Call us: (714) 683-1472
e-mail: info@orangecoastpsychiatry.com
Book Appointment

Office Policies

Office Policies

Transparent and patient-centered, our office policies ensure a welcoming and efficient experience for all.
We are aware of all the complexities associated with adverse mental state. In any case, if you want to cancel your appointment or make some alterations to the schedule then please provide us at least 2 business days for the notice period. By booking your appointment, we will fix the time for you when you will receive supreme quality mental care. During that time, we will not facilitate other patients and ensure the continuum of care. However, make sure to inform us 2 business days in advance so that we can serve other patients during that period. Before taking any decision of appointment rescheduling or cancellation, remember that you will be responsible for the financial aspects. However, we can consider your request of consideration under some conditions. Patients who do not attend or cancel the appointments within the notice period will have to pay for the no-show missed appointment. A no-show or late cancellation is considered a missed appointment. For initial psychiatric evaluations, the missed appointment fee for medication management/psychiatric services is $300, and $150 for psychiatric follow-up visits.
If our appointment begins late due to your late arrival, the session will end at the time it normally would have ended. This is done so that other patients may stay on schedule throughout the day. If we begin late because the providers are behind schedule, the session will be of its normal duration, to assure that patient concerns receive full and proper attention. If you arrive after the scheduled session has ended, we can sometimes accommodate you, if an already scheduled appointment cancels or no-shows, but this cannot be guaranteed. Otherwise, the visit will count as a no-show.
We will provide every effort to accommodate crisis situations and the need for earlier appointments. However, you may need to check with us on a daily basis for cancellations, if no appointments are immediately available. Likewise, we cannot guarantee immediate rescheduling of missed appointments. If a true psychiatric or medical emergency comes up, we advise you to see emergency services by going to your nearest ER or calling 9-1-1 immediately
Many insurance companies may require a referral for your visit to our practice. Please make sure to contact your insurance company and/or your primary care physician to ensure that you do get a referral (if it is required). Failure to obtain a referral when necessary, may cause your insurance company to deny your claim and you may have to cover the services provided.
Please let us know at the beginning of the session if we need to devote some of our time to discussing or filling out forms or write notes or letters. We advise you to please fill out forms to the best of your ability prior to the session so that we may use our time more efficiently and focused on you. Letters, forms, record reviews, and interactions with outside agencies requiring significant attention outside of scheduled appointment times, will be subject to fees determined on a time for service basis. Please feel free to inquire about fees. This excludes activities deemed by the provider to be clinically essential, such as interacting with other clinicians directly involved in your care, and executing routing duties such as providing refills, filling out routine authorization’s requests, and brief clinically-focused return of patient phone calls.
We provide refills of your medications at the time of your office visit. Please bring your medication list with you to each appointment to ensure quality of service is provided. Please be sure to give us at least 72 hours’ notice on all refill requests. Chronic or long-term medication refills require an office visit before they may be refilled. In other cases, we request that you contact your pharmacy for medication refills. The pharmacy will fax a request to our office with all pertinent information. You are responsible to notify the office at the time of your appointment if you are running out of medication so that we can avoid medication shortages. If you have mail-in series, you are responsible to mail the forms and prescriptions after we fill them out to avoid any confusion. Medication refills must be taken care of during your appointment, under unforeseen circumstances if you run out of medicines; please contact the office during regular business hours. We will be happy to refill your non-controlled medications if you have a scheduled follow-up appointment or will schedule you with the next available provider. Controlled lost/stolen prescriptions may require a police report and will only be refilled if clinically safe. Refills do not guarantee medication coverage, please speak to your pharmacy regarding coverage
In order to further protect patient confidentiality and abide by HIPAA Regulations, Mindful Mental Health Group does not keep official medical records for patients on file. For these reasons, Mindful Mental Health Group is not obligated to release patient medical records or other patient information under any circumstance. In special cases, with approval from provider and administration, where a request for copies of medical records is received, i.e., personal use, continuity of care, disability, etc. – there is a professional fee for the creation of all medical records. Patients must also sign consent forms before medical information can be released to any party. Please note: Unless specifically expressed or mentioned otherwise, encounters with our providers are for the purpose of assessment, treatment planning, and symptom management only and is not intended as evaluations to determine eligibility for Social Security benefits, competency, or legal defense.

