Psychiatric Medication Management

Our providers work to ensure individualized psychiatric care by prescribing, monitoring, and properly adjusting medications for mental health disorders.

We diagnose and treat both adults and children who are suffering with many mental health concerns including: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, suicidal behaviors, self-harm, ADHD, autism, and more.

Benefits

Enhanced your mood

Improved energy levels

Increased Academic or Career Success

Strengthened Relationships

Reconnect and find overall balance

New medication management patient:

  • All patients need this completed. Those under 18 and/or adult patients with a legal guardian, the intake paperwork must be completed by someone with legal authority to consent to medical services on their behalf. If legal authority of a minor patient is contested (divorce/separation/foster care/temporary guardianship), please include documentation of legal authority when sending the completed intake forms to our office.

  • Please expect 90 minutes for your initial appointment. This ensures the proper amount of time to gain a full medical and mental health history.

  • Our providers help develop individualized treatment plans therefore follow-up visits may be once every three weeks they can be as often as once a week until you and your provider feel good about the progress.

    Follow-up visits are scheduled in 30 minute time blocks.

  • What is Medication Management?

    Mental health medication management is the comprehensive process of prescribing, monitoring, and modifying medications to successfully treat mental health disorders.

Dr. Matthew F Larsen, DO

Dr. Larsen is double board certified in adult and child psychiatry.

He is an Idaho Falls native who graduated from Skyline High School. He earned his medical degree from Des Moines University, completed his General Psychiatry Residency in Reno, Nevada in 2013, and completed a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Kade Anderson, DMSc, PA-C

Kade has been practicing as a certified Physician Assistant in Eastern Idaho since 2011. He earned a bachelor’s degree from BYU-Idaho in Health Science with an emphasis in Public Health, a Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Rocky Mountain College and a Doctor of Medical Science Degree from Rocky Mountain College.

Other than a 2 year hiatus working in pediatric primary care, the bulk of his career has been working in the mental health field as a psychiatric medicine clinician. He is passionate about mental health and in providing the best psychiatric care as possible.

Jamesen Birkel, MSN APRN

Jamesen is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Jamesen’s preceptorship for psychiatric practice was completed under the tutelage of one of the Midwest's most experienced psychiatrists, Dr. Ralph Bharati; with an emphasis on addiction medicine. Jamesen has experience treating patients of all ages and most recently specialized in telemedicine practice in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Kansas. He completed his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University-Idaho where he completed 2 internships, one working with leprosy affected families in India and the other educating BYU-Idaho students about nutrition.

Wende Leavitt, PA-C

Wende Leavitt, PA-C has worked in healthcare in Southeast Idaho for over 20 years. Her desire to make a greater impact prompted her to change professions from dental hygienist to PA. She has worked exclusively in psychiatry since graduating from Idaho State University’s Physician Assistant Program in 2020.

She was born in Oregon, but has lived most of her life in Pocatello. Wende married her husband Dean in 1995, and together they have 4 children and one granddaughter. She enjoys spending time with her family, singing, riding her e-bike, sewing quilts, and any other creative activity.

Jason Simpson, PA-C

Jason is a Physician Assistant with an extensive background in mental healthcare.

He received a bachelor’s degree in social work from BYU-Idaho. He worked primarily with youth in various settings: corrections, intensive inpatient treatment, and community rehabilitation.

Jason continued his education by completing a master’s degree of Physician Assistant Studies from Idaho State University.

Prior to Ascend, Jason had PA experience working for a large non-profit in Salt Lake City, gaining notable experience with complex patient populations of all ages.

Brent Ellsworth, PA-C

Brent is a physician’s assistant certified by the National Commission of Certification of PAs. He is licensed under the Idaho Board of Medicine. Brent received his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University Idaho and his Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies at Idaho State University earning a place on the dean’s list. Brent began his practice at Region 7 Behavioral Health, and has practiced with Seasons of Hope and Willow Sage in Idaho Falls. Brent specializes in adult behavioral health as well as substance use disorder medication management. Brent’s philosophy is to use the minimum amount of medication necessary to manage negative symptoms. One of Brent’s goal in his practice is to promote cohesiveness in medical and behavioral health medicine between providers.