Compass Health Center staff provide mental health care expertise for news and media platforms nationwide.
For Immediate Release: This strategic appointment reinforces our commitment to specialized treatment in OCD, Trauma, Mood and Substance Use Disorders for Maryland residents.
Wednesday, September 25, Silver Spring, Maryland – Compass Health Center is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Chad Wetterneck as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Development and Excellence. With over two decades of distinguished leadership and expertise in mental health care, Dr. Wetterneck will play a pivotal role in advancing Compass Health Center’s clinical training programs and in strengthening the delivery of specialized care to patients throughout the region.
"Partnering with the AFSP Chicagoland Out of the Darkness Walk is deeply meaningful to Compass Health Center," said Claudia Welke, M.D., Co-Founder of Compass Health Center. "This event not only raises awareness and funds but also unites communities in honoring loved ones and advocating for suicide prevention. By walking together as an organization, we demonstrate our commitment to making a difference and underscore the importance of collective action in addressing this critical issue. True to our mission, we believe that early intervention through immediate access to specialized care not only changes lives but saves lives."
First-day-of-school jitters are normal for students returning to a new school year but what should parents do if it gets more than just the butterflies in their stomach? On a Monday edition of Fox45 Morning News, Tom Rodgers spoke with Dr. Marissa Leslie, Physician at Compass Health to talk about this year's challenges. she says the best way to detect these issues in changes in their behavior.
Navigating screen use and social media for youth and families can feel overwhelming. A top priority for parents is safety, but the online world often feels full of unknowns. Our Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Claudia Welke, MD, was invited to speak with Dina Bair and Katharin Czink on WGN9 Chicago about treating screen dependency.
Compass Health Center today announces positive results of an extensive analysis of data from more than 2,300 patients, focusing on the reported frequency and severity of their symptoms of depression and anxiety. This analysis clarifies the specific lengths of treatment that yield the greatest symptom reduction for patients suffering from depression and anxiety.
Compass Health Center is proud to announce that they are now in-network with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS). This relationship will increase access for CareFirst commercial members to essential mental health resources and specialists across the region and provide immediate behavioral health services for CareFirst members across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.
Compass Health Center provides behavioral health care for one thousand patients daily who are in crisis. In a recent interview with NBC Chicago, Dr. Claudia Welke, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, highlights the alarming and recent increase in depression, anxiety, and suicide rates. She emphasizes the role of social media in exacerbating these issues, noting that children who use social media for three hours a day are more likely to experience mental health problems. Watch the interview to learn six essential tips for parents to help their children navigate social media safely.
Hosted by Amelia Ryerse, Maryland Perspectives, on 97.9 FM Baltimore, features organizations across Maryland that make a difference in resident’s lives and we were thrilled to be part of the conversation. Dr. Marissa Leslie, Medical Director at Compass Health Center-Maryland spoke with Ameila about three signs that may indicate a teen needs more support. They also discussed common symptoms of school anxiety and strategies for using community resources.
Psychosis can result from a variety of causes, including psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia, genetic risk, exposure to stressors or trauma — and, as health professionals are seeing more, drug use including marijuana.
Nationwide, studies since 2019 have shown an increase of emergency room visits across the country as a result of cannabis, Dr. David Schreiber, psychiatrist and CEO and co-founder of Compass Health Center, told CBS News.
"What we learned from those studies is a 50% increase of adverse events as a result of cannabis use," he said.
It's crucial for individuals and families to understand how substance use can affect mental health and know when it's time to consider getting help. When people act quickly to find the right kind of care for mental health symptoms, especially when symptoms become complex, they are setting themselves up for improved, long-lasting results.
In a recent interview with NewsNation Now, Child and Adult Psychiatrist Dr. David Schreiber, Co-Founder and CEO of Compass Health Center, discussed the concerning rise in psychosis among teens using cannabis. The conversation highlighted factors contributing to this increase, including accessibility, potency, and untreated mental health issues. Dr. Schreiber provided immediate care solutions and emphasized available resources for viewers, emphasizing the need to address mental health issues proactively and trusting your instincts when you think someone you love might be struggling.
In Julie Wernau’s latest Wall Street Journal article, Dr. Deepali Gershan, MD, Medical Director and Addiction Psychiatrist at Compass Health Center discusses the impact of cannabis on mental health and substance use. Dr. Gershan emphasizes, "This isn't the cannabis of 20, 30 years ago." She notes that up to 20% of her caseload consists of patients where she suspects that cannabis use may have triggered a psychotic episode.
