Reviewed 2026-09-21 · DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Rule-in / rule-out psychiatric evaluation
Telehealth is a setting, not a different standard of diagnosis.
Clinical scope of Psychiatric Evaluations in Broward County
Sleep assessment looks at insomnia, circadian delay, apnea clues, and whether poor sleep is driving the daytime syndrome or following it.
Mental health assessment in this practice means structured interviewing plus scales. Screening is not the same as a full diagnostic formulation.
Indications and differentials
Family history of bipolar disorder or psychosis that changes how aggressively we screen.
Substance use that may be inducing or masking a primary psychiatric disorder.
Insomnia that is either a syndrome of its own or a driver of daytime psychiatric symptoms.
Eating-pattern change with medical risk (restriction, purging, electrolyte clues).
Visit flow for Psychiatric Evaluations
Mental status exam is documented: appearance, speech, affect, thought process, insight, cognition, and risk.
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.
Labs are ordered when they could change management, not to decorate the chart.
Formulation is shared in plain language: what is likely, what is possible, what we are watching.
How Deerfield Beach patients actually get here
ZIP 33064 is the lead postal code listed for Deerfield Beach. Mail-order labs and pharmacy routing still use the patient's actual address, not this page's city token.
Commute noise on I-95 and the Turnpike changes whether an in-office Psychiatric Evaluations visit is realistic this week. Telehealth is used when the clinical exam does not require the office.
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.
Mental status exam is documented: appearance, speech, affect, thought process, insight, cognition, and risk.
Monitoring and safety in Psychiatric Evaluations
Safety screen every visit: SI/HI, psychosis, inability to care for self, and intoxication.
Informed consent is documented for off-label use when evidence supports it and alternatives were discussed.
Collateral from a partner or parent is requested when insight is limited — with consent.
Benzodiazepines, when used, have an indication, a taper plan, and a discussion of dependence.
Deerfield Beach FAQs for Psychiatric Evaluations
Is this a psychiatrist (MD/DO)?
Care is provided by Dr. Dorothy Chatelier, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC — a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. She diagnoses and prescribes within Florida APRN scope. She is not an MD psychiatrist.
Is GeneSight required?
No. It is considered after failed medication trials or significant side effects.
Do you see children?
The practice is primarily adults and older adolescents, considered case-by-case.
Can I use this evaluation for a legal letter?
Only if the interview actually supports the opinion. We do not write unsupported letters.
How long is a psychiatric evaluation?
New evaluations are typically 60–90 minutes. Follow-up length depends on risk and how many variables changed.
Do you replace my therapist?
No. Psychiatric evaluation and psychotherapy are complementary.
Can seasonal residents establish psychiatric care with you?
Yes. We offer initial evaluations for seasonal visitors and can continue care via telehealth when patients return to their home state, subject to licensing requirements.
Do you treat depression related to isolation?
Absolutely. Isolation-related depression is common in coastal communities, especially among retirees and seasonal residents. Our evaluations identify contributing factors including hormonal changes and social disconnection.
Evidence we actually use
Controlled-substance prescribing, when used in Psychiatric Evaluations, follows Florida PDMP review and a monitoring plan. Stimulants and benzodiazepines are never started from a portal message alone.
The Hollywood office is the only brick-and-mortar site. Psychiatric Evaluations for Deerfield Beach is service-area care from that office plus telehealth — not a separate clinic in every city.
Visit length for new Psychiatric Evaluations is typically 60–90 minutes. Follow-up length depends on risk, controlled substances, and how many variables changed since the last visit.
Next step
After Psychiatric Evaluations is scheduled, complete intake forms once. Repeating the same history at every visit is what we are trying to avoid.
If Psychiatric Evaluations is the right next step, schedule a 60–90 minute intake with Dr. Dorothy Chatelier, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC. Same-week telehealth follow-ups are used after the diagnostic visit when clinically appropriate.
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.