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The Division of Child Psychiatry in VCU's School of Medicine has one of the largest full-time physician faculty in the country (8), all board certified in adult, child and adolescent psychiatry in addition to several members certified in pediatrics. The division provides child and adolescent psychiatric services at several facilities and agencies in Central Virginia.

A leading child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship is based here. Through the Commonwealth Institute for Child and Family Studies there is considerable research activity in many areas. Faculty are on certification committees for Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry boards and have appointments on several national committees of the AACAP.

The Division of Child Psychiatry is housed in the Virginia Treatment Center for Children and serves as the training base for VCU School of Medicine medical students, Department of Psychiatry general psychiatry residents and all allied disciplines.

Child Psychiatry Faculty
Division Chair: Aradhana (Bela) Sood, M.D.
Aradhana Sood
  • Cheryl Al-Mateen, M.D.
  • Robert Cohen, Ph.D.
  • Nenita Estrera, M.D.
  • Leslie Kimball-Franck, Ph.D.
  • Christopher Lamps, M.D.
  • Julie Linker, Ph.D.
  • Donald Oswald, Ph.D.
  • Theresa Pope, L.C.S.W.
  • Roxann Roberson-Nay, Ph.D.
  • Neil Sonenklar, M.D.
  • Aradhana (Bela)Sood, M.D.
The Virginia Treatment Center for Children
Executive Director: Robert Cohen, Ph.D.
Medical Director: Aradhana (Bela) Sood, M.D.


The Virginia Treatment Center for Children is VCU Health System's child psychiatry facility, offering a comprehensive spectrum of evaluation and treatment:
  • 500 acute care inpatient admissions per year
  • 20-bed residential treatment component
  • Day treatment program for children/youth
  • Outpatient clinic program, including subspecialtyADHD, developmental disabilities, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and autism spectrum disorders clinics.
  • Psychopharmacology unit involved in national multi-site drug research protocols
  • VCU Center for Autism: school program and emerging research
Cheryl Al-MateenVCUHS Children's Pavilion
  • Site of the Department of Pediatrics
  • Active ER, inpatient, and outpatient services VCU Health System Child Psychiatry provides all consultation/liaison services
The Commonwealth Institute for Child & Family Studies
Director: Robert Cohen, Ph.D.
  • Research Center funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia
  • Two national journals based on-site
  • Training and mentorship opportunities for residents/fellows
Other Affiliated Programs
  • Autism Center of Virginia
  • City of Richmond Juvenile Detention Home
  • Richmond Behavioral Health Authority
  • Henrico County Mental Health Center
  • Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice
Training Opportunities
  • One- to two- month VTCC inpatient rotation, PGY-2
  • Comprehensive Introduction to Child Psychiatry Course, PGY-3
  • 12 month outpatient clinic experience, PGY-3
  • Elective experiences, PGY-4
  • Two-year, fully accredited child/adolescent fellowship
  • Research in Child Psychiatry




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Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Dept of Psychiatry

Last Update: August, 2012 according to departmental policy
1200 East Broad Street, P.O. Box 980710, Richmond, VA 23298-0710
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