Getting Started

The Process

You've contacted me with questions about evaluation and treatment. Here’s what to expect:

PHONE INTRODUCTION

We'll have a short, 5 - 10 minute telephone conversation where I learn about the current problems that have led to you to contact me. I’ll collect basic information like birth dates, etc., about the child/teen/young adult and the family. I’ll answer essential questions about process, fees and insurance. We will set up the time for a first meeting which most often is with the parents only.

SCHEDULE FIRST MEETING

If we agree that I may help your family, we will meet at my office in Walnut Creek or virtually using Zoom. I'll email you a packet that includes more biographical and insurance questions, directions to my office, a protocol on how I like to use Zoom, insurance forms, and a short description of my professional career.

EVIDENCE-BASED, NON-DRUG INTERVENTIONS

While I have more than 40-years of experience prescribing psychiatric drugs to children, teenagers, and adults, I remain committed to fully exploring evidence-based, non-drug interventions (primarily working with the family and school) before implementing a medication intervention.

INITIAL MEETING/ DEVELOPMENT OF EVALUATION AND TREATMENT PLAN

I ask that both parents (including any non-primary custodial parent) be involved in the evaluation and treatment plan. Generally, I'll meet parents first for about an hour, then meet the child/teen with their family, and then meet with the child/teen alone one time.

FINDINGS AND TREATMENT

I meet in a summary and planning meeting with both parents (the child is generally included for part of that visit) where I present my findings and my suggestions for interventions.

Once the evaluation is complete, the parents, older children, teens and I will decide together if I will actively participate in any treatment plan we have agreed upon, which could include ongoing family/child counseling, medication management, and liaisoning with teachers and tutors.

GET STARTED TODAY

CONTACT DR DILLER