Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Services | MI Counseling

Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Services in Michigan help when medical illness and mental health symptoms happen at the same time. If you feel scared, confused, or overwhelmed during a hospital stay or while managing a long-term condition, you are not alone. Many people struggle with sleep, panic, low mood, or trouble thinking clearly when their body is under stress. This service brings a psychiatric specialist onto the medical team so you can get clear answers, fast support, and a plan that fits your health needs.

Consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatry is for people in hospitals, rehab settings, and clinics who need mental health care alongside medical care. It can help patients, families, and care teams when symptoms affect recovery, safety, or treatment choices. The goal is simple: help you feel steadier, understand what is happening, and support healing—mind and body together.

Signs You Might Benefit

Medical problems can change how your brain and body work. Pain, infection, medication side effects, and stress can all affect mood and thinking. You might benefit from psychiatric consultation-liaison care if you notice any of the following:

• New or worsening anxiety during a medical illness, procedure, or hospital stay
• Depression symptoms like low mood, hopelessness, crying often, or loss of interest
• Panic attacks, fear of tests or treatments, or intense worry about diagnosis
• Sleep problems that affect healing, energy, or pain levels
• Confusion, sudden behavior changes, or agitation (possible delirium), especially in older adults
• Hallucinations or paranoia that start during illness or after new medication
• Memory or attention problems that make it hard to follow the care plan
• Substance use concerns, including withdrawal risk, cravings, or relapse during illness
• Eating or appetite changes tied to medical treatment or stress
• Strong distress after a trauma, ICU stay, accident, or serious diagnosis
• Thoughts of self-harm or feeling unsafe

Benefits of consultation-liaison services often include:

• Better symptom control (anxiety, mood, sleep, agitation)
• Clear communication between psychiatry and your medical team
• Safer medication choices that consider your heart, liver, kidneys, and other conditions
• Support for families during hard decisions and stressful changes
• Planning for next steps after discharge (therapy, psychiatry follow-up, community supports)

Evidence-Based Approach

Our team uses proven care methods and simple, clear clinical reasoning. We look at the whole picture—your symptoms, your medical condition, your medicines, and your life stress. We also coordinate closely with doctors, nurses, therapists, and social workers so everyone is aligned.

Care Guided by Trusted Standards

Our work is aligned with best-practice guidance from organizations like the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and research shared through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These sources support careful assessment, safety screening, and treatment plans that balance mental health needs with medical risk.

Common Evidence-Based Interventions

• Diagnostic evaluation to tell the difference between depression, anxiety, delirium, medication side effects, grief, PTSD, and other conditions
• Medication consultation (when appropriate), including checking for drug interactions, QT risk, sedation risk, and kidney/liver dosing
• Brief therapy tools such as supportive counseling, coping skills, and elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Sleep and stress support with routines and non-medication options when possible
• Delirium prevention and management, including orientation strategies and environmental supports
• Capacity and decision-making support when choices feel complex (for example: consent, refusal, or guardianship questions)
• Safety planning for self-harm risk, including next-step care and protective supports
• Substance use planning, including withdrawal screening and referral to treatment when needed

How We Think Clinically (Plain Language)

We ask: What changed? When did it start? Could a medical issue (like infection, low oxygen, blood sugar shifts, or medication changes) be driving symptoms? We also check for depression and anxiety that may have existed before illness and became worse under stress. This helps us pick the safest and most helpful treatments for your situation.

What to Expect

Psychiatric consultation-liaison care is often short-term and focused. It is built to fit into your medical care, not replace it. Here is what the process usually looks like.

Referral and First Contact

A doctor, nurse, social worker, or another clinician may request a consult. Sometimes patients or families ask, too. We explain the reason for the consult, answer questions, and make sure you understand your choices.

Intake Assessment

The first visit often includes:

• Review of symptoms (mood, anxiety, sleep, thinking, fears)
• Medical history review (diagnoses, surgeries, pain concerns)
• Medication review (including over-the-counter and supplements)
• Brief mental status exam (attention, memory, thought process)
• Risk screening (self-harm, harm to others, withdrawal risk)
• Discussion of goals (what “better” would look like for you)

Team Coordination

We communicate with the medical team so the plan is clear. With your consent when required, we may talk with family members to understand baseline functioning and support needs.

Treatment Plan and Follow-Up

You may have one visit or several, depending on need. Plans may include coping tools, medication adjustments, more testing to rule out delirium, or help setting up outpatient care after discharge. If you need longer-term psychiatric treatment, we help create a smooth handoff.

Michigan Licensing and Patient Safety

In Michigan, psychiatric care must follow state standards for professional practice, confidentiality, documentation, and informed consent. Psychiatrists are licensed physicians, and other behavioral health clinicians (such as psychologists, social workers, and professional counselors) must also meet Michigan licensing requirements. We follow these standards to protect your privacy and make care safe and respectful.

Insurance

Coverage for consultation-liaison psychiatry depends on your plan, setting, and benefits. Many services are billed similarly to other specialist consults when you are in the hospital or a medical facility. Outpatient consultation may follow standard behavioral health coverage rules.

What You May Pay

• Copay: A set fee per visit, depending on your plan
• Deductible: The amount you pay before insurance starts paying more
• Coinsurance: A percent of the allowed amount after the deductible

Mental Health Parity

Many insurance plans must follow mental health parity rules, which aim to make mental health benefits comparable to medical benefits. Coverage details still vary, so we recommend checking your plan’s behavioral health benefits and hospital or outpatient billing rules.

How to Prepare for an Insurance Check

• Your insurance card (member ID and group number)
• The name of the hospital or clinic where you are being seen
• Any referral or authorization requirements listed on your plan

FAQ

Is consultation-liaison psychiatry only for people with severe mental illness?

No. Many patients seen by C-L psychiatry have anxiety, depression, sleep trouble, or stress reactions that started or got worse during illness. We also help with delirium, medication side effects, and safety concerns. The focus is on what is happening now and what will help you heal.

Will the psychiatrist change my medical treatment?

We do not replace your medical team. We work with them. We may suggest ways to reduce distress, improve sleep, or adjust medicines that affect mood or thinking. Any changes are discussed with the treating medical clinicians, and safety is the top priority.

What is delirium, and why does it matter in the hospital?

Delirium is a sudden change in attention and thinking. It can cause confusion, agitation, or seeing things that are not there. It often happens with infection, surgery, medications, or dehydration. Delirium is common in hospitals and needs quick medical and supportive care; NIH-supported research highlights how important early recognition is for safer outcomes.

Can my family be involved?

Yes, often. With your permission (or when legally appropriate), family can help us understand your baseline mood and thinking and help with support plans after discharge. We also teach families simple ways to reduce stress, improve orientation, and support recovery.