Menninger Announces New Outpatient Services Including Comprehensive, Multi-Day Pediatric Psychiatric Assessments

One of the nation’s leading psychiatric hospitals, The Menninger Clinic today announced that it is now offering comprehensive, multi-day outpatient assessments for children and adolescents in response to the growing demand for mental health services in Houston and shortage of providers. The hospital also announced an expansion in its outpatient therapy services for individuals, couples and families. With this expansion of outpatient services, there is no current waitlist and Menninger clinicians are usually able to see patients within a week of scheduling.

According to the Mental Health Needs Council, there are over 14,000 children and adolescents as well as 79,300 adults with severe mental illnesses who cannot access either public or private mental health systems in Houston. These statistics underscore the importance of Menninger’s expanded outpatient services, which reflect the hospital’s focus on prevention and early intervention.

“We’re excited that individuals and families will now be able to turn to Menninger for outpatient mental health care that provides greater understanding about mental illnesses as well as practical guidance for improving interpersonal relationships and day-to-day functioning,” said Dr. Jonathan Stevens, Menninger’s clinical director of outpatient services. “Ultimately we believe that our outpatient care initiates lasting change, resulting in fewer crisis hospitalizations as well as a reduced incidence of suicide.”

Stevens adds that Menninger’s outpatient clinicians help patients and families to understand the genetic factors contributing to a mental illness. This, he says, supports families who are working to overcome the stigma that is often associated with mental health treatment. Another unique component of Menninger’s outpatient care is its emphasis on medication management that ensures patients are taking medicine that their bodies can properly metabolize.

Menninger’s leadership in psychiatric excellence and restoring hope to patients is further exemplified through its one-of-a-kind comprehensive, multi-day assessment. Developed by the clinicians at Menninger, the four-and-a-half day assessment employs a multidisciplinary approach that gives patients –pediatric and adult– an understanding of how their lives are affected by a behavioral illness. The Menninger assessment team is comprised of specialists in psychiatry, psychology, neurology, addiction, diet and nutrition as well as others who are called upon to participate in assessments based on individual patient needs. Stevens and his team believe parents will find the pediatric assessment extremely helpful for families seeking thorough diagnostic assessment and treatment planning for complex brain conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, autism spectrum disorders, concussions and traumatic brain injuries.

Following the four-and-a-half day assessment, Menninger provides patients their comprehensive assessment reports the same week as their visit. The report is a result of the clinicians working in collaboration to unite multiple streams of data into a single report that details how findings are interrelated. It also provides a recommended, best-practices treatment approach that patients can share with their regular outpatient healthcare providers.

“It’s not a collection of individualized reports,” said Stevens. “Menninger’s comprehensive assessment gives patients and their providers a thorough diagnosis and a well rounded approach to treatment. We developed this model based on what we see with Menninger’s inpatient program where 80 percent of patients have co-occurring illnesses. Using our outcomes data, we’ve found that this comprehensive reporting style is optimal because it allows patients the best chance to address core issues that have previously impeded their success.”

Ranked in the top five among the nation’s best psychiatric hospitals according to a 2015 U.S. News &World Report survey, Menninger modeled its outpatient services after its inpatient treatment approach, which is known nationally for restoring hope to patients and their families through innovative programs, research and education.

“For nearly a century people have associated the Menninger name with quality psychiatric inpatient care,” said Dr. C. Edward Coffey, Menninger’s president and CEO. “The convenience and accessibility of our outpatient services will make it possible for even more families, especially those within our Houston community, to benefit from Menninger’s highly effective approach to mental health as well as our commitment to transforming lives.”

Underscoring that level of consistency, Coffey adds that outpatient families will receive care from many of the same distinguished clinicians who deliver Menninger’s inpatient services. These clinicians, who are also on faculty at Baylor College of Medicine, will collaborate with the outpatient team as needed to offer specialized treatment recommendations.

For more information about scheduling an outpatient therapy appointment and/or a comprehensive, multi-day assessment, call Menninger’s admissions office at 713-275-5000.