There is currently a severe shortage of child psychiatrists nationwide. Charlottesville is no exception. Many patients are waiting months to years to see a doctor. Take a look at this map:
All the areas in dark blue have ZERO child psychiatrists. As you can see, that’s most of the country. Even areas in red, the best ranking, have severe shortages. Los Angeles, for example, only has 7 child psychiatrists per 100,000 children, about half of Charlottesville’s 14 per 100,000.
Also, even the best count of child psychiatrists are not accurate. These are typically done by reviewing the number of active license holders in a state. Unfortunately, many doctors have moved or retired, but still hold active licenses. Also, a very large percentage of child psychiatrists (possibly > 50%) work less than 40 hours a week.
My hope is that my practice, Treehouse Child Psychiatry, will help with this shortage. Having grown up in Charlottesville, I care deeply about my community and want to help children in our area grow up free from the struggles of mental illness. I hope to do my small part to alleviate the severe shortage of mental health providers for children in our area and appreciate your support as we begin this journey.
