Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

This subspecialty department specializes in outpatient services for children and adolescents facing mental health and substance use concerns, with age-appropriate care.

About

Program Overview

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry cares for children and adolescents who may have atypical development, need help adjusting to significant stresses, or may be experiencing the onset of mental illnesses or substance use disorders. Outpatient services are available in Roanoke and the New River Valley. Our inpatient unit, located in Roanoke, serves children ages 5-17.

Virginia Tech Carilion Partnership

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) formed out of an innovative public-private partnership with Virginia Tech. Together, we are working to transform mental health care by educating the physician leaders of tomorrow. VTCSOM uses a patient-centered curriculum designed to develop physicians who can take research from the lab to patient treatment. Students learn, train and work side by side with Carilion’s highly experienced psychiatry staff.

Mission, Goals and Strengths

Our mission is to advance the mental and physical health of our communities, and to become an internationally recognized pioneer of clinical excellence through the dedicated integration of education, discovery and recovery. The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry will provide excellent care for children and families coping with mental illnesses and developmental disorders. Our faculty will create an environment of inquiry which fosters the education of future leaders in child psychiatry by leading in clinical care, research and education.

Message from Leadership

Welcome and thank you for your interest in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine's division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. We are grateful that Carilion Clinic’s community has trusted us with the care of their families. We strive to care for every patient in our community with kindness and excellence. Patient care is always our first priority.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's center of focus is collaborative patient care, and we work constantly to educate, train and improve our methods by means of education and the latest treatment. We have residents and medical students who are trained annually on clinical rotations.

Our physician leaders are heavily involved in research on autism, attention-deficit disorder, anxiety and mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and learning disorders.

Moving forward, we will continue to provide collaborative care and support Carilion's mission of improving the health of the communities we serve.

Explore our website to learn about our many offerings and opportunities in patient care, education and research.

Felicity Adams, MD - Curriculum Vitae

"I work with children and families to encourage healthy development. I may suggest therapies, medication, or both. I strive to engage families in treatment planning."

Felicity Adams-Vanke, MD

Felicity Adams-Vanke, MD, director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

View Profile

Department specs

Program Size

  • 7 child and adolescent psychiatrists
  • 1 child psychologist
  • 4 child and adolescent psychiatry fellows

Quality Measures

  • Peer chart review
  • Environment of care
  • Quality and inter-professionalism committee to oversee and monitor quality needs and improvements

Services

  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry diagnostic assessments
  • Medication management
  • Psychotherapy
  • Clinical social work
  • Inpatient therapy
  • Outpatient therapy
  • Grief and loss services
  • Medication therapy
  • Telemedicine
  • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
  • Pediatric sleep consultation
  • Problem-solving therapy

Clinical Interests

  • Autism
  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Mood disorders
  • Learning disorders

Conditions Treated

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism and developmental disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Early life stress and traumas
  • Mood disorders
  • Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
  • Eating disorders
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Gender identity concerns
  • Learning problems
  • Sleep disorder
  • Child and adolescent behavioral issues

Specialties within Department

  • Outpatient psychotherapy and counseling services
  • Inpatient care (ages 9-17)
  • Gender identity concerns
  • Grief and loss
  • Substance use disorder
  • Collaborative care
  • Telemedicine

Areas We Serve

  • Roanoke Valley
  • New River Valley
  • Daleville

Research

We have research collaborations with the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and also have participated in several clinical trials of medications to treat psychiatric illnesses in children. Some of our researchers focus on factors that enhance resilience in children and families, with a goal to improve our ability to prevent or lessen the effects of mental illness.

Education

Overview

Residency and fellowship trainees at Carilion Clinic-Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) receive a superior education. Our network of hospitals, along with our primary and specialty physician practices, provides ample opportunities to gain hands-on clinical experience in an academic setting. Learn more about our Graduate Medical Education programs.

Visit the Psychiatry Residency page by clicking here. 

Visit the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship page by clicking here. 

FAQs

Programs

  • Adolescent Substance Abuse Program
  • Center for Grief and Healing
  • Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders Clinic
  • Pediatric Sleep Consultation Clinic