The Lieber Recovery and Rehabilitation Clinic for Psychotic Disorders

The Lieber Recovery and Rehabilitation Clinic for Psychotic Disorders provides  comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation for individuals with persistent mental illness.  It is particularly suited to patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, though people with other severe forms of mental illness may also benefit from its rehabilitation focus. 

The Lieber Clinic is conveniently located in Columbia University Medical Center’s Eastside Manhattan office at 16 East 60th Street.  It is an integral part of the well-known Columbia Day Treatment Program, which has been helping patients for over 25 years.  The Lieber Clinic adds a new group of services, providing a range of psychiatric, rehabilitation, and supportive services, and embraces a Recovery Model so that participants can rebuild and develop their lives. 

The clinic leadership includes two senior faculty members who have been research and clinical pioneers in the rehabilitation of individuals with schizophrenia:  Alice Medalia, Ph.D., an internationally recognized neuropsychologist in the vanguard of cognitive remediation, and Thomas Smith, M.D., an outstanding psychiatrist specializing in improving functional outcomes in schizophrenia.

Patients attending the Lieber Clinic can receive individual and group treatment, medication management, medical care coordination services, cognitive evaluation, cognitive remediation, life skills coaching, work and school readiness training, social skills training, and work placement assistance. Based on a thorough evaluation, patients work with staff to create a personalized treatment plan that will help them gain the skills and confidence to pursue their life goals.  All patients also continue to have primary psychiatrist.  We are glad to arrange for this to be of our faculty members, or patients may continue under the care of their referring physician in a collaborative arrangement.

Services include:

Rehabilitation Evaluation:Rehabilitation Readiness and Cognitive Skills Assessments provide a framework for designing a personalized recovery program and for determining an individual’s capacity for work, school, and independent living.

Psychiatric Evaluation:  Columbia faculty with expertise in psychosis and schizophrenia can conduct evaluations and offer recommendations regarding diagnosis and psychiatric management when requested. 

Cognitive Remediation: Cognitive Skills Training groups that use the evidence-based NEAR method (Neuropsychological Educational Approach to Rehabilitation), provide specificneurocognitive exercises to improve attention, planning, memory and other cognitive skills. Computer-based exercises and group exercises teach cognitive awareness, cognitive skills, improve self-esteem and intrinsic motivation.

Life Skills Coaching: Individual and group programs help patientsto devise strategies, techniques, or adaptations that enable them be as independent as possible. Areas of focus may include daily living needs,  personal care skills, transportation, interpersonal and communication skills, money management,  and recreation.

Psychopharmacology: Psychiatrists at the Lieber Clinic can provide ongoing medication management, or maintain consultative contact with referring prescribing clinicians. 

Health and Wellness: Groups are offered that cover adherence to medication regimens, the importance of proper nutrition and a balanced diet, weight management, sleep hygiene, stress management and general personal care.  We can also make referrals to internists, endocrinologists, dentists and other health professionals at Columbia whenever needed.

Medical Care Coordination: Many patients with mental illness have multiple medical problems both related to side effects from psychotropic medication and unrelated conditions. These conditions can require complicated medical regimens and a variety of medical appointments, all of which can be challenging for patients to coordinate and follow. The staff at the Lieber Clinic can help to maintain optimum physical health by providing medical case management services.

Work Placement: Patients with work-related goals are assisted in gradually readying themselves for the challenges and demands of the workplace by providing in-house simulated work opportunities, volunteer placement, and supervised work placement.

School Readiness: We assist patients to develop the skills needed to return to school and offer support and guidance as they start their educational placements.

Social Skills Training: Individual and group sessions are offered to enhance communication and social skills.

Social Support: The support of family and friends is essential for people attempting to recover from mental illness.  We work with family and friends to give them the guidance and help they need to be effective recovery support people.

Leadership Staff

Alice Medalia, Ph.D.
Director of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, Columbia University Department of Psychiatry

Thomas Smith, M.D.,
Director, Psychosis Assessment, Research, and Clinical Services, Columbia University Department of Psychiatry

Tiffany Herlands, Psy. D.
Director of Rehabilitation Psychology Services at Columbia University Day Treatment Program

Betty Jeanne Kass, L.C.S.W.
Director, Columbia University Day Treatment Program

Anja Behm, L.M.S.W.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Julie Kern, M.S.O.T.R.
Senior Occupational Therapist

Financial Information

Fees for care at the Lieber Center are on a self-pay basis. 

Contact

To schedule an appointment, make a referral, or for further information,
please call : (212) 326-8441

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/
Columbia University Medical Center Eastside
16 East 60 Street
New York, NY 10022






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@2005 Columbia University Department of Psychiatry
180 Ft. Washington Avenue, New York, NY 10032