PsychBright Health offers psychiatric evaluations by secure video for adults 18 and older anywhere in California. The appointment typically takes 45 to 60 minutes, with a psychiatrist or a psychiatric nurse practitioner working under psychiatrist supervision, who asks about your symptoms, history and goals and then discusses what they found with you.
The evaluation is the first step in treatment here, and it is the same appointment whether you live in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or elsewhere in the state. Our care is psychiatrist-led, and new patients are usually seen within five business days.
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A psychiatric evaluation is a structured clinical conversation. Your clinician starts with what brought you in and how it affects your work, relationships and daily life, then works back through your history:
Covering your whole history rather than only today’s symptoms matters. Someone who comes in with depression and has had a past manic episode, for example, may need a different diagnosis and treatment, and a medical condition or a medication can sometimes cause symptoms that look psychiatric.
Your clinician also pays attention to your mood, the way you think and speak, and your attention and memory. This is called a mental status exam. By video it is done through conversation, not a physical examination.
At the end of the appointment your clinician shares what they found and works out a plan with you. Depending on what the evaluation shows, that may include:
Nothing is prescribed automatically, and results vary from person to person. If you start treatment, ongoing care continues by telepsychiatry with the same team.
The two are often confused, and many of the practices that come up when you search for one offer the other. A psychiatric evaluation is a conversation with a prescribing clinician. Psychological testing uses formal, standardized questionnaires and checklists, chosen and scored by a licensed psychologist. If a school, employer or court has asked you for psychological testing, that is a different appointment.
Have a list of the medications you take, including over-the-counter ones, and any records of past treatment you can find. Find a private, quiet place for the video call. There are no right answers, so the most useful thing you can do is be honest. For a fuller walk-through, read what to expect at your first psychiatry appointment.
Yes, with limits. A clinician may share information without your permission when there is a serious and imminent threat to your safety or someone else’s. Your clinician can explain those limits before you start.
We accept Medicare Advantage and Medicare, along with Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna and Evernorth, UHC, Optum, Health Net, L.A. Care Commercial, SCAN, Carelon, Tricare and Triwest. We verify your benefits before your first visit, and some plans need a referral or prior authorization. See insurance.
New patients are usually seen within five business days. Appointments run Monday to Friday by secure video, for adults 18 and older anywhere in California.
Call (213) 584-2331 or request an appointment. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Whether a diagnosis or treatment is right for you is a clinical decision made after a full evaluation.
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