General psychiatric care
Outpatient care is the main way patients work with us at Bay Psychiatric Associates: an evaluation with a psychiatrist, then medication management, therapy, or both, depending on what actually helps. You meet with your psychiatrist at whatever frequency makes sense for your situation, discuss the issues affecting you and work out a plan to treat them. Most major insurance plans are accepted. If your symptoms ever call for something more, such as TMS, ketamine/Spravato, ECT, or a higher level of care, your psychiatrist helps you navigate that next step.
What happens at your first visit?
Your first visit is a consultation.
What we go over. You and your psychiatrist work together to understand the difficulties that brought you in and what you’re wanting from treatment. This includes surveying the extent of your current problems, learning from your understanding of what is causing trouble, reviewing your medical and psychiatric history, discussing treatments you have tried and how that went.
What you leave with. A better understanding of what is going on and a path forward. That might be medication, therapy, both, a consultation about an interventional treatment, or a referral to a different level of care. There’s also no demand to rush to a decision; more discussion together to better understand what’s wrong and what would be helpful may be the next step. If you both feel that medication is reasonable to consider, you may go over the options, the likely benefits, and the common side effects before anything starts.
Medication, therapy, or both?
Outpatient care can be medication visits, therapy visits, or both. How you and your psychiatrist will proceed will depend on what your psychiatrist can offer and what you both conclude is right for you. We are a physician practice, so therapy openings are limited, and your psychiatrist will talk with you about whether that fits or whether an outside therapist makes more sense.
Who is outpatient care for, and when is it not enough?
Outpatient care is for adults who can safely live at home while collaborating with their psychiatrist productively. People come to us for help with depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, and other concerns. It is the right level of care when symptoms are disruptive but do not need around-the-clock monitoring.
It is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or go to the nearest emergency room. And when symptoms need more structure than periodic visits can give, your psychiatrist can help arrange day treatment, a partial hospital program, or inpatient care.
What if my needs change?
The advantage of starting here is that you are not on your own if your needs change. When a more specialized or intensive treatment is appropriate, your outpatient psychiatrist connects it to the rest of your plan rather than handing you a phone number.
We also coordinate with an outside therapist or your primary care doctor so everyone is working from the same plan. When symptoms call for it, that coordination extends to TMS, ketamine-based treatment, ECT, or a higher level of care.
Where can I be seen?
Outpatient care is available at our offices in Berkeley, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Corte Madera, as well as via telehealth across California when appropriate.
Physicians who provide outpatient care
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Common questions
What does outpatient care here include?
Psychiatric evaluation, medication management, psychotherapy, coordination with your other clinicians, and help moving to a higher level of care when it is needed. The exact treatment plan depends on what’s appropriate for you and what your psychiatrist can offer.
Is outpatient care the same as medication management?
No. Medication management is one part of outpatient care. Outpatient care is the broader setting for evaluation, medication visits, therapy, coordination, and follow-up over time.
Can my visits be by telehealth?
Many follow-up visits can be done by secure video when it is clinically appropriate. Some evaluations and treatments need to be in person, and some services are only available at specific offices.
What if I need more help than regular visits can give?
Your psychiatrist can help arrange a higher level of care, such as day treatment, a partial hospital program, or inpatient care, when that is the right step. You are not left to find it on your own.
Do you take my insurance?
Most major plans are accepted. You can check your plan with our insurance tool, and we verify your insurance coverage before your first visit so there are no surprises.
What happens after I submit an intake request?
We verify your insurance before your first visit, and your first appointment is an evaluation with a psychiatrist who works out the plan with you.
How to get started with general outpatient care
Request an appointment. We’ll check your insurance and help you get started.