The Lieber Recovery and Rehabilitation Clinic for Psychotic Disorders provides comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation for individuals with persistent mental illness.  It is particularly suited to patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, though people with other forms of mental illness may also benefit from its rehabilitation focus. 

The Lieber Clinic is conveniently located in Columbia University Medical Center’s Eastside Manhattan office at 16 East 60th Street. It is an integral part of the well-known Columbia Day Treatment Program, which has been helping patients for over 25 years.  The Lieber Clinic adds a new group of services, providing a range of psychiatric, rehabilitation, and supportive services, and embraces a Recovery Model so that participants can rebuild and develop their lives. 

The clinic leadership includes two senior faculty members who have been research and clinical pioneers in the rehabilitation of individuals with schizophrenia: Alice Medalia, PhD, an internationally recognized neuropsychologist in the vanguard of cognitive remediation, and Thomas Smith, MD, an outstanding psychiatrist specializing in improving functional outcomes in schizophrenia.

Patients attending the Lieber Clinic can receive individual and group treatment; medication management; medical care coordination services; cognitive evaluation; cognitive remediation; life skills coaching; work and school readiness training; social skills training; and work placement assistance.  Staff work with patients to create a personalized treatment plan, based on a thorough evaluation, to help them gain the skills and confidence to pursue their life goals. All patients also continue to have a primary psychiatrist.  We are glad to arrange for this to be one of our faculty members, or patients may continue under the care of their referring physician in a collaborative arrangement.

Services include:

	Rehabilitation Evaluation: Rehabilitation Readiness and Cognitive Skills Assessments provide a framework to design a personalized recovery program and determine an individual’s capacity for work, school, and independent living.
	Psychiatric Evaluation:  Columbia faculty with expertise in psychosis and schizophrenia can conduct evaluations and offer recommendations regarding diagnosis and psychiatric management.
	Cognitive Remediation: Cognitive Skills Training groups that use the evidence-based NEAR method (Neuropsychological Educational Approach to Rehabilitation) provide specific neurocognitive exercises to improve attention, planning, memory, and other cognitive skills. Computer-based exercises and group exercises teach cognitive awareness and cognitive skills and improve self-esteem and intrinsic motivation.
	Life Skills Coaching: Individual and group programs help patients devise strategies, techniques, or adaptations that enable them be as independent as possible. Areas of focus may include daily living needs, personal care skills, transportation, interpersonal and communication skills, money management, and recreation.
	Psychopharmacology: Psychiatrists at the Lieber Clinic can provide ongoing medication management, or maintain consultative contact with referring prescribing clinicians.
	Health and Wellness: Groups are offered that cover adherence to medication regimens; the importance of proper nutrition and a balanced diet; weight management; sleep hygiene; stress management; and general personal care.  We can also make referrals to internists, endocrinologists, dentists, and other health professionals at Columbia whenever needed.
	Medical Care Coordination: Many patients with mental illness have multiple medical problems both related to side effects from psychotropic medication or from unrelated conditions. These conditions can require complicated medical regimens and a variety of medical appointments, all of which can be challenging for patients to coordinate and follow. The staff at the Lieber Clinic can help to maintain optimum physical health by providing medical case management services.
	Work Placement: Patients with work-related goals are assisted in gradually readying themselves for the challenges and demands of the workplace with in-house simulated work opportunities, volunteer placement, and supervised work placement.
	School Readiness: We help patients develop the skills needed to return to school and offer support and guidance as they start their educational placements.
	Social Skills Training: Individual and group sessions are offered to enhance communication and social skills.
	Social Support: The support of family and friends is essential for people attempting to recover from mental illness.  We work with family and friends to give them the guidance and help they need to be effective recovery support people.

Alice Medalia, Ph.D.
Director of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services

Thomas Smith, M.D.,
Director, Psychosis Assessment, Research, and Clinical Services

Tiffany Herlands, PsyD
Director of Rehabilitation Psychology Services, Columbia University Day Treatment Program

Betty Jeanne Kass, LCSW
Director, Columbia University Day Treatment Program

Anja Behm, LMSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Julie Kern, MSOTR
Senior Occupational Therapist

Fees for care at the Lieber Center are on a self-pay basis.

To schedule an appointment, make a referral, or for further information
please call 212-326-8441.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/
Columbia University Medical Center Eastside
16 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022