Outpatient Psychiatry Service

How can I schedule an appointment in the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic?

Current patients in the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic may call 617-355-6680 (option 2) to schedule an appointment.

Attendance policy (for all patients)

The clinic requires at least 24 hours notice to cancel or change your appointment. Call 617-355-6680 (option 2) to cancel or reschedule. If you cancel your appointment less than 24 hours ahead of time or if you do not show up for your appointment, it counts as a missed appointment. At the start of treatment, your clinician will review the Attendance Policy for Psychiatry. You/your child and your clinician will sign the policy to indicate you understand these expectations.

We suggest building in at least 30 minutes of extra time for traffic delays, navigating the hospital, and checking in before your appointment time. If you are late, the clinician may have less time to spend with your child. If there is not enough time to complete the treatment planned for that session, the appointment will count as missed and you will need to reschedule.

If you miss an evaluation appointment, you will have to return to the bottom of the waiting list.

What should I bring to my child’s appointment?

When you make your initial appointment, a member of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences staff will go over everything you’ll need on the day of your visit. A checklist of take-along items should include:

• The name of the doctor you will be seeing
• The name and floor of the Boston Children’s building you will be visiting (Outpatient Psychiatry is located in the Fegan Building on the eighth floor)
• The name and telephone number of your child's physician
• Your child’s insurance card(s) and subscriber ID number
• Co-payment for your insurance, if applicable
• Medical or personal records, such as school counselor reports, pertaining to your child’s condition
• A list of your child's current medications
• A list of questions you have for the doctor and staff (if appropriate for your child's situation and maturity, you may want to have him or her come up with questions, too)
• Your child's and your Social Security numbers (for insurance purposes)
• Books, games, snacks, or other necessities

Medication refill policy

You can request medication refills by calling our clinic at 617-355-6680 (option 2). Please allow five to seven business days for us to refill your medication.

Please review our medication refill policy for Psychiatry.

TriVox Health

The Outpatient Psychiatry Service uses a web-based platform called TriVox Health to track patients' symptoms and response to treatment over time. Your provider may choose to send surveys to you, your child, or your child's teacher.

Mental health benefits

While we do verify insurance benefits for our patients, it is the family’s responsibility to check with their insurance carrier regarding their outpatient mental health benefits including the co-payment or deductible amount, if applicable. Outpatient mental health benefits often differ from medical benefits, therefore check with your insurance carrier regarding your coverage prior to your appointment. You can reach the Outpatient Psychiatry billing coordinator at 617-355-6680 (option 3).

Referrals and authorizations

A referral from your child’s primary care provider is not required for services rendered in Outpatient Psychiatry. Insurance authorizations, when required, will be obtained by the administrative staff unless your Insurance carrier indicates otherwise.

For questions about billing, please contact the Outpatient Psychiatry billing coordinator at 617-355-6680 (option 3).

Resources for families

Sometimes a child’s illness can be overwhelming for other family members. Boston Children’s offers services that can help you find the information and additional support you and your family may need. The Hale Family Center for Families is dedicated to helping families find the information and resources they need to better understand their child’s medical condition and take part in their care. All patients, families, and health professionals are welcome to use the center’s services at no extra cost. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Please call 617-355-6279 for more information.

What to do in a crisis

If you feel your child is at immediate risk of self-harm or of harming others, call 911 or bring your child to the closest emergency room, and contact your child’s Outpatient Psychiatry clinician as soon as possible.