A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, who specializes in mental health. Training consists of 4 years of undergraduate work, 4 years of medical school, and a 3-4-year residency program. Child/adolescent psychiatrists receive an additional 2 years of fellowship training. Board certification certifies competency by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Dr. Hu is currently accepting new patients ages 5 to 35 years. She will sometimes make exceptions (e.g. if an individual prefers to see a female psychiatrist, and there are limited options within the community), so please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

Yes, Dr. Hu provides virtual psychiatric services provided this is clinically appropriate. She requires that all new patients be seen in-person first at her office in Hickory, North Carolina. Please be aware that in certain clinical scenarios, she may request that you be seen at her office in-person for each visit.

New patient appointments are 60-90 minutes long, and follow-ups are typically 30 minutes. While Dr. Hu has extensive training in psychotherapy, she is not currently providing weekly therapy services, though she often weaves in elements of therapy during her visits.

Yes, Dr. Hu strongly believes in taking a collaborative approach and enjoys working with other professionals, including teachers, therapists, and primary care providers. She encourages open lines of communication with clinicians involved in your care to better understand you as a whole person. Please note that for ADHD evaluations, she requests that a friend, parent, or partner be present with you during the assessment to provide additional information. Failure to do so may result in prolongation of the evaluation and/or referral to another clinic.

Yes, Dr. Hu prescribes controlled substances but only after thorough evaluation and assessment that these medications are indicated for treatment. Please note that individuals are subject to urine drug screens and that records are checked at each appointment. Per federal and state regulations, patients who are taking controlled substances must be seen very 3 months.

Dr. Hu does not provide court-mandated or child custody evaluations. She typically does not complete disability paperwork, though this is determined on a case-by-case basis and requires regular appointments to ensure thorough and appropriate evaluation and treatment. Our office does not offer methadone or Suboxone. While Dr. Hu is able to manage behavioral problems that co-exist with autism and development disorders, she does not provide formal testing (e.g. ADOS, CARS) and collaborates with her local psychology colleagues.