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 Columbia Psychiatry Referral Line
The Columbia Psychiatry Department, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and New York State Psychiatric Institute offer a large number and diverse range of mental health services for both children and adults. These include a variety of inpatient and outpatient psychiatric clinics and programs; treatment in state-of-the-art research protocols offered at no cost; and treatment, consultations, and second opinions available in private practice offices with an array of outstanding clinicians on Columbia's faculty.
The Department of Psychiatry provides a Telephone Referral Service to help individuals obtain the services best suited to their particular needs. This dedicated call-center on our campus is staffed by clinical psychologists who can facilitate referrals to an appropriate clinic, program, or private clinician. Psychiatrists assist the referral line in evaluating complex situations and arranging for consultations and second opinions.
Availability
The Telephone Referral Service phone line – 212-305-6001 – is free 24 hours daily. A clinical psychologist answers the phone during regular working hours, Monday through Friday, from 9 AM - 5 PM. At other times, an answering service takes messages for the next working day. In an emergency, the answering service will contact a psychiatrist on-call for a brief telephone consultation. The service is intended to answer questions and give information to patients, their medical or psychiatric services providers, and/or concerned family members or friends.
Evaluation Process
The purpose of the intake evaluation is to obtain the essential clinical information needed to facilitate an appropriate referral. The intake evaluation will typically review current symptoms; any previous diagnosis; potential for violence or suicide; history of substance abuse; relevant medical problems; current medications; and history of previous psychiatric treatment. Financial information regarding insurance and personal resources will also be obtained to assist in making a referral that will suit each patient's circumstances.
Crisis Calls
Following the telephone evaluation by one of our psychologists, individuals in crisis can be given appointments within 24 - 48 hours at the Hospital's Crisis Service at the Intensive Outpatient Program. Patients may also be directed either to walk-in psychiatry clinics or emergency rooms within the community when appropriate. At night and on weekends, callers in crisis may be directed to an emergency room or put in contact with an on-call psychiatrist. For inpatient referrals, callers will be connected to our inpatient admission service, 212-305-2599.
Referral and Scheduling Procedure
The clinical psychologist at the Telephone Referral Service can directly schedule appointments for some of the hospital's clinics. In other cases, callers will be given the phone number of a clinic or program that best suits their needs, and asked to call directly to schedule a first visit. If a caller wishes to receive an evaluation, a consultation, or treatment from a clinician on our faculty in a private office setting, the Telephone Referral Service psychologist will conduct a brief assessment to determine the nature of the problem and then locate a faculty member with the appropriate training and expertise. The Telephone Referral Service psychologist will call back promptly with a referral, whom the patient can then contact directly.
Contact
For assistance, please call the Telephone Referral Service at 212-305-6001.
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