Starting care, step by step
We're glad you're considering Shanti Mental Health Center. Starting psychiatric treatment is a meaningful step, and we want the process of joining our practice to feel straightforward and supported from the beginning.
This page walks you through exactly what to expect — from your first contact with our office all the way through your ongoing care. If you have questions at any point, our office manager is happy to help.
Reaching out
The first step is simply getting in touch. You can contact us in one of two ways:
In your message or call, simply let us know you're interested in becoming a patient, whether you're seeking care for yourself or your child, and a brief description of what brings you in. You don't need to share detailed clinical information at this stage.
Intake screening
After you reach out, our office manager will follow up with you directly. During this brief intake conversation, we'll collect some basic demographic information and ask a few questions about your clinical history and what you're hoping to address in treatment.
This step helps us confirm that Shanti Mental Health Center is the right fit for your needs. We are an outpatient psychiatric practice, and some presentations are better served by a higher level of care or a different type of specialist. If that's the case, we will do our best to point you in the right direction.
If we are a good fit, we'll move forward with scheduling and onboarding. There is no cost associated with this intake screening conversation.
During the intake screening you can expect questions about: the primary reason you're seeking care, any prior psychiatric or therapy history, current medications, and basic insurance or payment preferences. This is a conversation, not a clinical evaluation — you don't need to prepare anything in advance.
Welcome & account setup
Once we've confirmed you're a good fit for our practice, our office manager will collect your credit card information over the phone. This card is stored securely through our HIPAA-compliant payment processor and will be used for your session fee or insurance copay at the time of each appointment, as well as any remaining balance after your insurance processes your claim.
You'll then receive a welcome email with instructions for setting up two tools we use to communicate with and care for our patients:
DrChrono — your health record & patient portal
DrChrono is our electronic health record and patient portal system. You'll use it to complete your new patient forms and clinical questionnaires before your first appointment, view your health records, request appointments, and manage your care. Patients access DrChrono through the OnPatient app or at onpatient.com.
Spruce Health — secure messaging
Spruce Health is the secure messaging app we use to communicate with our patients outside of appointments. You can use Spruce to send non-urgent messages to our office, receive appointment reminders and clinical communications, and stay connected with your care team between visits. Spruce is available as a free app on iOS and Android.
Your welcome email will include step-by-step instructions for both DrChrono and Spruce. We recommend setting up both accounts as soon as you receive the welcome email so you have time to complete your intake paperwork before your appointment.
Completing your paperwork
Before your first appointment, you'll be asked to complete a set of intake forms and clinical questionnaires through the DrChrono patient portal. These include your consent documents, financial agreement, and standardized rating scales that help your provider understand your symptoms and history before you meet for the first time.
Completing these forms ahead of your appointment allows your provider to come prepared and makes the best use of your time together. We recommend completing them at least 24–48 hours before your appointment.
If you would prefer to complete your paperwork on paper rather than online, please let us know when you schedule your appointment. Plan to come at least 30 minutes early — paper forms will be ready for you when you arrive.
Your first appointment
Your first appointment will be a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Your provider will review your history, discuss your current symptoms and goals, and begin developing a treatment plan tailored to your needs. For pediatric patients, a parent or guardian will be an important part of this first meeting. First appointments are 60 minutes for both adult and pediatric patients.
Payment at your appointment
- Self-pay patients will be charged the full session fee ($300 for evaluations; $225 for psychotherapy; $150 for medication follow-ups).
- Insurance patients will be charged their copay, coinsurance, or applicable deductible amount at check-in.
- After your insurance processes your claim, any remaining balance will be charged to the same card on file. You will receive a statement before any post-insurance charges are applied.
What to bring
- A valid photo ID
- Your insurance card (if using insurance)
- A list of current medications and dosages, including supplements
- Any relevant prior records, evaluations, or reports you'd like your provider to review
Ongoing care
After your first appointment, your provider will recommend a follow-up schedule based on your individual treatment plan. Ongoing care at Shanti Mental Health Center typically involves psychiatric medication management and, where appropriate, individual psychotherapy.
Scheduling follow-up appointments
Your next appointment can be scheduled at the end of your visit or at any time through the OnPatient app or onpatient.com. Our office manager is also available to assist with scheduling by phone or through Spruce.
Prescription management & regular visits
If your treatment includes psychiatric medication, regular follow-up appointments are required for ongoing prescriptions. Controlled substances require an in-person appointment for renewal and cannot be refilled by phone or portal message. Please allow a minimum of three to five business days for all prescription refill requests.
Certain psychiatric medications — including mood stabilizers and some antipsychotics — require periodic laboratory monitoring to ensure safe and effective dosing. If your medication requires blood work, your provider will let you know what to expect and how often testing is needed.
Get in touch
Reach out by email or phone and our office manager will be in touch within one business day.