Your Questions About
Telehealth Psychiatry
at D&Y — Answered Directly.

Denis Grigorov, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Air Force veteran, and VA-trained psychiatric provider. He completed a 12-month psychiatric residency at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and has a clinical background in military service, emergency nursing, and specialized group psychiatry including TMS treatment. He speaks Russian and Ukrainian.

Psychiatric physicians and psychiatric nurse practitioners like Denis are medical providers who can diagnose psychiatric conditions and prescribe medication. Therapists — licensed counselors, social workers, and psychologists — provide talk therapy and behavioral interventions but generally cannot prescribe medication. D&Y provides psychiatric medication management and coordinates with therapists directly when therapy is indicated as part of the treatment plan.

D&Y is a psychiatric practice, not a therapy practice. D&Y integrates supportive therapeutic techniques — CBT principles, Motivational Interviewing, and psychoeducation — into psychiatric appointments where clinically relevant. For patients who need standalone intensive therapy, D&Y provides referrals to trusted therapist partners and communicates with them directly with patient consent.

Clinically, D&Y provides the same standard of care via telehealth as he would in person. The evaluation is the same, the diagnosis process is the same, and the treatment plan is the same. The only difference is that you are not in the same physical room. Telehealth also removes the commute and the waiting room, which many patients find reduces their baseline anxiety before the appointment.

Yes. D&Y is licensed in California and can only see patients who are physically located in California at the time of each appointment. This applies to every appointment — not just the first one. If you travel outside California, appointments will need to be rescheduled until you return.

A backup phone option is always available if video fails mid-session. the D&Y office will provide clear instructions for handling technical difficulties in advance of your appointment so you are not left scrambling if something goes wrong on the day.

Not necessarily. D&Y conducts a thorough diagnostic evaluation before any medication recommendation. If medication is clinically indicated, he will explain the reasoning, the expected timeline for response, and the alternatives. If it is not indicated yet, he will explain that too — you will leave with clarity either way, not just a prescription.

It depends on the medication and the condition. Antidepressants typically take 4–6 weeks to reach full effect. Medications for ADHD typically show effects within days to weeks. Your provider explains timelines at every medication discussion so you know what to expect and when to meaningfully evaluate whether something is working — instead of wondering in silence.

Your provider reviews what was tried and why at every evaluation — including for new patients with prior treatment history. If a medication is not producing adequate improvement, he discusses the options clearly: dose adjustment, switching medications, adding something, or reconsidering the diagnosis. You will never be left on something that is not working without a plan for what comes next.

D&Y prescribes controlled substances when there is a clear clinical indication following thorough evaluation — including ADHD medications. He does not prescribe controlled substances without adequate diagnostic evaluation and clinical documentation. The evaluation comes first; the prescription follows the evidence.

Most major insurance plans now cover telehealth psychiatric services at the same rate as in-person visits, following federal telehealth parity requirements. Your specific plan's telehealth benefits are confirmed during insurance verification before your first appointment, so you know exactly what you are responsible for before your first appointment.

Veterans eligible for VA Community Care can access D&Y through TriWest, the managed care contractor for VA Community Care in the western United States. A referral from your VA primary care provider is typically required. Contact the office to discuss your specific eligibility — D&Y has direct experience working within the VA system and can help navigate it.

Yes. Private pay rates are available for patients whose insurance is not accepted or who prefer not to use insurance. Contact the office directly for current rates.

Yes. Many D&Y patients arrive with prior diagnoses and treatment histories. Your provider reviews everything from the beginning and does not simply defer to prior charts — he evaluates the current presentation thoroughly and confirms or refines the diagnosis as part of the first appointment. A prior diagnosis is a starting point, not a final word.

D&Y does not provide care for active psychosis requiring intensive management, complex substance use requiring withdrawal supervision, children or adolescents, or patients in active psychiatric crisis requiring emergency intervention. D&Y does not provide forensic evaluations, court-ordered assessments, or long-term disability documentation. If your needs require a higher level of care, D&Y will refer you to the appropriate resource clearly and directly.