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FAQs about Psychiatry
What if I can't afford my Co-payment or Co-insurance?
If you cannot pay for your care, you may be eligible for a financial assistance program. For more information about these programs, please call the Kaiser Permanente Medical Financial Assistance Program toll-free at 1-866-399-7696 or contact your our Business Services Office at (415) 833-2945.
How often can I be seen in the Department of Psychiatry?
Your Health Plan Contract benefit is based on medical necessity and may allow up to 20 visits per calendar year, including individual, group and medication. The number and type of visits provided will depend on your diagnosis and is determined by your psychiatric provider based on medical necessity. Under AB88 parity legislation, all treatments for parity diagnosis are covered for medically necessary conditions.
Do I need a referral from my PCP to get an appointment in Psychiatry?
No. The Department of Psychiatry accepts and prefers self-referrals. Simply call us at 833-2292 to make a new appointment.
Why do I need to see a Psychiatric Social Worker or Psychologist before seeing a Psychiatrist?
The Psychiatric Social Workers (LCSW) and Psychologists (PhD) work as a team with our physicians. Physicians rely on the therapists to do the psychological and psychosocial evaluation which includes getting information about current and past symptoms, work situation, family and psychiatric history, alcohol and drug usage, and any immediate or past stresses. This evaluation is important for the physicians to have before the medication evaluation appointment.
What is the co-pay in Psychiatry?
The co-pay in Psychiatry is the same as your co-pay for medical appointments. The co-pay for group treatment usually ranges from $5 to $20 depending on your health plan benefit.
What is IOP?
IOP stands for Intensive Outpatient Program. IOP is a short-term program (usually about 2 weeks) designed to help you prevent hospitalization or adjust after hospitalization or cope with current stresses. The program takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 – 12. The IOP team will help you establish treatment connections to address your short-term goals.
What kind of groups do you have?
The Department of Psychiatry offers a wide range of psychotherapy groups including psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and educational/supportive groups. Group therapy is an effective form of psychotherapy. For many conditions, group therapy is the treatment of choice. Some of the groups offered in Psychiatry are:
- Interpersonal Groups: African American Women, ACA, Young Adults, Adults, Seniors, Gay Men, Spanish Women’s Group
- Parenting/Child Groups: TOTS Program, ADHD Screening, Socialization Skills, Teen Groups
- Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Depression – 16 week program and a Senior Depression group
- Anxiety Groups: OCD, Panic, PTSD, General Anxiety, and Social Phobia
- Work Stress Program
- Eating Disorder Groups – Adult and Adolescence groups available
What kind of help do you have for work related problems?
We have a work stress program those meets twice a week for members to discuss their work problems. We discuss issues around workload, hostile work setting, demanding boss, difficult co-workers in a nonjudgmental and confidential setting. We help you work on reaching acceptable solutions.
I already have a psychotherapist I see regularly outside of Kaiser and I want medications. How do I accomplish this?
If you are already in treatment outside of Kaiser and desire a medication evaluation, the following steps will need to be taken.
- Call the department at 833-2292 to request assessment forms for your psychotherapist to fill out and return to the Department of Psychiatry.
- The department administrative assistant will schedule you a new medication appointment once these forms are received.
- The Kaiser psychiatrist and your outside provider will work as a team in coordinating your treatment.
- If you are in need of an urgent medication evaluation, you will be connected to a Triage Therapist for a phone screening.
Do you offer neuropsychological assessment?
We offer neuropsychogical assessment when it is requested by a Kaiser provider, when it is for diagnostic purposes based on medical necessity. We do not offer learning disability or education testing.
What if I am unable to work?
If you believe you are unable to work for psychological reasons, the Department of Psychiatry will work with you to establish a helpful treatment plan. Our goal is to return you to functional status as quickly as possible. Disability is generally handled on a short term basis with you participating in individual or group treatment. If you are unable to work for physical reasons, the problem should be discussed with you PCP.
I’m having problems with my partner who doesn’t have Kaiser coverage. Can we be seen at Kaiser for couples treatment?
No. Kaiser does not provide couples treatment.
If I am summoned to Jury Duty and I feel I can not fulfill my Jury Duty responsibilities, what I can I do?
If you are actively in treatment in the Department of Psychiatry and you have a serious psychiatric problem, your provider can write a brief statement that most likely can excuse you from Jury Duty temporarily.
How long will it take the antidepressant medication to work?
It may take up to 5 weeks to feel the full and stable benefit of a particular medication dosage. Some benefit may be felt during the first week or two and depending on the medication this may include improved sleep, decreased anxiety, increased energy, and increased hope. If after 5 weeks a medication has not shown enough benefit, its dosage may need to be increased by the doctor and given another 5 weeks to evaluate the benefit of the increased dosage.
I just started an antidepressant and am experiencing side effects. How long will these last?
Medication responses and side effects experienced may vary considerably from one individual to another. Most side effects, if they occur, will start during the first few days of taking a new medication or after a dosage increase. Most of these will improve within a few days and gradually go away over a week or two. If the side effects are tolerable, continue the medications as these should improve and the medication benefits will take longer to become fully evident. If the side effects are intolerable, call the nurse or doctor.
Can my teenager be seeing by a therapist without parental permission?
Generally no. We try to get parental involvement when treating a minor. However, we will evaluate a teenager without parental consent for one session. If after the evaluation, we feel it would be too detrimental (or medically necessary) to the teenager's well being if we do not provide treatment, we will see him or her without parental permission.
Can a child be in treatment if one of the parent in a 50/50 share custody situation refuse to consent to the treatment?
We do not require both parents to sign the Consent to Treatment form in order to provide therapy to a child. However, if we were notified by the other parent that s/he is adamantly opposed for the child to receive treatment, we will not proceed with treatment.
Should we bring our child to the first appointment?
We ask you not to bring children under age of 12 to the first appointment. Most of the time we want to gather some information during the first session that maybe inappropriate for your child to hear. We do not provide childcare so it would not be appropriate for your child to wait in the waiting area by him or her self.
Can I get my child evaluated for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
Yes, we do ADHD evaluation, which is different from a Learning Disability evaluation. We have a screening group for children between ages of 6-12 who are in 1st to 6th grade and meet the ADHD symptom. The ADHD screening group consist of a parent group and a children's group. The ADHD Children Screening Group is intended to provide behavioral observations in a clinical outpatient setting of children suspected of having ADHD. Given the complexity of the ADHD diagnosis, it is often difficult to evaluate a child individually without the opportunity to observe them in their natural environment in the school. The Group Screening Program provides an opportunity to evaluate the child among their peers in a group setting. Meeting with parents at the same time that your child is being evaluated allows you to more clearly understand the diagnostic process and what the next steps will be; to clarify any concerns, difficulties or questions you may have about the evaluation packet and to introduce you to providers you may contact if situations arise prior to the disposition interview.
If your child is too young or too old for the screening group. S/he will be evaluated individually by a child therapist in our department. Please do not bring your child to the first indurdual appointment if s/he is under 12 y.o.
What should I do if I am interested enrolling my child or adolescent in one of the group programs?
All referrals to our child/teen/parent groups in the Department of Psychiatry need to come from a therapist. So please schedule an intake appointment with one of our child therapist.
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