Data from the National Institute of Mental Health reveals that one in five children will experience a serious mental illness. As the field of pediatric mental health care evolves, we in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry are proud to be at the forefront of evidence-based patient care, innovative research and robust training for the next generation of health care professionals.
We strive to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health by normalizing psychological and psychiatric care, educating the community and making services available and accessible to all patients and their families, regardless of socioeconomic backgrounds.
Faculty in our growing division provide compassionate, highly specialized care for the children of Central Virginia and their families in outpatient areas such as the following:
- Anxiety disorders
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders
- Behavior disorders
- Mood disorders
- Psychotic disorders
- Developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders
- Psychological needs related to chronic illness
- Trauma-related disorders
Our multidisciplinary approach involves close collaboration with experts in adjacent fields such as psychology, pediatrics, social work, nursing and pharmacy, among others. For patients with acute needs, we provide the following inpatient services:
- Crisis stabilization through behavioral and pharmacologic interventions
- Educational services
- Individual, group and family psychotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Recreational therapy
Explore our state-of-the-art facilities at the Virginia Treatment Center for Children.
Outpatient Consult Clinic
The Outpatient Consult Clinic (OCC) is an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) led psychiatric consultation service for families who need to be seen in a timely manner. The OCC's goal is to provide a psychiatric assessment, resources, and recommendations and help families who are concerned about a change in their child's presentation or worsening symptoms.
Call the OCC today: 804-828-3137
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VTCC Group Offerings
LGBTQIA+ Parent Support Group
LGBTQIA+ Peer Support Group
LGBTQIA+ Therapeutic Peer Support Group
Groups are held every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Registration is required
Call 804-828-3137 to register.
Education
Psychiatry Residency
During PGY-1, residents spend six months rotating off-service on internal medicine, emergency medicine and neurology, and those with an interest in child and adolescent psychiatry may spend one to three blocks in pediatrics instead of internal medicine.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Accredited by the ACGME, our two-year pediatric psychiatry fellowship provides extensive training in the delivery of psychiatric care for children and their families. he program includes experiences in acute inpatient hospitalization, outpatient clinical treatment, including specialty clinics, consultation-liaison experiences and community collaborative programs.
Pre-Doctoral Clinical Child Psychology Internship
Accredited by the American Psychological Association on Accreditation, this one-year program at the VTCC provides training in a continuum of care for treating children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. With four-month rotations and a strong emphasis on didactics and culturally competent care, the internship prepares trainees for careers in clinical psychology.
Learn more about the internship ⟶
Social Work Internship
The Virginia Treatment Center for Children serves as a field placement site for the VCU School of Social Work, accepting graduate social work students during their concentration year. Students are part of the interdisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and therapists who work to stabilize children in psychiatric crisis.
Learn more about VCU School of Social Work field placements →
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Ekaterina Stepanova, M.D.
Associate Professor
Division Chief

Ekaterina Stepanova, M.D.
Associate Professor
Division Chief
Department of Psychiatry
Associate Professor

Kelsey Delph, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Kelsey Delph, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Robert Findling, M.D., M.B.A.
Department Chair

Robert Findling, M.D., M.B.A.
Department Chair
Department of Psychiatry
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Kathryn Jones, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Kathryn Jones, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Mudit Kumar, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Mudit Kumar, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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Geetha Manikkara, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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Geetha Manikkara, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Psychiatry
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Lauren Nutile, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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Dorothy O’Keefe, M.D.
Associate Professor

Dorothy O’Keefe, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Email: Dorothy.OKeefe@vcuhealth.org

Parna Prajapati, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Parna Prajapati, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Muhammad Raza, M.D.
Associate Professor

Muhammad Raza, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Dimal Shah, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Dimal Shah, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Neil Sonenklar, M.D.
Associate Professor

Neil Sonenklar, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Aradhana Sood, M.D.
Professor

Aradhana Sood, M.D.
Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics
Senior Professor of Child Mental Health Policy

Andrew Thompson, DO
Assistant Professor

Andrew Thompson, DO
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Eric Trinh, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Eric Trinh, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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Stacy Wayne, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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Child and Adolescent Psychology

Jarrod Leffler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Division Chief

Jarrod Leffler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Division Chief
Department of Psychiatry
Associate Professor
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Allison Baylor Williams, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
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Allison Baylor Williams, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor

Alyssa Button Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Alyssa Button Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Paige Cervantes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Paige Cervantes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry

Michele Cosby, PsyD
Assistant Professor

Michele Cosby, PsyD
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child & Adolescent Psychology Division Chair - Interim
Assistant Professor

Anh-Thuy Le, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Anh-Thuy Le, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor

Stella Lopez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Affiliate Faculty

Stella Lopez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Affiliate Faculty
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor
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Chelsea Sawyers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
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Chelsea Sawyers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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Carla Wall, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor
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Carla Wall, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor
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Jennifer Walter, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor
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Jennifer Walter, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor

Anna Wright, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Anna Wright, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Professor
Advanced Practice Professionals
- Rebecca Bowers, NP
Child and Adolescent - Deborah Crutchfield, NP
Child and Adolescent - Opeyemi Dada, NP
Child and Adolescent - Meghan Edwards, NP
Child and Adolescent - Jerard Elliott, LPC
Child and Adolescent - Ashley Fisher, NP
Child and Adolescent - James Fisher, NP
Child and Adolescent - Iveshia Ford, PA
Child and Adolescent - Kathryn Miles, NP
Child and Adolescent - Adam Nichols, PA
Child and Adolescent - Taylor Wiggins, PA
Child and Adolescent
Behavioral Health Counselors
- Kimberly Anderson, VMAP
Child and Adolescent - Cassandra Bowes, LPC
Child and Adolescent - LaToya Cotman, LPC
Child and Adolescent - Jerard Elliott, LPC
Child and Adolescent - Brittany Fisher, LCSW
Child and Adolescent - Sandy Flemming, LCSW
Child and Adolescent - Amber Jennings, LCSW
Child and Adolescent/CMHRC - Tammy Taylor-Musoke, LCSW, VMAP
Child and Adolescent