Psychiatrist Prasad joins Mental Health Center

Dr. Raghuram Prasad, a psychiatrist, has joined the staff of the Mental Health Centers of Western Illinois.

He is dividing his time between Transitions and Blessing Hospital in Quincy, and the three locations of the Mental Health Centers of Western Illinois - Carthage, Pittsfield and Mt. Sterling. He will be in Carthage on Mondays and Thursdays.

He earned his medical degree from the Universidad Federal de Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil. He completed his four-year residency in general psychiatry and a two-year fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, both at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Prasad said the main needs in this area are treatment of adults for depression, anxiety and psychotic illness. In children he often works with depression, anxiety, ADHD and autism.

“In the rural areas, there are fewer psychiatrists available, so there is a larger patient to provider ratio,” Prasad said. “People are friendly here, and families tend to be supportive so that helps with the treatment.

“Sometimes there is a stigma toward mental health, but families here are generally receptive to the recommendations I make.”

Prasad will conduct psychiatric evaluation of patients and work with monitoring medications. He and other counselors at the center work with therapy tailored to each patient's need.