Experts say Maryland, like the rest of the United States, is in a mental health crisis.
Maryland is in crisis, with roughly 838,000 Marylanders aged 12 and up struggling with a mental health condition.
“It is a shame that, whenever I see a patient, they’re coming in an absolute crisis where they have nowhere to turn,” said Dr. Holley Meers, who leads the emergency medicine and hospitalist teams at Holy Cross Health.
“That’s not hyperbole,” said Dr. Marissa Leslie, Medical Director of Compass Health Center – Maryland. “We have many children, adolescents and adults waiting in emergency departments, sometimes for hours or months, just wanting to access the right care at the right time, but finding difficulty accessing that care.”
WASHINGTON (November 9, 2023) – Compass Health Center, a crisis mental health care center that provides immediate, comprehensive, and specialized services to adolescents, young adults and adults today announced the launch of its new location in Silver Spring, Maryland, and a virtual program across the state to provide critical services to Maryland residents. Compass Health Center provides expert care in areas of concern to families in Maryland, like trauma, OCD, school refusal, depression, and substance use while addressing the major gaps in access Marylanders are currently facing.
CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, August 11, 2023/ EINPresswire.com / -- In today’s digital age, screens and technology play an integral role in our daily lives. From virtual learning to social connections, the use of devices has become ubiquitous, especially among children. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “On average, children ages 8-12 in the United States spend 4-6 hours a day watching or using screens, and teens spend up to 9 hours.” However, excessive screen use can come with serious consequences. Recent studies have revealed that too much screen time can lead to issues such as obesity, disturbed sleep, behavioral problems, and deficits in learning and social skills. In light of these findings, Compass Health Center has launched a new Child Screen Dependence Program at its Chicago location, offering a balanced approach to screen use which is now more crucial than ever.
SILVER SPRING, MD / ACCESSWIRE / August 3, 2023 / Compass Health Center, the leading provider of non-hospital intermediate-level behavioral health services in Illinois, announced today the launch of services in Silver Spring, Maryland, beginning in September 2023. The company will immediately address the dearth of mental health care available in the state in addition to creating more than 100 new jobs. This expansion is part of the organization’s mission to bridge the behavioral health care gap in the state, offering patient-centered care, both in-person in Silver Spring and virtually across Maryland.
Rockville, MD — Compass Health Center, the leading provider of non-hospital intermediate-level behavioral health services in Illinois, announced plans to open a new location in Silver Spring, Md. in September 2023, marking the company’s first expansion outside of Illinois. The company will bring more than 100 new jobs to the area while helping to address the critical need for additional mental health care services, which is a growing need nationally.
Compass Health Center, a leading provider of comprehensive mental health services, is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of its Virtual Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) Program. This program aims to redefine the landscape of mental health and substance use care by providing convenient and effective support to young adults and adults in the comfort of their own homes.
Compass Health Center is taking a proactive approach to raising awareness about chronic pain, debunking common misconceptions, and providing essential resources and support to individuals affected by these pervasive conditions. Chronic pain affects a sizable portion of the population in the United States, with new cases occurring more frequently than other chronic conditions such as diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure, as highlighted in a recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, as reported in The New York Times article, “New Cases of Chronic Pain Outnumber Those of Diabetes or Depression, Study Shows.”
To support students during this unique time of transition, Compass Health Center’s Northbrook and Oak Brook locations are launching a College Readiness Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), running June 5 through August 11, 2023. The program is designed to help prepare students aged 17-23 as they transition to or return to college in the fall. Compass’s specialized clinical team provides evidence-based skills necessary to make this transition a smooth one and empower students to thrive both academically and emotionally.
Compass Health Center is launching a new After School Mental Health & Substance Use Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for adolescents this June due to the increased need for specialized treatment for co-occurring disorders for teens. The program will support adolescents, ages 13 to 18, struggling with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms alongside substance use negatively impacting their functioning. This program is offered after school so that teens can continue attending school while effectively treating their mental health and substance use symptoms. Over the summer, Compass will offer this program during the day.
Chicago, Illinois, May 2, 2023 -- According to recent data collected by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) between 2016-2019, more than 5.8 million children between the ages of 3-17 in the United States had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. These numbers have only increased since the start of the pandemic. In response to this need, Compass Health Center’s Oak Brook location has opened its new Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) & Complex Anxiety Program for children ages 8-13.
