individual session with a Child and Family therapist. At this point, one of our psychologists will conduct a thorough initial assessment, taking into account the material from the observation session (for younger children). In most cases we can present you with an initial plan for treatment by the end of this session.
Many of our most effective treatments are delivered through group programs that meet weekly. We often recommend that parents attend programs designed to train them to implement plans for behavioral change. We also provide individual and family treatments when indicated.
Useful Telephone Numbers
To make an initial appointment, please call 510-307-1640.
Main Department number: 510-307-1591. Call this number to make, change, or cancel appointments if you are already working with one of our clinicians. You can also use the appointment center on kp.org to manage your child’s appointments or communicate with providers.
After-hours crisis line: 925-229-7792
Crisis Services
If you feel that your child is in need of an immediate psychiatric intervention, you can bring your child in to the department any weekday between 9am and 4pm, or call 510-307-1591 and ask to speak with a crisis counselor.
After hours or on the weekends, you can call our regional psychiatric crisis line at 925-229-7792.
At any hour of the day or night, you may bring your child to the Emergency Department and one of our on-call clinicians will come to evaluate your child’s immediate psychiatric needs. In a life-threatening emergency, it is always best to start by calling 911. For instance, if you do not feel you can safely transport your child to the Emergency Department for psychiatric evaluation, call 911 and ask for assistance.
The goal of a crisis evaluation is to help you determine the appropriate level of care for your child and above all to help you keep your child safe. We may recommend a brief hospitalization, or intensification of outpatient therapy. Crisis services can help with immediate stabilization in an emotional crisis, but are no substitute for regularly scheduled treatment sessions.
