What to Expect
General Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Evaluation
Below is a description of a typical psychiatric evaluation, treatment options, and payment options.
Psychiatric Evaluation
Before the first session, we will send the patient (if appropriate) and their guardians a link to our general intake forms and standard mental health questionnaires, which must be completed beforehand.
At the first visit, we will conduct separate and joint 90-minute interviews with the patient and their guardian(s). The guardians will have the first 60 minutes for adolescents, and the patient will have the remaining 30 minutes alone. Please note that we will not prescribe medications after the initial diagnostic psychiatric evaluation. Nonetheless, we will discuss our initial impressions and create a plan.
If necessary, after the first visit, teachers and therapists may provide additional information with the patient/guardian permission.
Following your first appointment, we will hold a 30-minute psychiatric evaluation feedback session to thoroughly review your psychiatric assessment, including diagnostic impressions, treatment recommendations, and possible referrals. It's essential to remember that you will only be considered a patient of Montenegro & Associates if you and the physician formally agree to enter into such an agreement after your assessment.
Following the feedback session, we can schedule follow-up appointments if it is agreed that we are a good fit. During these appointments, we will explore medication management, therapy, or a combination to offer the most effective treatment for the issues presented.
If a different provider may better serve the patient, we will provide appropriate referrals accordingly.
General Treatment Options
Medication Management
If after the evaluation feedback session we agree to proceed with medication management, we will schedule a 50-minute follow-up appointment to discuss the treatment plan, including the risks and benefits of starting medication treatment.
Routine follow-up medication management appointments occur every two weeks for the first six weeks (depending on the medication) and typically last 25-30 minutes. This is to ensure a safe, stable, and optimized medication dose while closely monitoring for potential side effects.
Usually after safely optimizing a medication, 30-minute medication follow up visits can be reduced to every 3 months (depending on the type of mediation).
Standard practice recommendations suggest that providers should not wait longer than three months between patient visits for safety purposes.
Psychotherapy
Note: Dr. Montenegro is not currently taking “Therapy Only” cases at this time.
If after the psychiatric diagnostic evaluation feedback session we agree on proceeding with therapy, we will schedule a 50-minute appointment to begin therapy and discuss the treatment plan, including the details and expectations for the proposed method of therapy.
Psychotherapy, with or without medication management, typically lasts 50 minutes and will initially occur weekly, then taper to bi-monthly, and eventually to monthly “maintenance” follow-ups, depending on the type of therapy and issue being addressed.
General Payment Options
Out of Network Provider
Not all our psychiatrists accept insurance; some are considered out-of-network providers. However, certain providers accept Blue Cross Blue Shield (except Premera), First Choice, and Lyra.
For patients not covered by the insurance plans mentioned above, all services must be paid for in full by credit card through a safe and secure patient portal.
If requested, we will gladly provide you with a reimbursement form or “superbill” to submit an out-of-network claim to your insurance company.
Reimbursement rates are plan-specific, though they usually reimburse approximately 80% or more of your total bill; please contact your insurance company to ask what the reimbursement rates are for the following codes:
Initial Evaluation - CPT codes: 99205 + 90838 + 99417
Follow-up appointment - CPT codes: 99214 + 90833 + 96127
Fees
Please contact Montenegro & Associates for rates.