Welcome to the Department of Psychiatry at Allegheny General Hospital

This website is for educational/informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment.  Please see below if you believe you require emergency medical treatment.*

At Allegheny General Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry, we recognize the importance of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of psychiatric conditions.  Our psychiatrists and therapists give equal attention to all three areas in developing individual treatment plans for each  patient.

We apply the latest advances in psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic research to our daily work with our patients.  Our psychiatrists and therapists provide treatment for a number of different conditions, including mood disorders (Depression, Bipolar Disorder) and anxiety disorders (Panic Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), as well as psychotic disorders (Schizophrenia).  Through our broad continuum of outpatient, partial hospital, and inpatient services, we offer comprehensive mental health care to patients of all ages. 

Our Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is staffed by board certified child and adolescent psychiatrists, licensed doctoral-level psychologists, and master’s level therapists.  Although it was with much regret that we closed our child and adolescent inpatient unit in late December, 2009, we will continue to provide consultation to children and adolescents who are hospitalized on the medical floors at Allegheny General Hospital.  In collaboration with Highmark Bluecross/Blueshield and AGH’s Department of Pediatrics, we sponsor Kidshape, a nationally recognized program to treat childhood obesity by instilling healthy eating and exercise habits. The Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents offers immediate evaluation and treatment for children and their families who have experienced traumatic life events.  This program is the only one of its kind in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and has received national recognition for its innovative clinical treatment approaches and research program.

Effective January 4, 2010, the department's adult inpatient psychiatric services were transitioned to Alle-Kiski Medical Center in New Kensington (AKMC) and the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Forbes Regional Campus (FRC) in Monroeville.  Patients evaluated at AGH's Emergency Department who require inpatient psychiatric hospitalization will now be transferred to the department's facilities at either FRC or AKMC.  In addition, inpatient and outpatient Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) serivces moved to the Forbes Regional Campus on January 1, 2010.  Adult outpatient services, including our regionally recognized Intensive Psychiatric Day Treatment Program, continue to be maintained at our Northside-based facility in the East Commons Professional Building. 

Neuropsychologists in our Section of Psychology and Neuropsychology group provide sophisticated neuropsychological evaluation and treatment services to outpatients with various medical, psychiatric, and neurological conditions. The program is currently offering a support group for those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Enrollment is ongoing and open at any time.  We also provide services for inpatients on both the psychiatry unit and the medical floors at Allegheny General. 

At Allegheny General’s Department of Psychiatry, we firmly believe that helping to educate the next generation of physicians, psychologists, and other mental health professionals both serves the future healthcare needs of our region, and improves the quality of our current patient care.  Our psychiatrists and psychologists are all active educators involved in training medical students, psychiatry residents, child psychiatry fellows, and psychology interns, as well as psychology graduates and undergraduates from several nearby colleges and universities. 

Our overall goal remains to enhance the quality and scope of psychiatric care in the West Penn Allegheny Health System through the most rational and effective utilizatin of our system's resources.

To schedule an outpatient evaluation, make a referral or have a question, please call 412-330-4000 during normal business hours.  For the Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents, call 412-330-4328.

*If you are experiencing significant emotional or psychological distress at this time, please contact 911 or your nearest emergency room. This is not an interactive website. No behavioral health services can be provided on-line. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please contact 911 or your nearest Emergency Department. If you believe you would benefit from outpatient psychiatric services, please contact 412-330-4000 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm) to schedule an appointment.