UCH Psychiatry Outpatient Service
Schizophrenia Specialty Clinic
For Patients
The Schizophrenia Specialty Clinic is open to all adults who are patients of the UCH outpatient clinic. The clinic also accepts patients referred by their psychiatrists in the community.
Hours of Operation
Mondays 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Contact Tanjala wilson at 303-724-1005 to request an evaluation.
What to Expect
First Appointment: The patient’s first appointment at the Schizophrenia Specialty Clinic takes about two hours. During this visit, patients will be asked questions about their past and current psychiatric and medical symptoms and treatment to help determine a diagnosis, a problem list and a patient-centered course of treatment.
Treatment: Under the supervision of a University of Colorado faculty psychiatrist, a psychiatry resident (the treating physician) will work with the patient to design a specialized treatment plan based on the type and severity of current symptoms and their impact on daily functioning. In addition, the treatment plan will consider medical problems that may affect the patient’s health or well-being. The plan may include further diagnostic tests, gathering additional information from previous treatment providers or family members, prescription medication and psychotherapy. To assist in the best possible medication management, a walk-in clinic for blood draws for laboratory monitoring and delivery of injectable medications is available. Patients and family members will be offered education about schizophrenia and support to help in living with this illness. The focus will be on recovery and wellness and the development of action plans toward these goals. Group therapies are currently offered for social skills development and life skills. Other types of groups for schizophrenia will be offered in the future.
Physicians and Staff
The Schizophrenia Clinic is directed by Dr. Ann Olincy, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Olincy specializes in the treatment of schizophrenia and supervises psychiatry residents in consultations, evaluations, medication and psychotherapies specific to schizophrenia.
How to Get a Referral
If a physician is interested in referring a patient, he or she should contact Tanjala Wilson at 303-724-1005 to alert her to the referral. The physician should then instruct the patient to contact Ms. Wilson directly to schedule an evaluation and to mention the name of the referring physician. Patients may also contact Ms. Wilson to request an evaluation in the Schizophrenia Clinic without a physician’s referral.
For Medical Professionals
The Schizophrenia Clinic utilizes evidence-based biological and psychotherapeutic treatments including group therapy.
Patient Assessment
The initial schizophrenia evaluation takes two hours. Patients are thoroughly assessed for all symptoms of schizophrenia and for other Axis I disorders, with special attention to the most common co-morbid conditions seen with schizophrenia. These include mood disorders, substance abuse, substance dependence and anxiety disorders. After a precise clinical diagnosis has been made, specific rating scales are used to assess the severity of the disorder and to monitor treatment progress over time.
Treatment
Treatment plans are staged based on co-morbidity profiles. Psychiatry residents provide psychopharmacologic treatments, monitoring progress of improvement over time using standardized measures.
Patients are also provided with psycho-education and support groups for their illness. In addition, psychology interns are also involved in providing evidence-based psychotherapies including specific cognitive behavioral therapies, psychological testing and neuropsychological testing.
Physician Consultations
The clinic provides consultations to psychiatrists in the community. These consultations take place over two to three sessions and result in a consultative report and recommendations to the clinician. Physicians and patients may request consultations by contacting Tanjala Wilson at 303-724-1005.
Community Involvement
The Schizophrenia Clinic has a strong relationship with NAMI, Colorado and refers to their programs of Family to Family education and Wellness Recovery Action Plan in education and treatment of patients and family members.
Education
The director of the clinic has a defined curriculum including a web based didactic session supporting evidence-based treatments, individual and group supervision, research opportunities and electives.
Psychiatry residents will be knowledgeable in identifying the symptoms of psychotic disorders, differentiating these disorders, and identifying co-morbidities. They will be familiar with evidence-based psychotherapies and the efficacy of these treatments for schizophrenia. This will include, but not be limited to individual and group cognitive behavioral therapy, assertive community treatment and supportive psychotherapy.
Faculty
Dr. Ann Olincy, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, provides oversight and clinical direction to the specialty clinic. Dr. Olincy will supervise psychiatry residents in consultations, evaluations, psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic treatments specific to schizophrenia.
