Child Psychiatrists in Los Angeles

14 child psychiatrists and clinics in Los Angeles

University, county and nonprofit clinics come first, then private practices from the Westside to the Valley, Pasadena, the South Bay and Long Beach. Many also see adults. The order isn’t a ranking.

1. 1

   UCLA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

   Westwood · 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 1200, Los Angeles, CA 90095

   Good for OCD, tics, mood disorders or a second opinion

   UCLA’s child and adolescent psychiatry division sees patients ages 1 to 17, from outpatient clinics to day programs and inpatient care. Specialty clinics cover anxiety, OCD and tics, bipolar disorder and depression (including second opinions), medication for ADHD and autism-related problems, and kids who also have a neurological condition such as epilepsy. Many are teaching clinics, where trainees see families under a faculty doctor’s supervision.

   • Ages 1–17
   • Anxiety, OCD and tic clinic: ages 5–17
   • Mood disorders clinic (CHAMP): ages 7–17
   • ABC day program for ages 6–12
   • Access Center: 800-825-9989

   uclahealth.org (opens their site)310-825-9989On Summerground

2. 2

   Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Psychiatry

   Torrance

   Good for South Bay families who can’t pay full price

   A public teaching hospital run by LA County together with UCLA’s medical school. Its on-site outpatient services include a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic, and it has an adolescent psychiatric emergency room, which the hospital notes is one of very few in the country. It serves a mostly lower-income, diverse population regardless of ability to pay, and its clinics use approaches from medication to CBT, DBT and trauma therapy.

   • LA County teaching hospital
   • Child and adolescent clinic on site
   • Adolescent psychiatric emergency room
   • Care regardless of ability to pay

   dhs.lacounty.gov (opens their site)On Summerground

3. 3

   Child and Family Guidance Center

   9650 Zelzah Ave, Northridge, CA 91325

   Good for Valley families who want a nonprofit clinic

   A nonprofit mental health agency for children and families in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys. Child psychiatrists do evaluations and medication monitoring alongside individual, family and group therapy. The center also works on school campuses and in families’ homes, including intensive in-home care for high-risk kids ages 1 to 22. Staff can help you enroll in Medi-Cal, and it offers bilingual Spanish and English support.

   • Nonprofit
   • Psychiatry plus therapy
   • School-based and in-home care
   • Help enrolling in Medi-Cal
   • Spanish and English

   childguidance.org (opens their site)818-739-5250On Summerground

4. 4

   Tash Mind Institute

   435 N Roxbury Dr, Suite 407, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

   Good for Families who want the same doctor every visit

   The practice of Peyman Tashkandi, DO, who is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both child and adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatry, and is a clinical assistant professor at USC’s Keck School of Medicine. He treats children, teens and adults in Beverly Hills, and the practice is set up so you see Dr. Tashkandi himself at every appointment, from the first evaluation on.

   • Double board-certified (ABPN)
   • USC Keck clinical faculty
   • Concierge practice
   • Children, teens and adults

   drtashkandi.com (opens their site)424-303-8188On Summerground

5. 5

   Jennifer Minami, MD

   Santa Monica

   Good for Therapy and medication from the same doctor

   A psychiatrist and psychotherapist trained at Columbia and Cornell, with dual board certification in adult and in child and adolescent psychiatry. She sees children, teens and adults for ADHD, anxiety, depression and trauma, and does therapy herself: psychodynamic therapy, CBT, EMDR, interpersonal therapy and family therapy. She holds an academic appointment at Loma Linda University and teaches psychiatry residents. Visits are in person in Santa Monica or by telehealth in California, New York and Connecticut.

   • Dual board-certified (ABPN)
   • Does therapy as well as medication
   • EMDR, CBT and family therapy
   • Telehealth in CA, NY and CT

   jenniferminamimd.com (opens their site)On Summerground

6. 6

   Ocean Bay Psychiatry

   Santa Monica

   A practice co-founded by two board-certified psychiatrists who specialize in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. Meghan Jain, MD, was chief fellow in child and adolescent psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA, and Francine Park, MD, was chief fellow in USC’s program. Both build treatment around the child’s home, school and family life; Dr. Park works with schools and other providers and puts weight on therapy alongside medication.

   • Two child and adolescent psychiatrists
   • Trained at Harbor-UCLA and USC
   • Works with schools and families

   oceanbaypsych.com (opens their site)213-315-4300On Summerground

7. 7

   Van Krasnov, MD

   Santa Monica

   Good for LGBTQ+ youth and their families

   A child psychiatrist in Santa Monica who treats children and teens for anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavior problems, autism spectrum disorders and trauma, and offers affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth and their families. Visits are in person or by telehealth anywhere in California. Dr. Krasnov handles all care himself and says he uses no AI tools for transcription or notes.

