Inova opens Northern Virginia’s first EmPATH Unit to address growing behavioral health needs

Adult and pediatric ERs at Inova Fairfax Hospital expanded to serve more patients Fairfax, VA — November 12, 2024 — Inova Fairfax Hospital announced today that it will open the region’s first EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) unit, a specialized facility designed to provide a safe, calming environment for patients experiencing a mental…

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What to Know About Depression in Older Adults

Ahmed Sherif Abdel Meguid, MD, FRCPC, (pronouns: he/him) is a board-certified consultation-liaison psychiatrist and neuropsychiatrist at Inova Behavioral Health Services. Note: Depression is not a normal part of aging. It is a treatable medical condition, and older adults are at increased risk of developing symptoms of depression (also called major depressive disorder, or MDD). If…

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When a Loved One Faces Mental Health Challenges, Be Sure to Keep Self-Care on Your Priority List

Christina Barker, LCP, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor and completed National Certified Counselor Certification. She serves as the Manager of the Behavioral Health Ambulatory Program for Inova Behavioral Health Services. Mental health is just as important as physical health is. After decades of dismissing the role of mental wellness in a person’s overall wellbeing,…

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What to Expect on an Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit

Mohammed (Ashi) Azam, MD, is a board certified psychiatrist. Although they can be just as devastating, mental health challenges have long taken a backseat to physical illnesses. This often-invisible suffering, and the stigma surrounding it, cause many people to choose not to seek care for mental health concerns. Mental illness is more common than you…

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Dads and Depression: Raising Awareness

Tara Croan, LCSW, PMH-C, women’s behavioral health therapist, Inova Women’s Behavioral Health Services;  Sarah Orrison, LCSW, women’s behavioral health therapist, Inova Behavioral Health Services; and Rushi Vyas, MD, psychiatrist. When a couple welcomes a new baby into the family, everything changes. The parents tend to focus on the new baby’s needs and on the new…

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