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Consultation Liaison Psychiatry

The Consultation Liaison Psychiatry service provides psychiatric care for all medical inpatients of the Mount Sinai Health System, as well as outpatients of The Corinne Goldsmith Multiple Sclerosis Center, the Recanati Miller Transplant Center, and the Jack Martin Fund Clinic for those living with HIV and AIDS.

Situated within the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, our specialists work at the interface of psychiatry and medicine, with clinical expertise in both psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic interventions, and with a deep understanding of the psychological reactions to illness.

Our psychiatrists are extraordinarily skilled at evaluating and relieving psychiatric illness in patients with complex medical illnesses such as cancer, HIV and AIDS, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, lupus, traumatic brain injury, and postpartum depression. Our services currently encompass a range of specialty areas throughout the Mount Sinai Health System.

General Hospital Consultation

For medical and surgical inpatients of the Mount Sinai Health System, we provide comprehensive evaluative services. Patients admitted to the hospital who are experiencing psychiatric symptoms such as depression, delirium, or anxiety are eligible for an evaluation, which is requested by each patient’s primary medical team. 

Organ Transplant

Our psychiatric team also offers consultations for patients undergoing evaluation for a future transplant, as well as those who have already received one. For these services, we provide both inpatient and outpatient care through the renowned Recanati Miller Transplant Center.

As part of the Center’s multidisciplinary transplant team, our service regularly plays a crucial role in the evaluation and management of transplant recipients. Common areas requiring psychiatric input include:

  • Recipient psychosocial evaluation
  • Recognition and pre-transplant treatment of psychiatric disorders
  • Recognition and counseling for alcohol and substance dependence
  • Assistance with coping with medical illness and the transplant process
  • Ensuring compliance with medical regimens
  • Management of immunosuppressive/psychiatric drug interactions
  • Support for patient and family 

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic illness associated with particularly high rates of psychiatric comorbidity, with depression affecting 70 percent of patients on average. Worldwide, the Corinne Goldsmith Multiple Sclerosis Center is among the most innovative centers for the treatment of patients with MS.

To help diagnose and treat the psychiatric symptoms that often develop in this patient population, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry provides ongoing outpatient and inpatient care through the Center. Our team includes a psychiatrist specifically trained and experienced in psychiatric manifestations of MS. We offer diagnostic evaluation, emergency consultation, and pharmacological management, while also educating patients about the importance of recognizing untreated depression within this community.

HIV/AIDS

The Health System’s Jack Martin Fund Clinic is a New York State Department of Health Designated AIDS Center that provides primary outpatient and inpatient treatment for both adults and children. Psychiatric symptoms can be significant in these patients and can include depression, mood swings, anxiety, substance abuse, and the side effects of antiretroviral medications. Our team of psychiatrists and psychologists provide expert, comprehensive psychiatric and psychological care, such as on-site psychiatric evaluations, medication management, psychotherapy, and support groups.

Fellowships in Consultation Psychiatry

We currently offer two fellowships in Consultation Liaison Psychiatry. Within both programs, our mission is to train fellows to become leaders in education, scholarship, and clinical expertise. We also place special emphasis on diversity and inclusion, trainee and faculty wellness, patient safety, and reflection. Each year, we welcome three Consultation Liaison Psychiatry fellows at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West.

Meet the Director

Our Leadership

Hansel Arroyo, MD
Hansel Arroyo, MD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Psychiatry
Carrie L Ernst, MD
Carrie L Ernst, MD
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR | Psychiatry
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR | Medical Education
Jennifer M Finkel, MD
Jennifer M Finkel, MD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Psychiatry
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | Neurology
Kimberly G Klipstein, MD
Kimberly G Klipstein, MD
PROFESSOR | Psychiatry
James J Strain, MD
James J Strain, MD
PROFESSOR | Psychiatry
PROFESSOR | Medical Education