Psychological Resilience Program (PREP)

Compass Health Systems (CHS)

BIPOLAR CLINIC FOR YOUTH

7481 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Suite 100

Lauderhill, Fl 33319

(954) 771-7743

We are announcing the opening of a Bipolar Clinic for children and adolescents. Our goal is to provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment by an interdisciplinary team for youth with Bipolar Disorders. The clinic is located at the above address.

Many professionals are concerned about the impact of misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorders in children as recently reported by the warning from the National Institute of Mental Health about the use of stimulants and antidepressants with youth (e.g., stimulating Bipolar symptoms and suicide risks). Hence, there is a critical need to improve assessment of this disorder.

Parents of these children often encounter difficulties in gaining the multiple types of services that are needed due to many disorders that are typically comorbid with Bipolar Disorders. Our clinic includes board certified child psychiatrists from CHS, licensed child psychologist from PREP, and other staff such as substance abuse professionals who have specialized in Bipolar Disorders. Our team will provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for these children and adolescents.

An Information for Parents Handout is attached that describes the type of assessment and treatment plans that will be applied in our Bipolar Clinic. Please feel free to copy this handout and give it to parents when it is suspected that their child has a Bipolar Disorder. It provides parents with information about Bipolar Disorders in youth. This includes a summary of interventions for parents and the professional services that are needed to address the complex problems typically encountered by these children and their families.

Evidenced-Supported Facts about Treatment of Bipolar Disorders in Youth

· Treatments should be based on an accurate assessment of the type of Bipolar and Comorbid Disorders present in addition to a differential diagnosis of a Bipolar versus other disorders and rule-outs such as medical conditions.

· A sequence of treatments should be established with mood stabilizing medications and substance abuse, if also present, as the first priority. Follow-up psychological intervention such as youth and parent education has been found to be helpful.

· Poor outcomes often result from not treating the frequent Comorbid Disorders that are typically present in youth with Bipolar Disorders such as ADHD, Oppositional-Defiant, Conduct, Anxiety, and Substance Abuse Disorders.

· Follow-up treatment of Comorbid Disorders should be planned in a sequence depending on the severity of the Comorbid Disorders.

· Cognitive-behavioral treatment should be initially attempted for comorbid disorders.

· A team of mental health staff is needed to provide a comprehensive treatment plan that matches the needs of youth for all settings.

Services Provided at the Bipolar Clinic

· Each child will receive an initial assessment by Joseph D. Perry, Ph.D., ABPP or an associate psychologist to plan the assessments and services to be provided.

· A new parent and teacher rating scale, the Bipolar and Related Disorders Scale for Youth (BARDSY), was developed by Dr. Perry will be used in the clinic. Recent research supports its use for identifying the specific types of Bipolar Disorders that a child may have. The scale also helps discriminate Bipolar from other disorders as well as identifying major comorbid disorders. Other assessments will also be used as needed for each individual child. It is critical to have this type of information for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

· For those identified as having a Bipolar Disorder, referral to Dr. Sohail Punjwani or an associate psychiatrist for a psychiatric examination will be provided with treatment planning for the first treatment priority of stabilizing mood swings.

· Children who need assessments and services for problems that often occur for these youth such as substance abuse, juvenile court involvement, and school failure will be provided with referral to professionals at the clinic who could address these problems.

· Patient and Parent Education about Bipolar Issues, Relapse Prevention, Managing Stress, and Crisis services will be offered to parents as needed. This psychosocial service is described in the attached Parent Handout and was found to have evidence in promoting positive outcomes for Bipolar youth.

· Workshops about Bipolar Disorders are available are for parents and mental health professionals.

Professional Background of the Bipolar Clinic Directors

Dr. Sohail Punjwani is the vice president and medical director of Compass Health Systems and has an extensive background in outpatient, inpatient and consultation settings. He is Florida board certified in Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is currently the medical director of Adolescent Services & Partial Hospitalization Services at Fort Lauderdale Hospital. He also serves as Physician Advisor for Florida Medical Center and as Medical Director for Elaine Gordon Treatment Center. In addition, Dr. Punjwani has served as a Primary and Sub-primary Investigator in over 10 Clinical Studies. Dr. Punjwani is a graduate of the Dow Medical College/Civil Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. He completed his training at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital where he did his internship, residency and a two-year fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Dr. Joseph D. Perry is the director of PREP and is a Florida licensed psychologist. He has over 20 years of professional experience of providing services to youth in community mental health centers, hospitals, schools, private practice, and in juvenile justice. He has been a professor of psychology at Barry University, the University of Akron, and the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. His published research has been focused on children’s mental health. He recently developed the BARDSY and has presented workshops about how to use this assessment for diagnosing Bipolar Disorders to national and state professional groups. Dr. Perry received his Ph.D. from Kent State University and completed a post-doctoral internship with specialization in pediatric psychology at Tod Children’s Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology and is listed in the National Register Health Providers in Psychology.

For referral of a child or adolescent with a suspected bipolar disorder to our clinic, please call the office or have the parents call the office at (954) 771-7743. If you have questions about the clinic, please contact Dr. Perry at (954) 661-5974.