SHIELD Psychiatry

Protecting Young Minds. Empowering Futures.

A Higher Level of Psychiatric Care Is Recommended

Thank you for providing information about the patient’s current needs. Based on what was shared, the concerns described require a level of psychiatric support beyond what our outpatient concierge practice is equipped to provide. We recommend in-person psychiatric care with access to urgent evaluation, laboratory monitoring, and hospital-level support. We are therefore unable to proceed to intake so that valuable time is not lost reaching services that can safely meet these needs.

This decision is not a diagnosis or a judgment about the patient or family. It reflects the clinical fit between the needs described and the services, staffing, and emergency support available through SHIELD Psychiatry.

Early Psychosis and First-Episode Programs

These programs may be appropriate when a child, adolescent, or young adult develops new or unusual thinking, marked suspiciousness, significant confusion, hearing voices, seeing things others do not see, or a noticeable decline in functioning. Early assessment and treatment can be important.

  • USF Health Department of Psychiatry — Tampa

    Call (813) 974-8900 and ask whether early psychosis, first-episode psychosis, or other specialty psychiatric evaluation services are currently available.

  • Florida First-Episode Psychosis Programs

    Ask your county’s behavioral health managing entity or call 2-1-1 for assistance locating a Florida first-episode psychosis or coordinated specialty-care program near you.

  • NAMI Florida

    Statewide mental health education, support, and resource navigation. Call (850) 671-4445 or visit NAMI Florida.

  • NAMI HelpLine

    Receive information and support for navigating mental health services. Call 1-800-950-6264 or text HelpLine to 62640.

Hospital-Affiliated Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Call before presenting for a routine appointment. Availability, referral requirements, age limits, and insurance participation may vary. For immediate safety concerns, use 911 or the nearest emergency department instead of waiting for an outpatient callback.

  • USF Health Child and Adolescent Psychiatry — Tampa

    Call (813) 974-8900.

  • Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital — St. Petersburg

    Call (727) 767-4160 and request information about behavioral health or child and adolescent psychiatric services.

  • Nemours Children’s Health — Orlando

    Child psychology and psychiatry services in Central Florida. Call (407) 650-7715 or visit Nemours Behavioral Health.

  • UCF Health Psychiatry — Orlando

    Call (407) 266-3627 to ask about current psychiatric services, age eligibility, and referral requirements.

Intensive Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization Services

Intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs provide more structure and clinical support than routine weekly outpatient appointments. Each program should complete its own assessment to determine the appropriate level of care.

  • Gracepoint Wellness — Tampa

    Call (813) 272-2958 to ask about current youth, crisis, intensive outpatient, or hospital-based behavioral health services.

  • BayCare Behavioral Health

    Serves areas including Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough counties. Call 1-800-878-5470.

  • AdventHealth Behavioral Health — Tampa and Wesley Chapel

    Call (813) 615-7000 and request information about the most appropriate behavioral health access point.

  • Aspire Health Partners — Orlando Area

    Call (407) 875-3700.

  • Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Florida

    Services in the Orlando and Viera regions. Call (407) 937-3200 to ask about current programs, eligibility, and referral requirements.

  • SAMHSA Treatment Locator

    Search for mental health and substance-use treatment programs by location and level of care. Visit FindTreatment.gov or call 1-800-662-4357.

Continue Current Care Until a Safe Transition Is Completed

If the patient is currently established with a psychiatric prescriber, pediatrician, primary-care clinician, hospital team, or another behavioral health provider, please continue working with that provider until new care is established. Do not stop, reduce, increase, restart, or otherwise change psychiatric medication without guidance from the prescribing clinician, unless emergency medical personnel direct otherwise.

We recognize that seeking psychiatric care can feel overwhelming. Although SHIELD Psychiatry is not the appropriate setting for the needs described, we sincerely hope these resources help your family reach the right level of support without unnecessary delay.

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