Clinical Research Center, 716 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205

Geeta Sarphare, Ph.D.

Goals of the Outpatient Psychiatry Program

• To provide comprehensive psychiatric and psychotherapeutic services to families and children with disabilities
• To support other programs in the Kennedy Krieger Institute that treat children who have psychiatric needs
• To coordinate care with other specialties in the Kennedy Krieger Institute

Children who have a psychiatric disorder in addition to intellectual disabilities, specific genetic syndromes, and/or other developmental disabilities are the primary clients for services in the Department of Psychiatry's Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. However, we may also provide services to children with or in need of a mental health diagnosis and/or treatment who may not have a developmental disability.

Services provided:

• diagnostic evaluation
• individual, family and group psychotherapy
• behavior management
• pharmacotherapy
• school consultation and advocacy

b) Affective and Anxiety Disorders Clinic (Roma Vasa, M.D.) This clinic provides services to children 6 years and older who are experiencing difficulties with mood and anxiety. Treatment services include:

• Diagnostic evaluation


• Pharmacotherapy


• Individual and Family Therapy


• Coordination with school programs


• Advocacy.

Diagnostic Evaluation: All patients who are new to Outpatient Psychiatry receive a diagnostic evaluation by a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, a Psychologist, or a Clinical Social Worker or Counselor, all of whom are licensed and trained to complete such evaluations. The evaluation will assess what psychiatric disorders are currently evident in a child and identify other disorders that need to be ruled out. Diagnostic evaluations include information about a child’s developmental history, current and past problems associated with behavior, mood, social and academic functioning, and family history. Recommendations are made at the conclusion of the evaluation for services that, in the opinion of the evaluator, would be most beneficial to address the identified problems.

Medication Evaluation/Consultation: This service is provided by a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, or by a Child Psychiatry Fellow from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, under the supervision of a licensed Psychiatrist. The length of the evaluation/consultation will depend on what other diagnostic evaluation(s) may have been completed prior to the visit and is available for review. The purpose of a medication evaluation is to determine whether a child could benefit from a trial of medication that would help to alleviate some or all of the symptoms known to be interfering with his/her optimal functioning. A medication consultation is most often completed to provide additional information, including alternative medication dosage or options, to another provider regarding the medication currently being prescribed.

Medication Management: This service is provided following a medication evaluation, or when a Psychiatrist has agreed to accept a patient transfer from another Psychiatrist who has been treating the patient. Typically, if a parent/guardian agrees to have the child on medication, the medication will be prescribed and managed by the evaluating Psychiatrist or under his/her supervision, except when a transfer has occurred.

Individual/Family/Group Therapy: These services are provided by licensed professionals representing the fields of Psychology, Clinical Social Work and Counseling. The type of therapy will depend, in part, on the child’s presenting problems. Therapy generally occurs weekly until sufficient progress has occurred to decrease the frequency of sessions. Anger and stress management, coping and problem-solving skills, social skills, improved self-esteem and self-control, improved familial relationships, and behavior management are among some of the common treatment goals worked on within the therapy sessions. A separate treatment room is available for clinicians to engage in play therapy with younger children.

Subspeciality services:

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe permanent birth defects caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Patients with an FASD may exhibit central nervous dysfunction (i.e. cognitive dysfunction, behavioral dysfunction or emotional dysfunction) and/or a particular set of physical characteristics that include below average norms for height and weight.

The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders program provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary evaluation for individuals with a history of prenatal exposure to alcohol. Members of this interdisciplinary team include psychiatrists, social workers, behavioral psychologist, a speech and language pathologist and an occupational therapist with referrals to special education, neuropsychology, genetics and neurology as needed. These evaluations are tailored to meet the needs of each individual patient and assist in determining appropriate diagnoses, determining and implementing integrated treatment protocols and identifying community and school supports. The overall goal of this program is to improve functioning of the patient and reduce the family stress associated with those affected by the numerous behavioral, psychosocial and emotional challenges.

Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. depending upon individual clinician schedules. Please contact below to confirm actual times.

To make a referral or request an initial evaluation:
Contact our Care Management Office
Toll-Free Referral: (888) 554-2080
Local Referral: (443) 923-9400

For follow-up appointments:
Psychiatry Care Center:
Phone: (443) 923-7620

·Psychiatric Disorders

·Autism Spectrum Disorders Research*
·Center for Genetic Disorders of Cognition and Behavior
·Genetic, Metabolic and Degenerative Brain Disorders Research*

The Resource Finder: A Project of Kennedy Krieger Institute

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
((www.aacap.org)

Western Michigan University
(http://www.abainternational.org/)

The Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy
(http://www.aabt.org)

American Psychological Association
(http://www.apa.org)

The Annie E. Casey Foundation
(http://www.aecf.org/kidscount)

National Head Start Association
(http://www.nhsa.org)

American Academy of Pediatrics
(http://www.aap.org)

National Information Services Corporation
(http://www.nisc.com)

Parenting Toolbox
(http://www.parentingtoolbox.com)

Child Welfare League of America
(http://www.cwla.org)

The National Academies
(http://www.national-academies.org)

Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
(http://www.nationalacademies.org/behavior/)

National Academy Press
(http://www.nap.edu)

National Institute of Mental Health
(http://www.nimh.nih.gov)

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome www.nofas.org

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism www.niaaa.nih.gov

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Center of Excellence
www.fascenter.samhsa.gov

Maryland Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Coalition
www.fha.state.md.us/mch/fasd/

Center for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/default.htm

Family Resource Institute
www.fetalalcoholsyndrome.org


Outpatient Programs l Inpatient Programs l Community Programs l
Continuums l Genetic Laboratories l Clinical Disciplines/Depts.