   • Children and teens
   • Autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression
   • LGBTQ+ affirming
   • Telehealth anywhere in California
   • No AI note-taking

   vankrasnovmd.com (opens their site)On Summerground

8. 8

   Adelpha Psychiatric Group

   Encino and Pasadena

   A psychiatry group with child psychiatrists in two offices. In Encino, Glenna Smith, MD, board-certified in adult and in child and adolescent psychiatry and trained at UCLA, treats mood, anxiety, eating and neurodevelopmental disorders, with a special interest in teens and young adults. In Pasadena, Rahael Gupta, MD, also double board-certified and UCLA-trained, treats anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD and autism with medication and therapy such as CBT and family-focused therapy.

   • Two double board-certified psychiatrists
   • Offices in Encino and Pasadena
   • Teens and young adults (Encino)
   • ADHD and autism (Pasadena)

   adelphapsych.com (opens their site)On Summerground

9. 9

   Maria Levine, MD

   18321 Ventura Blvd, Suite 955, Tarzana, CA 91356

   Good for Children with a medical illness and emotional needs

   A board-certified psychiatrist with a subspecialty in child and adolescent psychiatry who sees patients from early childhood to adulthood for anxiety, mood disorders, ADHD, OCD, trauma and psychiatric problems in medically ill children. A first evaluation for a child or teen takes 90 to 120 minutes in person; medication follow-ups run 30 or 45 minutes and therapy visits 50. Later visits can be by video. She has a second office on San Vicente Boulevard in LA.

   • Child evaluation: 90–120 minutes
   • First visits in person
   • Follow-ups by video possible
   • Second office on San Vicente Blvd

   drmarialevine.com (opens their site)424-209-7353On Summerground

10. 10

    Jenny Nguyen Psychiatry

    Online and Los Angeles

    Good for Families who prefer video visits

    Jenny Nguyen, MD, trained in child psychiatry at UCLA’s Semel Institute and was on the clinical faculty at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. She treats children, teens and young adults for ADHD, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, including patients who have several conditions at once. The practice is mostly virtual, covering California and four other states, with an in-person office in Los Angeles.

    • Children, teens and young adults
    • ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders
    • UCLA child psychiatry fellowship
    • Mostly video visits

    jennynguyenpsychiatry.com (opens their site)On Summerground

11. 11

    Mind Study Center

    Pasadena

    Good for Kids who may need testing as well as medication

    A Pasadena center whose board-certified child psychiatrists treat anxiety, depression and mood disorders, ADHD, autism, behavior and impulse-control problems, trauma, learning and developmental delays, and self-harm. Evaluations draw on medical history, developmental milestones and parents’ input, and treatment can be therapy, medication or both. The psychiatrists work with psychologists when a child needs neuropsychological or diagnostic testing, and give parents strategies for home and school.

    • Board-certified child psychiatrists
    • Therapy, medication or both
    • Works with psychologists on testing
    • Parents involved throughout

    mindstudycenter.com (opens their site)626-765-4045On Summerground

12. 12

    Anita Red, MD

    Pasadena

    Good for Complex mood, trauma or anxiety problems

    A Pasadena practice with three providers who see children, teens and adults from age 4 to 64, in person or by telehealth across California and New York. It focuses on complex cases, such as severe mood disorders, trauma, complex anxiety and depression, and describes its care as culturally sensitive. It’s a private-pay practice that doesn’t accept insurance.

    • Ages 4 to 64
    • Private pay only; no insurance
    • Telehealth in CA and NY

    anitaredmd.com (opens their site)On Summerground

13. 13

    Regeneration Psychiatry

    Redondo Beach and Mid-Wilshire · 2512 Artesia Blvd, Suite 320, Redondo Beach, CA 90278

    Good for Teens with OCD, mood problems or early psychosis

    A psychiatry group with board-certified adult and child psychiatrists and offices in Redondo Beach and on Wilshire Boulevard in Mid-Wilshire. Kate Kerr, MD, who trained in child and adolescent psychiatry at UCLA, focuses on teens and young adults with mood and anxiety disorders, OCD and early psychosis, and works closely with families. The practice takes several insurance plans; logos on its site include Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna and L.A. Care.

