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.
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
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
Geetha Manikkara, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Geetha Manikkara, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Psychiatry
Lauren Nutile, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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
Eric Trinh, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Eric Trinh, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Stacy Wayne, M.D.
Assistant Professor
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
Allison Baylor Williams, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Allison Baylor Williams, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor
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
Chelsea Sawyers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Chelsea Sawyers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Carla Wall, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor
Carla Wall, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor
Jennifer Walter, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor
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 - Meghan Edwards, NP
Child and Adolescent - Ashley Fisher, NP
Child and Adolescent - James Fisher, NP
Child and Adolescent - Iveshia Ford, PA
Child and Adolescent - Adam Nichols, PA
Child and Adolescent - Taylor Wiggins, PA
Child and Adolescent
Behavioral Health Counselors
- Kimberly Anderson, VMAP
Child and Adolescent - Kathleen Cosco, LPC
Child and Adolescent - LaToya Cotman, LPC
Child and Adolescent - Jerard Elliott, LPC
Child Access - Brittany Fisher, LCSW
Child and Adolescent - Sandy Flemming, LCSW
Child and Adolescent - Chanel Hudson, LCSW
Child and Adolescent - Amber Jennings, LCSW
Child and Adolescent/CMHRC - Tammy Taylor-Musoke, LCSW, VMAP
Child and Adolescent