Integrated Mental Health
After many months of the pediatric mental health crisis getting worse, we were feeling helpless in getting our patients quick access to mental health help and therapy. After asking a pediatric therapist to bring us lots and lots of business cards, we were so impressed with her expertise that we asked her to come see our patients and manage them collaboratively with us. Within two weeks, we gave her an office space in the exam room next to Dr. Antonietta's office so that our patients could feel comfortable speaking to a therapist in their usual pediatric office AND have collaborative mental health care with Dr. Antonietta & Dr. Frank.
While our therapist has her own private practice, we have hired her as a consultant for our practice to aid us in diagnosing and deciding on management. If you are an established patient, you can schedule a comprehensive evaluation with Dr. Antonietta D'Urso and our Director of Integrated Mental Health (Kacey, licensed therapist). Please email mentalhealth@dursopediatrics.com for more details.
What is Mental Health?
If you have spoken to Dr. Antonietta about mental health, you probably know she feels the term "mental health" is just not right, because mental health is really just physical health. Her college major was neurobiology...and everything is connected.
Still, "mental health" is the best term we can use to explain what kinds of issues we can help our patients with.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Suicidal ideation
- Panic attacks
- Behavioral Outbursts
- Phobias
- OCD
- Tics
- LGBTQ support & therapy
We are not psychiatrists. However, when so much of pediatric care has become mental health issues (completely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic) , we hated just sending patients to go find a therapist. We wanted to provide our patients with someone we trust to see them urgently if needed that works next to us to always be right there if any issues come up that we need to help with.
We have a well-known consulting psychiatrist for our office who works with Kacey & Dr. Antonietta to help us provide the best possible care we can to our patients.
Director of Integrated Mental Health
D'Urso Pediatrics
Kacey Schnaitman, LPC
Sometimes our children have needs that can effect the entire family system. I focus on providing the child direct care, and provide parents the support to keep going, to keep working toward the potential you know your child has.
If you are concerned about your child and do not know the next steps, please bring him/her in to have an evaluation and discuss the best treatment to get help moving forward. Thankfully, I have the ability to work in conjunction with Dr. Antonietta and Dr. Frank to address the following concerns right in your primary care practice.
I specialize in addressing ADHD and spectrum diagnosis, social skill deficits, anxiety disorder, depression, oppositional behavior, and school difficulties.
I will work with your family to assist in administering the best and most appropriate care for your child.
Kacey