    • Takes several insurance plans
    • Offices in the South Bay and Mid-Wilshire
    • Teens and young adults (Dr. Kerr)

    regenerationpsych.com (opens their site)424-277-2899On Summerground

14. 14

    Children Psych

    Signal Hill (Long Beach) · 2599 E 28th St, Suite 206, Signal Hill, CA 90755

    A child and adolescent psychiatry practice whose Long Beach-area office is in Signal Hill, with other offices in Orange and Corona. It treats anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar disorder and ADHD with medication management and therapy, and also offers child ADHD testing, group therapy, neurofeedback and telehealth for kids and teens.

    • Medication management and therapy
    • Child ADHD testing
    • Group therapy
    • Telehealth for kids and teens

    childrenpsych.com (opens their site)888-588-7108On Summerground

Child psychiatrist or child psychologist?

Both treat children’s mental health, but their training and tools are different, and some kids see both.

• A child and adolescent psychiatrist is a medical doctor. After four years of medical school come at least three years of residency in medicine, neurology and general psychiatry, then two years of training with children, teens and their families. Psychiatrists diagnose, prescribe and manage medication, and some also do therapy.
• A child psychologist has a doctorate, usually a PhD or PsyD. Psychologists do therapy and psychological testing, such as evaluations for ADHD, autism and learning disabilities. Under California law, the practice of psychology doesn’t include prescribing drugs.
• A therapist with an LMFT or LCSW license has at least a master’s degree and does therapy, often for the same worries that bring families to a psychologist.

If your child mainly needs therapy, a psychologist or therapist is a good place to start, and a psychologist can also test to find out what’s going on. Bring in a psychiatrist when you’re wondering about medication, when a diagnosis is unclear, or when problems are severe or getting worse. Several psychiatrists on this list also do therapy themselves. For therapy and testing, see our guide to child psychologists in Los Angeles.

How to choose a child psychiatrist

Start with your pediatrician, who can suggest names and send records, and with your health plan’s directory. Then call a few offices and ask:

• Do you see children my child’s age, with problems like theirs (ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism)?
• Are you board-certified in child and adolescent psychiatry, and where did you train? You can check certification on the ABPN’s verifyCERT and a California doctor’s license on the Medical Board’s search.
• How long is the first evaluation, and who’s in the room? Some first evaluations on this list run 90 minutes or more.
• Do you do therapy, or only medication management? If only medication, will you work with my child’s therapist?
• With my consent, will you talk with the school, pediatrician or therapist?
• Are you in network with my plan? If not, what does a visit cost, and do you give a superbill?
• Can follow-ups be by video, and how do I reach you between visits?

What it costs and who pays

We didn’t find prices posted by the psychiatry practices on this list, so ask when you call. Here’s what California law says about coverage:

• Coverage. State-regulated health plans must cover medically necessary mental health treatment, and can’t charge you higher copays or deductibles for it than for physical care. When care isn’t available in network, they must arrange out-of-network coverage (DMHC).
• Wait times. Those plans must offer a non-urgent appointment with a specialist doctor, such as a psychiatrist, within 15 business days. If they can’t, they must help you get an appointment with another provider, in or out of network (DMHC).
• Out of network. You pay the practice, then send your plan a superbill for any out-of-network benefits. Ask what a first evaluation and follow-ups cost before you book.
• Private pay. Some practices take no insurance at all; Anita Red, MD, in Pasadena is one.

If your plan denies care or can’t find you a psychiatrist in time, call the plan and file a grievance. If that doesn’t fix it, call the California Department of Managed Health Care Help Center at 1-888-466-2219, which resolves complaints against health plans and helps members get timely care.

On Medi-Cal: the LA County DMH route

Medi-Cal covers mental health care for children, psychiatry included. There’s no wrong door: you can start with your health plan or with the county.

1. Call your Medi-Cal health plan, such as L.A. Care, Health Net or Kaiser Permanente, at the number on your card. Plans cover mental health evaluations and therapy, psychological testing when it’s clinically needed, psychiatric consultation and medication check-ins.
2. Or call the LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH) 24/7 Help Line at 800-854-7771. You’ll get a screening, then an appointment for an assessment with a county clinic or an agency DMH contracts with.
3. Or look up clinics yourself in the DMH Provider Directory.

For children and teens under 21, the county must provide medically necessary services, which for kids means anything that corrects, supports or improves a mental health condition. A child whose condition is linked to trauma, child welfare or juvenile justice involvement, or homelessness may also qualify. You don’t need a diagnosis to ask for help, some services can start while the assessment is underway, and your doctor, your child’s school or a family member can refer your child.

The county has to offer a first appointment within 10 business days of a non-urgent request, and an appointment with a psychiatrist within 15 business days.

Questions parents ask