Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry

Choose a named psychiatric service before planning a stay

The current Mass General Brigham mental health directory brings together services across several hospitals and practices. Massachusetts General Hospital is part of that system, but the directory also includes McLean and other locations. A program appearing there does not necessarily operate at the main hospital on Fruit Street.

Start with the particular clinical question: an outpatient psychiatric evaluation, substance-use treatment, a focused therapy program, or a more intensive level of care. Then establish the named service, receiving address, age criteria, and referral requirements. A specialist consultation and a residential admission involve different arrangements. The broad hospital listing does not represent a private accommodation package with one standard duration or weekly price. Travelers should have an accepted appointment and a plan for any ongoing care before booking accommodation. Confirm whether the consultation will lead to treatment within that service, a recommendation to an existing clinician, or referral elsewhere.

The MGH Bridge Clinic provides transitional outpatient addiction care

The Bridge Clinic directory describes short-term substance-use services that can be accessed through a scheduled visit or by walking in, without a referral. Support can include medication, counseling, peer recovery coaching, mental health care, practical resources, and connection to longer-term community treatment. The MGH location is in Cox Suite 110 at 55 Fruit Street.

This is an outpatient bridge, usually lasting a few months while continuing care is arranged. It is not a residential room or a promise of indefinite treatment at the hospital. Recovery coaches contribute personal recovery experience; their role differs from a clinician’s assessment or prescribing responsibilities. Ask which team member will coordinate the next provider and how appointments and prescriptions will remain connected during that transition. The directory also lists Bridge Clinics at other hospitals. Check the intended location before arriving, particularly when another service has referred the person simply to a “Bridge Clinic.”

Addiction services across the system have different settings

The alcohol and drug services overview describes several levels of care across Mass General Brigham. Outpatient services include the West End Clinic and programs at other hospitals. The page separately identifies inpatient withdrawal care at McLean and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, and McLean’s residential programs, including Fernside and Naukeag.

These distinctions matter when comparing hospital addiction treatment with a residential rehabilitation center. A referral to MGH does not establish admission to a McLean residence, and outpatient access does not imply that a bed is available elsewhere in the system. Ask the assessing team which service can meet current medical and psychiatric needs and whether a separate referral or acceptance is required. The provider describes matching treatment intensity to an individual assessment. That assessment should determine the proposed setting, rather than the hospital brand or a preference for a particular length of stay. Financial authorization should identify the actual receiving program.

Adult intensive CBT is a short, focused self-pay program

The Adult Intensive Cognitive Behavioral Treatment program serves people ages 18 and older with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum concerns. Published treatment lasts five to 15 business days, up to three weeks. Sessions are generally three hours daily in the first week and two or three hours on later treatment days, with practice between appointments.

Admission requires an assessment of fit and readiness for this concentrated work. The program lists important limits concerning current or recent suicidality, psychotic thinking, and active or recent substance-use problems. It should not be treated as a general crisis or detox service. Goals and exposure exercises are agreed with the therapist. The program is self-pay only, with a personalized estimate; clinician travel and exposure-related expenses can be additional. Its published terms require payment for contracted treatment at the start and do not provide insurance-reimbursement assistance. Those terms belong to this specific program, not to every MGH psychiatric service.

Child CBT and its intensive option have separate eligibility and fees

The Child CBT program describes care for ages three to 24, with ordinary outpatient treatment and a distinct intensive anxiety option. The intensive program is for ages ten to 24 and typically involves three hours daily for two to ten days, sometimes longer. It requires medical and psychiatric stability and is not intended for high-risk crisis presentations.

The published intensive-program fee is $360 per treatment hour, with clinician travel charged separately. That option is self-pay, unlike the broader program’s statement that it accepts many major insurers for eligible services. Some individual clinicians also offer only self-pay appointments. Obtain the exact service name before applying either payment statement to a proposed visit. The initial evaluation determines whether the intensive format is appropriate and establishes goals and duration. Families should also clarify the role of parents, between-session practice, and follow-up. A concentrated school-vacation schedule does not establish that treatment will fit every child’s needs or calendar.

LEAP evaluates learning and developmental concerns

The Learning and Emotional Assessment Program, or LEAP, evaluates children and young people ages two to 22 with developmental, learning, attention, and related concerns. It is an assessment service, not residential treatment. Its listed location is at One Bowdoin Square, separate from the main Fruit Street address.

The process combines history, testing, feedback, and recommendations that can inform care and educational planning. Bring previous evaluations and school information so the team can understand the question that testing needs to answer. Current referral instructions limit new referrals to Mass General Brigham providers, with different provisions for established patients returning for reevaluation. Ask about the current wait and the expected timing of the written report before relying on it for a school deadline. Academic testing and school meetings can have different coverage from clinical assessment. Recommendations do not themselves guarantee a particular school placement, accommodation, or insurance benefit; those decisions involve the relevant receiving organization.

Adult psychological testing is organized around the referral question

The neuropsychological and psychological testing directory distinguishes MGH’s Psychiatric Evaluation and Assessment Research Laboratory, or PEaRL, from its Psychology Assessment Center. PEaRL focuses on complex primary psychiatric questions for adults already receiving mental health care. The Psychology Assessment Center addresses cognitive concerns associated with neurological or other clinical conditions.

