Board-certified psychiatry via secure video for Bakersfield, Delano, Ridgecrest, and 1 other cities and the rest of Kern County. Same care as in-person, without the drive.
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Kern County (Bakersfield and surrounding areas) is one of the most psychiatry-underserved regions in California. Many patients drive 2+ hours for appointments — and many simply go without care.
Our TelePsychiatry brings care to your home in Bakersfield, Delano, Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, or anywhere else in Kern County. We accept Medi-Cal — the dominant insurance in the region — and most commercial plans.
Universal Medical Group's TelePsychiatry brings board-certified psychiatric care to your home, your office, or your phone. New evaluations, medication management, MAT, follow-ups — all available without leaving Kern County.
Most psychiatric conditions can be effectively treated via telehealth. Spravato® and TMS require in-person clinic visits at our Pleasant Hill location.
GAD, panic, social anxiety, health anxiety
MDD, persistent depression, postpartum
Adult and adolescent diagnosis & treatment
Trauma-informed care, prazosin, SSRIs
Specialty mood-stabilizer expertise
Targeted treatment, not just sleeping pills
Telehealth MAT throughout California
Genetic-guided medication selection
Book directly through our online portal or call (925) 825-1766. Many patients are seen within 1–2 weeks.
We verify your insurance benefits before the visit so there are no surprises. We accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, and most commercial plans.
A board-certified psychiatrist (or psychiatric nurse practitioner) takes a thorough history, makes a diagnosis, and discusses treatment options with you.
If we prescribe medication, it goes directly to your pharmacy. We follow DEA and California rules for controlled substances via telehealth.
Most follow-ups are 30 minutes via the same secure video platform. Frequency depends on the treatment plan — initially every 2–4 weeks, then every 1–3 months once stable.
For most Kern residents, the nearest in-network psychiatrist is either booked out for months or doesn't accept your insurance. Telehealth fixes both problems.
Our patients see us from work breaks, from home during their kid's nap, from their car on a lunch hour. The visit quality is the same as in-person for medication management — and patients with anxiety, ADHD, or depression often actually do better with telehealth because the friction of getting to an appointment was itself a barrier.
If you ever decide you want in-person care, all four UMG clinics are open to telehealth patients — Pleasant Hill, Vallejo, Davis, or Fremont.
No — you only need to be physically located in California at the time of the visit. We see patients throughout all 58 counties.
Yes, in most cases. California allows telehealth prescribing of stimulants and Suboxone within current DEA and state rules. Some controlled substances require periodic in-person visits; we'll explain what applies to you.
Yes. We accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, and most major commercial insurance for telehealth visits.
All four of our California clinics (Pleasant Hill, Vallejo, Davis, Fremont) are open to telehealth patients. Spravato® and TMS specifically require in-person visits at Pleasant Hill.
Most new patients are seen within 1–2 weeks. Same-week appointments are sometimes available. Call (925) 825-1766 to check current availability.