As the world continues to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescents have been particularly impacted. Many have missed years of connection and social experience, leaving them with anxiety surrounding peer connections and social interaction and a lack of social skills and awareness. To help close these gaps left by the pandemic, creative arts therapies are a fun, expressive, and effective way to address these issues. To meet this need, Compass Health Center is launching a specialized Summer Creative Arts Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) this June for children and adolescents struggling with behavioral health challenges.
In a recent WGN-TV story, Compass's Abby Poplis, LCSW, Director, Adult Programming – Oak Brook, speaks with reporter Dana Rebik about rage rooms and how smashing items can help release stress.
Poplis says for many "people who don’t struggle with anger management, rage rooms can be a safe activity. But those who might have problems with aggression might want to think twice."
In WGN-TV's latest story, Compass's Heather Katz, LCSW, Principal Family Therapist, Trauma and Adult Programs, speaks with Erin Ivory about the grieving process and how many are rethinking how to memorialize a loved one who has passed.
Katz says, “Losing someone is so out of our control that being able to manage how we process and hold on to their memory is one thing we do have power over.”
Compass Health Center will launch its new Mental Health & Substance Use Program for individuals ages 18+ starting this February, available across all in-person Chicagoland locations. The program will support young adults and adults struggling to manage their mental health symptoms, substance use, and other addictive behaviors.
Dry January is a popular post-holiday trend, but by now, many people have fallen off the wagon. Eliminating alcohol cold turkey for 31 days may be too restrictive.
So instead of “Dry January,” you can try “Damp January” – and February, March, and so on.
Check out the latest episode of @citycastchicago to hear Compass's Carrie Overbey, LCPC, Chief Clinical Officer – Chicago, discuss SMARTER goals and how "coping ahead" can help set you on the right track for the new year. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we did.
Compass Health Center has named Justine Mitchell as its new Senior Vice President of Virtual. Before becoming SVP of Compass Virtual, Mitchell served as one of the founding members of Illinois-based telepsychiatry provider Regroup. Under Mitchell’s leadership, Compass Virtual plans to expand virtual Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs to additional markets outside of Illinois.
In a follow-up to Compass Health Center’s recent announcement of expanding its Illinois-based virtual Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs, the company has named Justine Mitchell as its new Senior Vice President of Compass Virtual. Compass Virtual boasts virtual patient outcomes on par with in-person patient outcomes, which have translated to a decrease in adolescent, young adult, and adult patient reports of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety symptoms.
“Exposure therapy is a systematic process of bringing a person into contact with something they fear—an object, event or scenario—to decrease their avoidance of this situation,” says Joe Serio, a licensed clinical professional counselor and chief clinical officer at Compass Health Center. “This helps teach them that the worst-case scenario outcome they’re convinced will happen, won’t.”
The Washington Post recently reported the story of Zachary Chafos, an 18-year-old who "languished for a total of 76 days in a Maryland ER waiting for a psychiatric bed." This type of situation is common throughout the country and is a singular example of one of the many contributing factors to the growing mental health treatment crisis for teens in the United States. Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs, like Compass Health Center, are helping to provide solutions.
A recent scientific brief released by the World Health Organization found that during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a monumental 25%. Over the past few years, holidays have looked different due to social distancing restrictions and safety guidelines. Anna Finis, PsyD, Director of Child and Young Child IOP at Compass Health Center - Chicago, explains, "going into the holiday season, where we may find ourselves pulled in various directions, we have an opportunity to evaluate our priorities and fill our time intentionally. Balance, in general, is not how we add to our day, but instead how we are more intentional with our time."
Could virtual reality be a key to helping people overcome their fears and anxiety? A Chicago-based behavioral health system thinks so. Facing their fears is one way to help people deal with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and anxiety, but sometimes that's not safe or practical to do in reality.
Compass now offers Virtual Reality Care in its Adult Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Complex Anxiety Programs across in-person locations and through Compass Virtual. Through virtual reality care, it can further support and elevate Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) by placing the individual in specific environments that challenge their anxiety.
Compass Virtual has developed a new School Anxiety & Refusal Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for adolescents, ages 13 to 18, who struggle with behavioral health challenges that present as school refusal. The virtual program, which is now accepting intakes, is available online for teens throughout the state of Illinois. School anxiety and refusal programming is also available in person at Compass’ three Chicagoland locations.
The CDC reports that in 2020, 1.2 million American adults attempted suicide, and nearly 46,000 adults died by suicide. Suicide prevention awareness is an essential step toward lowering those numbers. For Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Compass Health Center is teaming up with The Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP IL) to promote two important suicide prevention events.
