The Mental Health Center at the Cedars-Sinai Towers is a group made up of physicians and psychotherapists who use the latest evidence-based treatments—including ketamine—to address a variety of mental health issues. What makes the team here particularly unique is that they’re subspecialty fellowship-trained, meaning that in addition to general adult psychiatry, they are trained in subspecialties such as mood disorders, child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, and addiction psychiatry. 

Meet the team here.

What types of ketamine services does Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Towers offer?

Ketamine is administered in the following ways:

• By vein over a period of about 40 minutes (infusion)
• As an injection into the shoulder/deltoid muscle (like a flu shot)
• As a nasal spray (only esketamine, also known as a Spravato)

What conditions does Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Towers treat?

• Depression
  • Particularly if people suffering have not responded to at least 2 traditional oral antidepressant medications
• Anxiety
• Bipolar Depression
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Thoughts of self-harm
• Addiction

Also Read: Here’s what you should know about ketamine and seizures

Important Info:

• Recommended treatment regimen
  • According to Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Towers, the most significant and longest-lasting benefit of ketamine comes with 6 treatments over a 2-3 week period. It is recommended that patients commit to at least 2 but preferably 6 treatments. Patients should then plan to return for periodic booster sessions every few weeks or months to prevent depression from returning. 
• Paired psychotherapy
  • Coupling therapy with ketamine treatment is not mandatory. But according to The Mental Health Center, ketamine sessions are most effective when paired with psychotherapy.
  • Two psychotherapists are available to be seen during or after your ketamine sessions for what’s known as Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).
  • You can also involve your own therapist if you have one outside of The Mental Health Center, whether that’s seeing them in their office later the same day or next day, or even asking them to attend your treatment sessions.
• COVID-19 precautions
  • All typical outpatient visits have been converted to video conference except for procedures that require injections/IV like ketamine. As a precaution, The Mental Health Center is also no longer providing blankets, eyeshades, or pillows. Put patients are still recommended/encouraged to bring their own.

What to Expect at Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Towers

Your first visit will begin with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and the discussion of various treatment options, which may include psychotherapy, traditional antidepressants or other oral medications, or ketamine. Doctors will also review your medical and psychiatric history and determine a diagnosis before developing a treatment plan.

If ketamine plays a role in this mutually agreed upon treatment plan, The Mental Health Center will schedule the ketamine treatment sessions, which require up to 2 hours in our office.

While receiving the actual ketamine treatments, the effects will vary depending on the route of administration and dose. According to The Mental Health Center, possible effects may include feelings ranging from relaxation, warmth, and openness to an increasing disconnection from one’s body with simultaneous deep feelings of love, peace, and joy. These majority of effects last 40-60 minutes, though the beneficial effects on your mood can persist from 1 week to several months.

How Soon Can You Drive After Your Therapy?

Patients can’t drive until the day after you receive your treatment. Plan to get a ride from someone or a taxi/ride-sharing company.

*Note: The above CPT codes for IV and IM nursing services are for the procedure only, not monitoring, so insurance reimbursement may be low.

The Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Towers does not take insurance but does provide statements that you can use to seek reimbursement from your PPO insurance.

For those interested in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), a 90-minute session with The Mental Health Center’s psychotherapist is $415. The fee for the IM injection associated with KAP is $250 for 30 minutes of physician time for medication administration and patient monitoring (CPT code 99213).

Per The Mental Health Center at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Office Towers: If you have a history of recent heart attack, stroke, psychosis (hallucinations, delusions), or bladder inflammation (cystitis), you may not be a candidate for ketamine treatment, or you may require clearance from your physician.

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