Questions Families Ask

Yellow House Behavioral Health is a telehealth psychiatric practice in California led by Anne Rossell, PMHNP-BC, a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who has specialized in adolescent and young adult psychiatry since 2012. The practice provides psychiatric evaluation, diagnostic clarification, ADHD evaluation, anxiety treatment, depression treatment, and medication management for adolescents and young adults ages 10 to 25 throughout California. The practice is based in Santa Cruz, California, and serves patients statewide via secure HIPAA-compliant telehealth. Phone: (831) 400-3848.

Yellow House serves adolescents and young adults ages 10 to 25. If you are unsure whether your child's age is a fit, call (831) 400-3848 or email us before scheduling.

Yellow House Behavioral Health is based in Santa Cruz, California. All appointments are conducted via secure HIPAA-compliant telehealth for patients who are physically located in California at the time of the visit. We serve families throughout California including the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Sacramento, the Central Coast, and communities statewide.

No. Yellow House provides outpatient telehealth psychiatric care and is not equipped for emergency or crisis care. If you or your child are experiencing a mental health emergency, call 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to the nearest emergency department.

Yes. ADHD evaluations at Yellow House include a careful review of attention, focus, school and work functioning, emotional regulation, anxiety, depression, sleep, trauma history, prior diagnoses, and prior treatment. ADHD symptoms overlap significantly with anxiety, depression, and other conditions, so diagnostic clarification is an important part of every ADHD evaluation.

Yes. Anne Rossell, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner licensed in California with an active DEA registration. She can evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe Schedule II stimulant medications for ADHD in adolescents and young adults when the clinical picture supports that decision.

Yes. Anxiety can cause poor concentration, restlessness, avoidance, irritability, sleep problems, and school difficulty that looks very similar to ADHD. Sometimes a teen appears to have ADHD when anxiety is the primary driver. Treating anxiety with stimulant medication can sometimes worsen symptoms. Careful evaluation helps determine what is actually contributing.

Yes. Untreated ADHD can lead to overwhelm, low confidence, procrastination, emotional reactivity, school stress, and avoidance. Some adolescents develop real secondary anxiety or depression because they have been working harder than their peers just to keep up. Comprehensive evaluation separates these causes so treatment can target the right problem.

Yes. Yellow House evaluates and treats anxiety in adolescents and young adults throughout California, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, separation anxiety, health anxiety, and anxiety-driven school avoidance. Treatment may include therapy coordination, lifestyle recommendations, and medication when appropriate.

Anxiety in teenagers often does not look like obvious worry. It can show up as avoidance, irritability, school refusal, frequent stomachaches or headaches, trouble sleeping, perfectionism, reassurance-seeking, or difficulty separating from parents. Poor concentration and restlessness are also common, which is why anxiety is frequently mistaken for ADHD.

Yes. Depression in teenagers can show up as sadness, irritability, withdrawal, low motivation, appetite or sleep changes, declining grades, or loss of interest in things they used to enjoy. Yellow House provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management for depression in adolescents and young adults throughout California.

Diagnostic clarification means taking time to understand which diagnosis best explains the symptoms and which conditions may be overlapping. This matters because ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep problems, and mood disorders can look similar in adolescents but may require very different treatment approaches and medication decisions.

Medication decisions depend on what is driving the symptoms. A teen who looks unfocused because of anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep disruption, ADHD, or mood instability may need a very different treatment approach. The goal is the right diagnosis, the right medication when needed, the right dose, and a complete treatment plan.

A medication evaluation may be helpful when therapy is in place but symptoms remain significant, when progress has plateaued, when school or family functioning is affected, or when there are questions about ADHD, anxiety, depression, mood changes, or whether a current medication is helping. You can also reach out simply because something feels off and you want a clear picture.

Yes. Yellow House provides psychiatric second opinions for families who are unsure whether a current diagnosis, medication, dose, or treatment plan still fits. This is especially helpful when symptoms are not improving, when medication side effects are significant, or when you want a fresh clinical perspective.

Many adolescents come to Yellow House already taking psychiatric medication. The initial evaluation includes a careful review of current medications, prior medication trials, benefits, side effects, the underlying diagnosis, and whether the current plan still makes clinical sense.

Medication should never feel forced. Treatment decisions at Yellow House are collaborative and adolescents need to understand the reason for any recommendation and have a voice in the plan. Sometimes the right first step is education, therapy coordination, monitoring, or gathering more information before any medication decision.

The first appointment is a 60-minute telehealth visit covering history, current symptoms, prior diagnoses, medication history, therapy history, school and work functioning, family concerns, strengths, safety, and treatment goals. The purpose is to understand the full clinical picture before making any recommendations. Cost: $450.

Yes. A parent or guardian must attend the initial evaluation for minors. Parents provide important history, help clarify symptoms, and give consent for treatment. Adolescents are also given space to speak openly and participate in the plan.

That is often a good fit. Yellow House is designed to work alongside therapists and other providers. Many families seek psychiatric evaluation when therapy has helped but something still feels unresolved, or when medication questions have come up. Yellow House coordinates with your child's therapist when appropriate.

In most cases, therapy should be in place before or alongside medication management. Medication is rarely the only component of effective treatment. Therapy helps adolescents build coping skills, self-understanding, and long-term resilience that medication alone cannot provide. If your child is not currently in therapy, Yellow House can help identify appropriate referrals.

At Yellow House Behavioral Health, the initial 60-minute psychiatric evaluation is $450. Follow-up medication management appointments are 30 minutes and cost $225. Payment is due at the time of service. A superbill is provided after each appointment for families pursuing out-of-network insurance reimbursement.

Yellow House Behavioral Health is a private pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. A superbill is provided after each appointment for families who wish to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Many PPO insurance plans reimburse a portion of out-of-network psychiatric care. We encourage families to contact their insurance to ask about out-of-network mental health benefits before scheduling.

A superbill is an itemized receipt that includes diagnostic codes, procedure codes, and provider information. Families submit the superbill directly to their insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement. The amount reimbursed depends on your specific plan and out-of-network benefits.

Yes. All appointments at Yellow House are conducted via secure HIPAA-compliant telehealth for patients who are physically located in California at the time of the visit. The platform is accessible by phone, tablet, or computer. No travel is required.

Yes. Yellow House provides telehealth psychiatric care for patients throughout California, including the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, Monterey, the Central Coast, and communities statewide. Patients must be physically located in California at the time of the appointment.

Yes. A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is a specially trained advanced practice nurse who can evaluate psychiatric symptoms, diagnose mental health conditions, and prescribe psychiatric medications including controlled substances when appropriate. Anne Rossell, PMHNP-BC, holds board certification from the ANCC and an active DEA registration in California.

A psychiatric evaluation, like those provided at Yellow House, is conducted by a psychiatric provider and focuses on diagnosis, medications, and psychiatric treatment planning. A psychological evaluation is typically conducted by a psychologist and includes cognitive and neuropsychological testing. Both can be valuable but they answer different clinical questions. Yellow House provides psychiatric evaluations, not psychological or neuropsychological testing.