In response to the growing need for targeted clinical services to treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders in adolescents, Compass Health Center is launching its Adolescent OCD and Complex Anxiety Disorder Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient (PHP/IOP) program at its Oak Brook location on Sept. 6, 2022. The goal of this new program is to provide specialized, evidence-based treatment for OCD and anxiety disorders among adolescents ages 13-18 in the Western Suburbs.
New Compass Health Center Trauma Program Address Growing Demand for Trauma-Focused Care in Illinois' Western Suburb.
Compass Health Center will be hosting a live webinar/CEU on Aug. 25, 2022, at 10 a.m. CT. The webinar, titled "Understanding and Treating School Anxiety & Refusal," is for clinicians and education professionals working with children and adolescents who experience anxiety and school refusal symptoms.
Compass Health Center announced today that it will be in-network with Optum/United Behavioral Health beginning July 15, 2022.
NIH reports over 60 percent of adolescents in substance use disorder treatment programs also meet diagnostic criteria for another mental illness.
Compass Health Center and Compass Virtual have developed a summer program for children and teens who struggle with behavioral health challenges.
Compass Virtual, launched in 2021 by Chicago-based Compass Health Center, has developed entirely virtual Evening Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs to provide treatment flexibility for patients seeking intensive levels of behavioral healthcare in a virtual setting.
Compass Health Center offers supportive and age-appropriate advice and guidance in speaking to children about the Uvalde, Texas tragedy.
Compass Health Center’s Behavioral Health Trauma Program in Chicago has undergone tremendous growth and expansion in the past 18 months, resulting in an expanded team of passionate and dedicated clinicians with diverse clinical backgrounds ready to serve the community.
We’ve heard from a tremendous number of parents already who have thanked us for covering the story so forthrightly, and they are telling us that they appreciate our calm and factual approach because their children are frightened and they weren’t sure what to say,” Barbalich said.
For kids, said Dr. Nick Hatzis of the outpatient mental health care facility Compass Health Center in Chicago, the most important step for parents is to “create a space that allows for listening.” Conversation on Ukraine may be exactly what some kids want and exactly what others might not, he said.
“There’s going to be a lot of back and forth,” said Hatzis, medical director for child and adolescent programs. “We want to make sure that we are actively promoting our routines, our schedules, participating in the meaningful activities in our lives and in our kids’ lives.”
Oak Brook, IL, July 31, 2021 –(PR.com)– Compass Health Center will be opening a new 50,000 square foot Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) behavioral health treatment facility, located in the Oak Brook/Westmont/Hinsdale region of Chicago’s western suburbs on August 2, 2021. Compass is the largest provider of PHP/IOP services in Illinois and has locations in Northbrook and Chicago and a Virtual option for Illinois-based patients.
Westmont, IL July 29, 2021: Compass Health Center will be opening a new 50,000 square foot Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) behavioral health treatment facility, located in the Oak Brook/Westmont/Hinsdale region of Chicago’s western suburbs on August 2, 2021. Compass is the largest provider of PHP/IOP services in Illinois and has locations in Northbrook and Chicago and a Virtual option for Illinois-based patients.
Amid the pandemic, some turned to drugs and alcohol in isolation during lockdown. Others who were already battling addiction fell back into substance use as they were overwhelmed with depression and anxiety. “We are obviously seeing a crisis in terms of overdose deaths, but that is just one piece of this. We are also seeing mental health crisis,” said Dr. Deepali Gershan, addiction psychiatrist with Compass Health.
Compass Health Center Associate Director of Child Programs, Ashley Senderak, appeared on WGN News last night to discuss panic disorder. Click the link below to view the segment.
Compass Health Center Addiction Psychiatrist Deepali Gershan was interviewed by WGN TV for a story on substance use during COVID-19.
Compass Health Center Senior Director of Child and Adolescent Programming, Beth Hope, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Claudia Welke, interview with Patch and provide insight on offering virtual therapy and treatment options during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compass Health Center Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Family Therapist, Lisa Gordon, Ph.D. interviews with WGN News and provides helpful tips on managing relationships with significant others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compass Health Center’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Claudia Welke interviews with Fox News Chicago to discuss the importance of Compass as the only Illinois PHP/IOP Center to offer Virtual Therapy options to patients and frontline workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
Compass Health Center’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Claudia Welke, discusses how Compass Virtual Programs are helping to keep patients and staff safe, while also keeping mental health crises out of emergency rooms.