Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Brain Health Center (CBHC)

CBHC is a groundbreaking collaboration between the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neurology, rehabilitation, and Neurosurgery. Located within our cutting-edge ambulatory practice, Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care in Westchester, CBHC is committed to delivering state-of-the-art, compassionate holistic care for individuals grappling with brain disorders such as epilepsy, movement disorders, stroke and brain tumors. Often, these patients require specialized evaluation and treatment from a team of experts, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists and psychologists. Unfortunately, navigating such complex care systems can be daunting for patients and their families. CBHC's mission is to redefine brain health care by establishing a national model for integrated treatment and becoming a vital regional resource for those confronting the multifaceted challenges of brain disorders.

 

Behavioral Health Virtual Urgent Care (BHVUC)

In April 2023, we introduced the Behavioral Health Virtual Urgent Care (BHVUC) service to offer timely evaluation and initial treatment to patients who do not require emergency department care. This new service can be accessed through Montefiore MyChart during specified daytime hours, five days a week, with expansion plans based on demand. BHVUC operates within ACUTE Psychiatry (Ambulatory Consults, Urgent Treatment and Evaluation), a comprehensive program that offers three essential services: urgent care, bridging treatment for individuals awaiting longer-term care and evaluations for patients undergoing special treatments such as bariatric surgery or gender-affirming surgery. ACUTE Psychiatry strengthens our capacity to deliver timely care for patients with specialized needs.

 

Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

The Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) was established in October 2023, becoming one of the few programs in New York State licensed by the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the only OMH-licensed adolescent IOP in the greater New York City metropolitan area. Designed to serve adolescents aged 12 to 17 who require a higher level of mental health care than standard outpatient services, our IOP operates three days a week at the Wakefield campus Outpatient Psychiatry Division in the Farrand Building. Our comprehensive program includes individual psychological and psychiatric assessments and treatments, along with group therapy sessions focused on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills. The IOP serves as an alternative to inpatient psychiatric admission for some adolescents and offers step-down care for those needing further stabilization after discharge from an inpatient unit. 

 

Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall (MSLC) Telehealth

Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall (MSLC) Telehealth represents a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing Psychiatry services throughout the Montefiore Health System. In this pioneering proof-of-concept initiative, our Montefiore Medical Center Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry Service has joined forces with Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall in Orange County to deliver telehealth psychiatry consultations to patients in their inpatient medical and surgical units. This innovative service, involving approximately ten of our CL Psychiatry services across the Moses, Wakefield and Weiler campuses, was launched in June 2023. As we gather insights from this initial pilot program, we are poised to expand telehealth support to other Psychiatry programs within our healthcare system, further advancing access to quality mental health care.

 

Expansion of Montefiore Einstein Psychiatry Associates

In response to the rising demand for mental health services from both Montefiore Einstein staff and the broader Westchester region, Montefiore-Einstein Psychiatry Associates (MEPA) has undergone significant expansions. Accessible at psychiatryassociates.montefiore.org, this growing practice has been developed to provide comprehensive mental health care to Montefiore Einstein associates and their families, as well as patients referred by clinicians or who self-refer from the region.

One notable development is the inclusion of patients covered under partnerships with MEPA as preferred providers, including the State-Wide Schools Cooperative Health Plan (SWSCHP), which represents 23 public school districts in Westchester.

The existing services offered by the faculty practice are designed to address a wide range of psychiatric and behavioral health conditions, encompassing mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, trauma and relationship stress. Furthermore, several new programs have been introduced to enhance the spectrum of care. Among these is the Attention and Learning Assessment Service (ATLAS), tailored to children aged 6 and above, adolescents and young adults. This service offers assessments for learning disabilities and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Additionally, the practice has expanded its capacity to serve adolescents and young adults with eating disorders, as well as adults with high-functioning autism. These initiatives reflect Montefiore Einstein's commitment to meeting the evolving mental health needs of its staff and the broader community, ensuring accessible and comprehensive care for all.

 

Women’s Mental Health Program

In collaboration with the Department of OB GYN and Women’s Health, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science launched a new Women’s Mental Health program in 2022, led by Rubiahna Vaughn, MD, MPH with further expansion in 2023. The program comprises five core components:

• Reproductive Psychiatry Ambulatory Service: integrated within OB GYN to offer consultation and treatment for women with mental health conditions during pregnancy or up to four months postpartum.
• Inpatient Consultation: provided through our Consultation Liaison Psychiatry service, offering expert consultation for mental health and substance use conditions in inpatients during the perinatal period.
• eConsults: accessible via Epic to support primary care and OB GYN colleagues at Montefiore Einstein in the psychiatric evaluation and treatment of outpatients during the peripartum period.
• ProjectTEACH: funded by the NYS Office of Mental Health, ProjectTEACH provides mental health consultation to non-mental health providers caring for children and adolescents, as well as those caring for individuals during pregnancy and postpartum. Since January 2022, our Women’s Mental Health program has been one of the few New York State medical centers participating in ProjectTEACH (University of Buffalo, University of Rochester, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Northwell Health, Columbia University).
• American Psychiatric Association Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit: as part of a project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation, our faculty members played a crucial role in creating a toolkit for mental health professionals to better support the mental health and addiction care of individuals during and after pregnancy.