Why Consider Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Evaluation?
The Challenge to Find the Right Mental Health Help
For many people, the field of mental health can be frustrating and quite confusing. To begin with, there is a broad range of treatment professionals who may have degrees in psychology (Ph.D. or PsyD), psychiatry (MD), social work (MSW), mental health counseling (MHC), marriage and family therapy (MFT), and/or education (EdD). Each degree has a specialty-specific training program that influences the diagnostic assessment process. The result is a wide spectrum of diagnostic assessments and treatment plans.
Many patients and their loved ones try one approach after another because each approach they try is not effective or the treatment is less than ideal. Often, they give up or look for a second, third or fourth opinion. We take a comprehensive approach to evaluations to help stop the merry-go-round of mental health treatment.
How Does It Work in Traditional Medicine?
Traditional medical specialties have a uniform evaluation process and consistent modes of treatment. For example, if you see an endocrinologist because of concerns about having diabetes, the evaluation and treatment process is similar among specialists. However, the pursuit of mental health care often results in considerable diagnostic and therapeutic diversity among mental health professionals. Such diversity often results in diagnostic and therapeutic confusion for our patients. As diagnosis informs treatment, less than satisfactory outcomes can be the result.
Our Answer to this Problem
Because of the importance of diagnostic assessment, we have developed a multidisciplinary team of evaluators. Our team will focus on the biological, medical, neurological, genetic, psychological, environmental, and social components of each individual’s makeup. We have assembled a team composed of a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a social worker. Each member of the team has a unique assignment.
The psychiatrist will gather biological, medical, and neurologic data through examination, laboratory assessment, and interviews.
The psychologist will investigate present and past psychological aspects of the individual’s presentation using experience, psychological and neuropsychological testing when indicated.
The social worker’s assignment is to obtain a detailed history of the patient’s past life experiences, the environment which formed the person, and the family history and compile an accurate understanding of the current family system.
The Whole Is Greater than the Sum of the Parts
The strength of this approach is in the comprehensive team meeting that follows the data accumulation. Each member of the multidisciplinary team will present the information gathered and contribute conclusions based on their field of expertise. The group will then synthesize the findings and generate diagnostic assessments along with treatment recommendations. A second opinion or comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation report will be generated and if applicable, distributed with permission to the referral source. Alternatively, the evaluation process is a very good first step towards a logical treatment plan.
Specialists on Our Team
Andrew Rosen
Ph.D., ABPP, FAACP
David A. Gross
MD, DLFAPA
Darbi Luchtan
MS, LMFT
Information for Patients
Personalized Mental Health Treatment at The Center for Treatment
We offer Florida’s premier personalized mental healthcare services for adults through comprehensive, multi-disciplinary psychological evaluation.
Who Should You See?
There are many different specialties that treat mental health disorders, including psychology, psychiatry, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapists, and others. Getting the right mental health treatment for yourself or a loved one can be frustrating and confusing.
The Limitations of Specialization
Mental healthcare specialists often assess, evaluate, and treat mental health issues from the perspective of their specific areas of focus rather than holistically. Due to the breadth of mental health issues, it is easy for something to be missed in this approach. Consequently, patients may not find the relief they are seeking, and so they may change providers or jump to a provider in another specialty looking for a solution. This can lead to patients and their families sometimes trying one approach to treatment after another without finding relief for their illness.
Our Answer to This Problem
At The Center for Treatment, we have brought all of the key specialties together to form one highly qualified team that is unique in Florida. Our team works together to care for you as a whole person. We consider the biological, medical, neurological, genetic, psychological, environmental, and social components of each patient’s makeup. Each member of our team meets with you to conduct interviews and perform tests and assessments. Then the team meets to produce a comprehensive final report and recommended treatment plan. (Read more about Comprehensive Evaluation here.)
Treatment or Second Opinion
Once your report and plan are completed, our experts can continue to guide your care, or you can take our report to your primary mental health provider who can use it to guide your care.
Specialists on Our Team
- Psychiatrist Dr. David Gross, MD, DLFAPA
- Psychologist Dr. Andrew Rosen, Ph.D., ABPP, FAACP
- Licensed Mariage and Family Therapist Darbi Luchtan, MS, LMFT
Information for Healthcare Providers
Supporting Mental Health Providers with Comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Psychological Evaluation
We offer Florida’s premier source for psychiatric review and psychological evaluation for adults through comprehensive, multi-disciplinary psychological evaluation.
At The Center for Treatment, we have brought all of the key mental health specialties together to form one highly qualified team that is unique in Florida. Our team works together to care for patients as whole persons. We consider the biological, medical, neurological, genetic, psychological, environmental, and social components of each patient’s makeup. Each member of our team meets with the patient to conduct interviews and perform tests and assessments. Then the team meets to produce a comprehensive final report and recommended treatment plan.
Case Review and Second Opinions
Do you have a patient who is resistant to treatment or who is diagnostically puzzling? Patients return to your practice with an exhaustive report and recommendations to support the care you provide.
Specialists on Our Team
- Psychiatrist Dr. David Gross, MD, DLFAPA
- Psychologist Dr. Andrew Rosen, Ph.D., ABPP, FAACP
- Licensed Mariage and Family Therapist Darbi Luchtan, MS, LMFT