Psychiatric care is the medical side of mental health treatment — evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management for conditions affecting mood, thinking, and behavior. At Cedar Hill Behavioral Health in Southborough, psychiatric care is delivered by board-certified psychiatric prescribers and is fully integrated with the therapy and program services we provide.
This page describes what psychiatric care at Cedar Hill includes, who provides it, what conditions we treat, and what to expect from your first appointment.
What psychiatric care at Cedar Hill includes
Our psychiatric services for adults cover three areas:
- Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. A 60-minute assessment covering presenting concerns, medical and psychiatric history, current functioning, prior treatment, current medications, and treatment goals. The evaluation produces a working diagnosis (or a refined diagnosis if you’ve been treated before) and a treatment plan.
- Medication management. When medication is part of your treatment plan, your prescriber works with you on starting, adjusting, monitoring, and — when appropriate — tapering medication. Follow-up appointments are typically 20 to 30 minutes, with frequency determined by the medication, the condition, and how treatment is progressing.
- Coordination with your therapist. Psychiatric care at Cedar Hill is designed to work alongside therapy, not in isolation. With your consent, your prescriber and therapist communicate about your progress and adjust the overall plan together.
Who provides psychiatric care
Psychiatric care at Cedar Hill is provided by board-certified psychiatric prescribers — psychiatrists and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs). PMHNPs are advanced-practice nurses who have completed graduate-level training specifically in psychiatry; in Massachusetts they have full prescriptive authority including for controlled substances.
Our medical reviewer, Matthew Howe, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with specialization in PTSD, mood, anxiety, and personality disorders.
We treat adults only. Patients seeking pediatric or adolescent psychiatric care will be referred to specialty providers.
Conditions we treat
Our prescribers treat the full range of adult mental health conditions, including:
- Major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder
- Anxiety disorders — generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety
- Bipolar disorder (when stabilized; acute mania requires inpatient care first)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma-related conditions
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and other personality disorders
- Mood disorders more broadly
What we don't treat in our outpatient setting
Being explicit about scope of practice is part of clinically responsible care:
- Active psychosis or untreated schizophrenia typically requires inpatient stabilization before outpatient psychiatric care is appropriate. We can help arrange referrals.
- Active suicidal crisis is an indication for emergency assessment, not an outpatient appointment. If you’re in crisis, call 988 or go to your nearest emergency room. Once stabilized, ongoing psychiatric care can be part of your aftercare.
- Substance use disorder as a primary concern is treated by specialized addiction programs. Cedar Hill is a mental health treatment center; we don’t provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid or alcohol use disorder.
- Children and adolescents are referred to providers specializing in those age groups.
What to expect from your first appointment
A first psychiatric appointment is longer and more thorough than typical follow-ups. Plan for approximately 60 minutes. Your prescriber will:
- Ask about the symptoms or concerns that brought you in, and how they’ve affected your life
- Review your psychiatric history, including any prior diagnoses, medications, hospitalizations, or therapy
- Review your medical history and current medications, including over-the-counter and supplements
- Discuss family psychiatric history where relevant
- Discuss your treatment goals — what you want to feel different, what you want to be able to do
- Review the working diagnosis and proposed treatment plan with you, including whether medication is part of it
If medication is recommended, your prescriber will explain the rationale, expected benefits, common side effects, monitoring needs, and what alternatives exist. Decisions about whether to start, change, or discontinue any medication remain yours.
Ongoing medication management
If you’re started on medication, follow-up appointments are typically scheduled at one to four weeks initially, then less frequently as you stabilize. Each appointment reviews symptoms, side effects, functioning, and any concerns. Adjustments — dose changes, augmenting agents, or switching medications — are made collaboratively.
For some medications and patient situations, more frequent monitoring is required (for example, lithium levels, certain ADHD medications, or early phases of antidepressant or mood stabilizer treatment). Your prescriber will explain the specific monitoring schedule that applies to you.
