Our dedicated team of experts

Our team of specialists, including psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals, all work together at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to provide coordinated care for every patient. These specialists are experts at helping kids and their families cope with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and other depressive or disruptive mood disorders.

Our team collaborates with your family to develop the best treatment plan for your child, taking into account the unique aspects of their mood difficulties as well as your family’s circumstances.

A place to turn

Many families come to us seeking second or third opinions when their child has been unable to find help or make progress elsewhere. Our team is equipped to evaluate and care for even the most challenging mood disorders.

Attention to detail

Our comprehensive, structured diagnostic evaluation sets us apart from other programs. At your child's first visit, you can expect to spend four hours with us. This detailed assessment helps us gather all the information we need to devise the best plan of care for your child.

In addition to looking at mood and behavioral symptoms, we also pay close attention to medical conditions and symptoms that may resemble one thing but are caused by something entirely different. Our experience helps us recognize when symptoms that look like depression might actually be related to a medical condition or side effects from medication.

Family-centered care

We recognize that mood disorders affect not only the child with the condition but the entire family. We focus on the experience of your whole family by involving everyone in the evaluation process and treatment planning.

The time spent individually with each family member during your child’s evaluation appointment helps us establish trusted relationships with both your child and the rest of your family.

A supportive network

With your permission, we work closely with schools and community providers to ensure your child is supported in every aspect of life. We also maintain open lines of communication with your child’s school psychologist, guidance counselors, teachers, primary care physician, and other community healthcare providers.