Reviewed 2026-09-21 · DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Functional psychiatric evaluation with targeted labs
GeneSight is discussed when antidepressant trials have already failed — not as a souvenir test on visit one.
Clinical scope of Psychiatric Evaluations in Broward County
Functional psychiatric evaluation adds labs and metabolic context to the psychiatric interview. Labs do not license skipping DSM-5-TR criteria.
Mood disorder evaluation asks about duration, anhedonia, mixed features, postpartum onset, seasonality, and hypomania — because treatment diverges.
Cooper City FAQs for Psychiatric Evaluations
Is the visit confidential?
HIPAA applies, with the usual safety exceptions (imminent harm, mandated reports).
Can the evaluation be done by video?
Often yes if you are physically in Florida and a physical exam is not required. High-risk, first-episode psychosis, or complex medical cases may need the Hollywood office.
Can I use this evaluation for a legal letter?
Only if the interview actually supports the opinion. We do not write unsupported letters.
Do you accept insurance?
Most major plans are accepted; verify benefits before the visit. Coverage is not a clinical promise.
Will you prescribe on visit one?
Only when the diagnosis, safety, and monitoring plan support it. Controlled substances have a higher bar.
Can you evaluate psychosis?
Yes, and we will escalate to a higher level of care if outpatient treatment is unsafe.
Is Cooper City close to your office?
Very close — our Hollywood office at 7603 Davie Road Extension is about 10 minutes from Cooper City via Stirling Road or Griffin Road.
Do you work with families?
Yes. We provide psychiatric evaluations and medication management for adults, and can coordinate care with family therapists for a comprehensive approach.
Evidence we actually use
Functional labs (TSH with free T4/T3, ferritin, vitamin D, sex hormones, hs-CRP) are ordered when the history for Psychiatric Evaluations suggests a medical contributor. Normal labs do not rule out a DSM-5-TR diagnosis.
Clinical decisions for Psychiatric Evaluations are made by Dr. Dorothy Chatelier, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC (DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC). Pharmacogenetic data (including GeneSight when indicated) can inform medication choice; it never replaces a diagnostic interview.
The practice does not publish fabricated star ratings. Patient stories on this site are process descriptions, not purchased testimonials.
Indications and differentials
Prior diagnoses that conflict with each other or with the current mental status exam.
Eating-pattern change with medical risk (restriction, purging, electrolyte clues).
Psychiatric Evaluations is treated as a presenting complaint that still has to survive a differential, not as a self-diagnosis we rubber-stamp.
New or unexplained mood, anxiety, attentional, or psychotic symptoms lasting beyond a brief adjustment reaction.
From intake to follow-up: Psychiatric Evaluations
History of present illness is a timeline, not a mood adjective. We date onsets, postpartum windows, and medication trials.
Psychiatric review of systems covers mood, anxiety, psychosis, OCD, trauma, ADHD, sleep, eating, and substance use even if you came for only one of those.
Formulation is shared in plain language: what is likely, what is possible, what we are watching.
Mental status exam is documented: appearance, speech, affect, thought process, insight, cognition, and risk.
Labs, scales, and follow-up cadence
Benzodiazepines, when used, have an indication, a taper plan, and a discussion of dependence.
Follow-up interval tightens when a new antidepressant, antipsychotic, or mood stabilizer is started.
We do not combine MAOIs with contraindicated agents. We do not ignore serotonin syndrome risk.
PDMP review before controlled substances. No stimulant start from a chat message.
In-office versus Florida telehealth
Parking at 7603 Davie Road Extension is on site. Cooper City patients who drive 14 minutes should plan for weekday 9:00–17:00 hours; Saturday is by appointment only.
Cooper City sits in Broward County. County-level resources (crisis lines, hospital ERs, IOP programs) are discussed during Psychiatric Evaluations when a higher level of care is safer than outpatient titration.
After the visit you should be able to repeat the working diagnosis and the next three steps.
Records from other clinicians are requested with your authorization; we do not pretend collateral is optional when the history is fragmented.
Book Psychiatric Evaluations
If you already have records from another psychiatrist, NP, or therapist, send them before Psychiatric Evaluations so the interview can start from data instead of from a blank page.
Start with one thorough Psychiatric Evaluations evaluation rather than a series of 15-minute check-ins. Book at (888) 307-2199 or online.
Related care
Clinician: Dr. Dorothy Chatelier, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Last medical review: 2026-09-21.
Florida telehealth psychiatry is available to established and new patients located in Florida at the time of the visit, subject to licensure and clinical appropriateness. An in-person evaluation at the Hollywood office may be recommended when a physical exam, vital signs, or a more complete diagnostic interview is needed.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It does not establish a provider-patient relationship. Always seek care from a qualified clinician for questions about a medical or psychiatric condition. If you are in crisis, call 988 or go to the nearest emergency department.