Inpatient Services

Shands Vista has a general Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatient Unit and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for children ages 5 Mathew Nguyen, MDthrough 17 years old. Children and adolescents are evaluated and treated for a wide range of psychiatric disorders, including mood, anxiety, disruptive behaviors, and substance abuse. The program provides behavioral therapies, group therapy, family therapy, individual therapies, and pharmacotherapy (medication) as appropriate to individual treatment plans. Dr. Mathew Nguyen, double-boarded in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Adult Psychiatry, is the Medical Director of this unit.

 

Gary Johnson, BSW, MSWGary Johnson, BSW, MSW

Undergraduate: BSW (Bachelors Degree in Social Work) at Walla Walla University

Graduate: MSW at University of Michigan

For thirty years Mr. Johnson has worked primarily in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and has worked at Shands Vista for the last two decades. “Over the years working with families has been very rewarding. Being able to encourage parents to be consistent and not give up hope while they work on effective skill-building is enjoyable work. Developing a network of fellow professionals has helped me grow and made the work easier.” On the inpatient unit, Mr. Johnson supervises Psychology and social work graduate students and is an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team. He is a great advocate for children and has a great wealth of knowledge in family therapy dynamics. He works closely with the Child Faculty and helps mentor the Child fellows during their inpatient training, providing teaching, guidance, and re-assurance for the toughest of cases.

 

 

Elizabeth Jane Cheney, MEd, EdS, OTR/LElizabeth Jane Cheney, MEd, EdS, OTR/L

Bachelors of Health Science in Occupational Therapy (OT) University of Florida

Masters in Education: University of Florida, Specialist in Education

Ms. Cheney currently works for Shands at Vista as the Occupational Therapist in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry inpatient unit. She received her Bachelors of Health Science in Occupational Therapy from UF in 1984 and her Masters in Education Specialist in 2004. She is an adjunct instructor through the University Of Florida Occupational Therapy Masters Program. During her career, she has worked exclusively with the child and adolescent population with her emphasis on Autism and Sensory Processing Disorders. On the inpatient unit, Ms. Cheney serves multiple roles, as teacher, therapist, occupational therapist, and instructor for graduate students and Psychiatry trainees. She is highly flexible, dynamically thoughtful, and an integral part of the clinical treatment team and teacher for the various training disciplines.

 

For more information about inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry services at Shands Vista, please call (352) 265-HELP (4357).