Both describe referral requirements rather than unrestricted access to a general-purpose testing package. PEaRL excludes several requests, including learning-disability accommodations, disability determinations, forensic evaluations, and autism diagnosis. The Psychology Assessment Center also limits referrals that seek only an ADHD or autism determination without the relevant broader clinical question. Discuss the purpose with the referring professional before joining a waiting list. An evaluation intended to guide psychiatric treatment may not produce the documentation another institution requires. The same directory includes McLean testing services with different eligibility and financial arrangements, so those should not be assumed to apply to MGH’s assessment teams.

Transitional-age services focus on the move into adult care

The Transitional Age Youth service describes outpatient diagnostic and consultative evaluations for ages 18 to 26. Its assessment considers the young adult’s development, functioning, family context, and treatment history. Psychiatry residents work under faculty supervision, with interviews and consultation involving relevant clinicians and, where appropriate, parents.

A consultation can help clarify a treatment direction without constituting a residential admission or an unlimited course of ongoing therapy. The service describes continued care within the system for people whose primary care is in Mass General Brigham, with outside referrals for others. Confirm what will happen after the evaluation and which professional will remain responsible for treatment. Family participation should reflect the adult patient’s consent and preferences. Bring earlier assessments and a clear account of changes in education, employment, relationships, or independence. The age range and referral arrangements are specific to this service and should not be substituted for those of another adolescent addiction program.

The eating disorders program is exclusively outpatient

The Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program offers evaluation and outpatient treatment for individuals ages ten and older. Its assessment reviews eating concerns, psychiatric history, medical needs, and the appropriate treatment plan. It describes individual, family-supported, and research-related options, with ongoing coordination between mental health and medical clinicians.

The program explicitly does not provide inpatient care. Screening may recommend medical stabilization or a more intensive service before outpatient treatment can begin. The ordinary evaluation pathway requires primary care within a Mass General-affiliated hospital; research-study participation has separate exceptions and eligibility. A study invitation should be understood as research, with its own consent and participation requirements, rather than an assurance of superior care. Current appointment information also describes a waiting list and clinician-capacity limits. Families should establish both the medical monitoring plan and the receiving treatment setting before assuming this outpatient service can meet urgent nutritional or medical needs. Program selection remains a clinical decision.

Women’s mental health services address specific life-stage concerns

The women’s mental health overview describes care related to reproductive transitions and psychiatric needs, including preconception planning, pregnancy, the postpartum period, and perimenopause. It also includes concerns associated with pregnancy loss and gynecologic illness. MGH is one of several hospitals named in the system’s service directory.

The practical question is which team can assess the person’s current circumstances and coordinate with existing medical care. A consultation about medication during pregnancy differs from admission to a psychiatric unit, and neither is implied by a general program listing. Share relevant treatment history and the clinicians already involved so recommendations can be communicated appropriately. Do not change psychiatric medication solely because a condition or life stage appears on a website. Ask whether the proposed service is a single consultation or ongoing treatment, how follow-up is arranged, and what referral is needed. The directory’s mixture of settings should be clarified before planning travel or seeking authorization.

Older-adult psychiatry separates inpatient stabilization from ongoing support

The geriatric psychiatry directory describes care for adults ages 65 and older with mood, cognitive, behavioral, and other psychiatric concerns. It includes outpatient programs, support involving caregivers, and specialist inpatient services at McLean. Those options are distributed across the system and do not all operate at the MGH main campus.

An older person’s assessment may need to account for memory, physical health, medications, daily functioning, and the support available at home. Ask which team will address those concerns together and whether the referral is for evaluation, short-term stabilization, or continuing outpatient care. A psychiatric inpatient service is not the same as a long-term care residence. If a hospital stay is proposed, discuss the expected transition and the receiving community clinicians rather than assuming the hospital will provide permanent accommodation. Caregiver involvement and information sharing should follow the person’s circumstances and appropriate consent arrangements. Accessibility and transport should be confirmed for the actual clinic address.

Depression treatment requires a specific plan and receiving team

The depression services overview lists psychotherapy, medication management, and specialist interventions across the system. It includes options such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, and ketamine-related services, alongside programs for different ages and levels of need. Their appearance in the directory does not establish that all are suitable, available together, or provided by the same clinic.

Use an assessment to identify the question being addressed, previous treatments, medical considerations, and the next reasonable clinical step. A screening result alone is not a diagnosis or authorization for a particular intervention. Ask who will review the history, what evaluation is required, and which team will coordinate follow-up. If a specialist procedure is recommended, obtain the actual location, appointment pattern, transport requirements, and separate financial terms. The resulting plan should name the treatment and responsible clinicians, rather than rely on a broad description of the hospital’s capabilities or a promise of a rapid response.

Official service information reviewed October 19, 2026. Confirm the named program, receiving hospital, referral and age requirements, current availability, and service-specific financial terms. System-wide listings are not a single MGH residential program.