what to expect

Beginning mental health care should be a clear and straightforward process. Riverbend Behavioral Health offers outpatient psychiatric care, including telehealth psychiatric evaluation and medication management for adolescents (12+) and adults throughout Arizona. New patients can easily schedule their initial consultation online. After scheduling, you will gain access to the secure patient portal, where you can complete intake forms before your appointment.

Your initial psychiatric consultation is focused on understanding your symptoms, medical history, and personal treatment goals within the framework of mental health care. During this visit, we will discuss: current symptoms and concerns, past mental health treatment, medical history and medications, sleep, stress, and lifestyle factors, as well as treatment goals. Based on this evaluation, a tailored treatment plan will be developed. When appropriate, medication management may be recommended as part of your outpatient psychiatric care. A two-week follow-up appointment is included with the initial consultation to review how you are doing and make any necessary adjustments, which can also be conducted through a telehealth psychiatric evaluation if needed.

Follow-up appointments in mental health care typically focus on monitoring symptoms, assessing medication response, and evaluating progress toward treatment goals. In outpatient psychiatric care, once treatment is stable, many patients are seen approximately every 8–12 weeks. However, the frequency of visits may vary depending on individual needs, and some may also opt for a telehealth psychiatric evaluation to facilitate their care.

Appointments for mental health care are conducted through a secure telehealth platform. For telehealth psychiatric evaluations, patients MUST: be physically located in Arizona at the time of the appointment, have a private, quiet space, and use a device with internet access and a camera.

Routine questions regarding mental health care can be sent through the secure patient portal. Messages are typically reviewed during business hours.

Riverbend Behavioral Health does not provide emergency or after-hours services for outpatient psychiatric care.

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 988, contact 911, or go to the nearest emergency department. For those interested in a telehealth psychiatric evaluation, please reach out during regular business hours.

Riverbend Behavioral Health offers comprehensive mental health care through outpatient psychiatric care for individuals seeking evaluation and ongoing treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, mood disorders, and related concerns. Our approach emphasizes thoughtful evaluation, medication management when appropriate, and collaborative treatment planning, including options for telehealth psychiatric evaluation. 

Please note that Riverbend Behavioral Health is not a crisis service and does not provide emergency psychiatric care.

Treatment recommendations for mental health care are based on careful clinical evaluation and current medical guidelines. When medication is appropriate, options will be discussed as part of the outpatient psychiatric care treatment plan. However, prescriptions are not guaranteed, and certain medications may not be prescribed if they are not considered clinically appropriate or safe, especially following a telehealth psychiatric evaluation.

In the realm of mental health care, medications are managed during scheduled follow-up appointments to ensure safe and effective treatment. Patients are encouraged to schedule follow-up visits before their medication supply runs out, especially in outpatient psychiatric care settings. In certain circumstances, limited bridge prescriptions may be provided at the clinician’s discretion, which may also be discussed during a telehealth psychiatric evaluation.

Requests for school accommodations, work notes, disability documentation, or other forms can be reviewed and completed during scheduled appointments. This time allows us to assess your situation thoroughly, especially in the context of mental health care, and ensure that all documentation related to outpatient psychiatric care is accurate and appropriate. Additionally, if needed, we can discuss options for a telehealth psychiatric evaluation during these meetings.