Dr. Jonathan Ortego, MD, MPH is a board-certified psychiatrist providing concierge mental health telepsychiatry services to the greater New York City area. It is Dr. Ortego’s belief that each individual should receive comprehensive treatment tailored to their needs. In working with Dr. Ortego, clients can expect a non-judgmental, patient-centered, and evidence-based approach to their care.
About
J. Chance Ortego, MD, MPH
Dr. Ortego (he/him) is originally from small-town Louisiana and completed his undergraduate education at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. There, he studied neuroscience and anthropology with the goal of understanding the science of human behavior. He remained at Tulane for medical school to complete the university’s combined MD/MPH program. During his time at Tulane and in New Orleans, Dr. Ortego was dedicated to giving back to the community and led a community service undergraduate organization and a medical student-run clinic focused on substance use and mental health.
Combined with his public health studies, these experiences allowed Dr. Ortego to explore his passion for working with individuals with complex and diverse backgrounds affecting their mental health and well-being. Following medical school, Dr. Ortego moved to Atlanta to complete his training in Adult Psychiatry at Emory University before moving to New York City for his Child and Adolescent Fellowship training at NYU. He hopes that his fellowship training, which focuses on child development, family relations, attachment, and more, will prove critical in his approach to comprehensive, non-judgmental, patient-centered, and evidence-based care.
Areas of Interest
Mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder
Whether your mood is consistently low or if mood lability has negatively impacted you, initiating medications and/or psychotherapy may be the first step to regaining control of your life.
Anxiety disorder such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorders
Anxiety can take many forms and be worse in different environments. You may be feeling worried about life in general, or have specific concerns, such as certain phobias or interacting with peers. Together, we can find a solution to ease your worries and improve your quality of life.
ADHD
ADHD can affect people’s ability to concentrate on work, begin or finish tasks, or even sit still without fidgeting. Medications are the primary treatment for ADHD symptoms at Improving Chances, though some behavioral interventions such as Organizational Skills Training are available to help manage symptoms.
Trauma-related disorders, such as PTSD
Trauma affects each person differently, and its effects on our mental health can come in waves. Whether someone has been the victim of abuse, learned of a trauma, or experienced a terrible tragedy themselves, their responses can vary based on various individual biological, social, and psychological factors, thus requiring tailored treatment. Dr. Ortego provides a safe environment for clients to process what has happened to them in order to be better able to function during their daily lives, while acknowledging that no two cases are the same.
Grief and bereavement
The loss of a loved one or an idea of how our lives should look can often bring complicated emotions that negatively affect our lives. With a trusted provider, one can begin working through these feelings to make sense of and bring meaning to loss in order to move forward.
Relationship struggles
One of the cornerstones of the human experience is our relationships with others. However, relationships often come with challenges, ranging from misunderstandings or unmet expectations of others to separation and divorce. Our entire social support network can be weakened by these issues, as the effects of one relationship often bleed into the rest of our lives.
LGBTQIA+ Mental Health
LGBTQIA+ individuals are 2.5 times more likely to experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime compared to their cisgender, heterosexual peers.
Sexual and Gender Identities
Recognizing and respecting the importance of sexual and gender identity is crucial for fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. These identities are fundamental to one’s sense of self, and Dr. Ortego hopes his clients can explore and express their diverse identities without fear of judgment. Coming to terms with one’s sexuality and experience as a queer person can be challenging in a plethora of ways. As a gay man, Dr. Ortego understands some of these issues first-hand and hopes to provide a safe environment for individual’s mental health treatment. Additionally, if you are struggling with your gender identity or dealing with the stressors that come with being transgender or non-binary, you will find gender-affirming mental health care with Dr. Ortego, as he feels that each person deserves to live life as their truest self.
Race
Race can be a sensitive topic to discuss for many, but discussing LGBTQIA+ mental health would not be complete without acknowledging that non-white members of the community experience their own unique obstacles in life that can negatively affect their mental health. Intersectionality between racial and sexual/gender identities influences a person’s experiences and challenges. Whether you are Black or a member of the larger POC community, Dr. Ortego hopes that you can feel safe discussing these racially-specific challenges with him in a compassionate and open-minded environment to foster trust, promote resilience, and ultimately receive more comprehensive and effective treatment.
Therapeutic Approach
I believe that the most important factor in a successful psychiatrist-client relationship is the collaborative nature of the partnership. While I have the expertise on mental health conditions and treatments, you have the expertise on you. I believe that my genuine curiosity and efforts to truly get to know my clients is what sets me apart from some other providers you may encounter.
Additionally, having trained at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, I’ve learned the importance of trauma-informed care. Trauma affects nearly every mental health condition, and it is important that the lens through which your treatment is provided is trauma-informed. Whether you’ve had a near death experience, been the victim of abuse, or have some other traumatic experience, it is pivotal that your provider be willing to tackle any difficulties that may come up in treatment stemming from your past, as they may be affecting your present.
Finally, if we decide to work together, I hope you find that I’m empathetic and attentive to your mental health needs. Because I take the time to get to know my clients as thoroughly as possible, I am able to provide individualized treatment tailored to a client’s needs, whether that be the use of medications, psychotherapy, or some combination of the two. Together, we can decide on which options may be best suited for your treatment goals in order to improve your quality of life.
Services
Initial psychiatric assessment
90 minutes
Medication management follow up
30 minutes
Weekly Psychotherapy
45 minutes
Medication management + Psychotherapy
60 minutes
Office Policies
Telepsychiatry
Dr. Ortego provides a tele-psychiatry service aimed at improving access to mental health care for those seeking treatment. However, with President Biden ending the national public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous federal regulations regarding prescribing controlled substances are being put back into place. While most appointments will be conducted via a telehealth platform, the law states there must be at least one in-person visit prior to prescribing any controlled substance, such as stimulants or benzodiazepines. If this pertains to your care, Dr. Ortego will work with you to coordinate a time and place for your in-person evaluation in order to provide your care.
Cancellations
If for some reason you are unable to make your scheduled appointment, please call to notify at least 24 hours in advance. If you do not show up for your scheduled appointment or provide less than 24 hours notice, you will be responsible for the full cost of your scheduled session.
Payment
My services are out-of-network for all insurance companies and I do not bill insurance directly. Patients are responsible for full payment at the time of service and should contact their health insurance to inquire about out-of-network mental health benefits for possible reimbursement.
Accepted forms of payment include debit or credit cards.
Initial psychiatric assessments are 60 minutes in length and cost $500. Follow up appointments range from 30 to 60 minutes and are $250-$500 per session. For specific questions regarding payment or fees, please contact Dr. Ortego directly.
Patient Forms
New Patient Forms Packet
Save time by completing the new patient packet before your appointment.