GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY

This program brings together the extensive resources of the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System to evaluate and treat elder patients with a variety of psychiatric illnesses.

Referral Reasons:

• Patients with mental health disorders resulting from medical comorbidity (medical illnesses causing or contributing to psychiatric disorders)
• Mood disorders, including depression and bipolar illness
• Aggressive behaviors in Alzheimer's patients
• Psychoses

• Patients with neurobehavioral syndromes
• Sleep disorders
• Mood Disorders
• Depression or psychoses including schizophrenia
• Illnesses requiring psychotropic medications where concurrent medical illness requires caution, special treatment, or monitoring
  

SCHIZOPHRENIA

The Department of Psychiatry at the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System is a nationally recognized center for the rapidly changing knowledge base in schizophrenia research. This program brings together the extensive resources of the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System to evaluate and treat patients with severe psychotic illness.

Referral Reasons:

• Patients with active psychosis, including hearing voices, behaving in a strange manner, not in touch with reality, or demonstrating aberrant belief systems; first-episode psychotic behaviors
• Polypharmacy and complications such as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome and Tardive Dyskinesia
• Experiencing an acute change in over-all functioning with an exacerbation of psychotic symptomatology
• Diagnostic dilemmas, patients where careful monitoring and /or alteration in medication regimens is required
  

MOOD DISORDERS

This team specializes in the treatment of patients with affective disorders, major depression (unipolar) and manic-depressive illness(bipolar).

Referral Reasons:

• Patients with severe depression, not able to live safely in the community
• Patients whose depression is unresponsive to outpatient therapy and medication trials
• Patients whose bipolar disorder is severe or unresponsive to outpatient treatment
• Patients at high risk for suicide
• Patients with mood and/or psychotic symptoms whose diagnosis is unclear.
  

SERVICES

Each team operates with a physician- directed team involving psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, consultants and resources appropriate for working with their specific patient population.

Typical services include:

• Psychological, neuropsychological and psychosocial evaluations
• conventional pharmacotherapy and complex psychopharmacology;
• Computer Tomographic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of psychotic patients
• individual, marital, family and group psychotherapy
• electroconvulsive therapy
• occupational therapy and therapeutic recreation
• behavior therapy
• self -help groups (NA,CA,AA)
• nutrition assessments.

Other services and consultations are obtained as needed for individual patient needs.

FEES

Private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid are accepted as payment. If a patient is not covered by health insurance or medical assistance, a VCU Health System or Medicaid representative will assist in making an application for appropriate financial or insurance benefits. When a patient does not qualify for Medicaid and has no other coverage, a sliding scale is used to determine the fee, based on the patient's income and overall financial status.

REFERRAL AND ADMISSION PROCESS

Referrals are welcomed from clinicians throughout Virginia and the Middle-Atlantic region. Whenever feasible, patients are discharged back to their homes for follow-up treatment by their referring clinician.

The Department of Psychiatry operates an Intake and Referral Service to expeditiously screen, evaluate and admit clinically appropriate patients to the various teams. An Intake and Referral clinician works directly with the referral source to arrange a prompt admission, or assist with identifying other resources available to treat the patient.

To refer a patient, please telephone:
804-828-2000 and select "Option 3" for Admissions
1-800-232-0901

Office of the Medical Director for Psychiatry
Virginia Commonwealth University Health System
Department of Psychiatry
P.O. Box 980710
Richmond, VA
23286-0440
(804) 828-4570