How psychiatric care fits within our levels of care
Cedar Hill provides three levels of outpatient mental health care, and psychiatric services are available at every level.
| Level of care | Schedule | Role of psychiatric care |
|---|---|---|
| Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) | 5 days per week | Frequent psychiatric contact integrated into the daily program; on-site medication management |
| Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) | 3–4 days per week, ~3 hours per session | Psychiatric evaluation and follow-ups scheduled within or alongside program hours |
| Outpatient Program (OP) | Weekly individual sessions, optional group | Standalone psychiatric appointments coordinated with weekly therapy |
You can also receive psychiatric care at Cedar Hill while doing therapy with another provider, with appropriate communication between the two.
Insurance and same-day admissions
Cedar Hill accepts most major commercial insurance plans, including Aetna, Anthem, Beacon, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Cigna, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts Health Plan, and UMR. Our admissions team verifies your benefits before your first appointment, including any prior authorization required for psychiatric evaluations or specific medications.
For appropriate candidates, we offer same-day admissions. Calling our admissions line in the morning typically allows for an intake assessment the same day or the next business morning.
Patients without insurance can discuss self-pay options with our admissions team.
Why patients choose Cedar Hill for psychiatric care
- Mental health specialty. Cedar Hill treats mental health conditions exclusively. Our prescribers aren’t dividing their attention across substance use programming.
- Integrated with therapy. Psychiatric care here works alongside individual therapy, group therapy, and the broader treatment program. Coordination between prescriber and therapist isn’t an afterthought; it’s part of the model.
- Three coordinated levels of care. If your symptoms intensify and weekly outpatient psychiatry isn’t enough, you can move into IOP or PHP without changing prescribers or starting your psychiatric record over.
- Veteran-owned, with experience treating PTSD and trauma-related conditions.
- Located in Southborough, MA, accessible from MetroWest, Worcester, and Boston via I-90 and I-495.
Get started
If you’re considering psychiatric care for yourself or someone you care about, the next step is a phone call.
Call (508) 310-4580 to speak with our admissions team about scheduling an evaluation, or use our free insurance verification form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a psychiatrist and a therapist?
A psychiatric prescriber (psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner) is medically trained to evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe medications for mental health conditions. A therapist provides psychotherapy — individual or group counseling — but doesn’t prescribe medication. At Cedar Hill, our prescribers and therapists work together when medication and therapy are both indicated.
Will I have to take medication if I see your psychiatric prescriber?
No. Our prescribers conduct evaluations and discuss treatment options. Medication is one option, not a requirement. Many patients are evaluated and choose to pursue therapy alone, or to delay starting medication. The decision to start, change, or stop any medication remains yours.
How long are psychiatric appointments?
Initial evaluations are typically 60 minutes. Follow-up medication management appointments are usually 20 to 30 minutes. The frequency of follow-ups depends on the medication, the condition being treated, and how well treatment is progressing.
Can I see a Cedar Hill psychiatric prescriber while doing therapy elsewhere?
Yes, with appropriate communication between providers. Coordinated care between your therapist and prescriber generally produces better outcomes than treatment in isolation, so we’ll ask for permission to communicate with your outside therapist when relevant.
Will my insurance cover psychiatric care at Cedar Hill?
Cedar Hill accepts most major commercial insurance plans. Coverage details vary by plan and service type. Our admissions team will verify your benefits before your first appointment, including any prior authorization required for psychiatric evaluations or specific medications.
What conditions does your psychiatric team treat?
Our psychiatric prescribers treat the full range of adult mental health conditions, including major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, and personality disorders.
Making a Referral?
To make a referral to one of our programs, please contact us at (508) 310-4580. We are here to answer any questions you may have about the process and provide additional support for those seeking treatment. Our team will work with you to ensure your loved one receives the care they need.
Payment for Care
Cedar Hill works with and accepts many insurance plans. Coverage depend on your specific policy and the length of the program. We are committed to making treatment accessible and will guide you through the financial process to ensure you fully understand all available options before starting care.
Medical Reviewer
Matthew Howe, PMHNP-BC
Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Philosophy (Summa Cum Laude) from Plymouth State University, and MSN degrees from Rivier and Herzing Universities. Specializing in PTSD, mood, anxiety, and personality disorders, with expertise in psychodynamic therapy, psychopharmacology, and addiction treatment. I emphasize medication as an adjunct to psychotherapy and lifestyle changes.
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