Lighting hope for mental empowerment

We offer a diverse team of professionals who provide you the exceptional mental health support. They direct the individuals on a journey toward mental wellness and serenity. Our exceptional mental health services can treat the following common conditions and provide resilience.
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Trauma/Abuse/PTSD
  • Grief and Bereavement
  • Relationships Issues
  • Parenting Issues
  • Life Transition phases

Make an appointment today!

We believe that each individual deserves to stay mentally active and strong to enjoy the peace of life. We provide a diverse network of top mental health providers who are devoted to serving each individual in treating their mental health issues. Consult with our experts to get incredible mental health solutions.
Get in Touch

Shaheena Gazipura

PMHNP-BC

Richard Samedra, PMHNP-BC, is a Board Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. He brings over 12 years of experience in the mental health field, working with clients facing a wide range of acute and chronic mental health conditions. His journey began as a Licensed Vocational Nurse and Charge Nurse at Westminster Therapeutic Residential Treatment, where he supported clients dealing with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders. Richard’s dedication was centered on helping these individuals improve their mental health and transition to a lower level of care, whether that meant returning to their families, a board and care facility, or a sober-living environment.

Motivated by a growing passion for mental health care, Richard pursued his Registered Nurse (RN) education at Saddleback Community College and later transitioned to La Palma Intercommunity Hospital Behavioral Health. In this role, he specialized in geriatric psychiatry, working with older adults experiencing conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia, depression, and anxiety. This experience solidified his commitment to mental health, leading him to work at Bellflower Community Hospital, where he provided care for patients experiencing severe psychiatric crises, including suicidal ideation, manic and depressive episodes, substance use disorders, and exacerbated schizophrenia symptoms.

Inspired by the impactful work of PMHNPs at Bellflower, Richard enrolled in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at Azusa Pacific University. To broaden his expertise, he worked full-time at College Hospital Costa Mesa while completing his studies. There, he gained comprehensive experience across various units, including adolescent, acute men’s and women’s, stabilization, and detox/med-surg. Now, as a PMHNP, Richard is committed to leveraging his diverse background and knowledge to provide compassionate, comprehensive care to those in need.

Richard currently practices as a Nurse Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Orange Coast Psychiatry, where he is supervised by Dr. Montgomery.

 

Shaheena Gazipura

PMHNP-BC

Shaheena Gazipura is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over 9 years of dedicated experience in both inpatient and outpatient mental health care. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California.

Shaheena began her career working on an adult psychiatric inpatient unit before transitioning to the geriatric psychiatric inpatient unit at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. In addition to her clinical work, Shaheena also serves as a Nursing Clinical Instructor, guiding the next generation of nurses through their mental health rotations at a large community college.

Shaheena is a passionate advocate for mental health, believing that it is a fundamental pillar of overall well-being. She is committed to reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness and strives to provide comprehensive, compassionate care that honors each individual’s unique experiences and challenges. Her goal is to create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where patients feel empowered to work alongside her in achieving their mental health goals.

Outside of her professional life, Shaheena enjoys exploring new culinary experiences, staying active through exercise, and planning her next travel adventures.

Shaheena currently practices as a Nurse Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Orange Coast Psychiatry, where she is supervised by Dr. Barrios.

Clint Nacar

PMHNP-BC

Clint Nacar, PMHNP-BC is a Board Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Mr. Nacar graduated from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. Currently Mr. Nacar works in an inpatient psychiatry unit at a leading academic medical center in Los Angeles, Renewed Mental Health Group, and Orange Coast Psychiatry

Mr. Nacar brings over 7+ years of experience with the mental health population. He works to help patients take control of their mental health through patient education, psychotherapy and medication management. Mr. Nacar’s areas of focus include: Depression, Anxiety, Adjustment Disorder, Bipolar disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mr. Nacar treats children ages 6+, adolescents, and adults, offering both in-person services and telehealth at Renewed Mental Health Group.

With the collaboration of each patient, Mr. Nacar strives to develop individualized plans of care addressing each patient’s unique situation and concerns. He also encourages each patient to take charge of their mental health through a holistic approach while also employing the latest evidence based practices in treatment.

Clint is one of our most experienced Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners at Orange Coast Psychiatry and is 103NP Licensed in the State of California.

Cristian Cuevas

PMHNP-BC (Fluent in Spanish)

Cristian Cuevas, PMHNP-BC, is a highly skilled board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with over seven years of experience in inpatient psychiatry and mental health.

A California State University Long Beach graduate, Cristian also earned recognition as a board-certified psychiatric mental health registered nurse. With a wealth of expertise in adult psychiatric care across the lifespan, Cristian has successfully diagnosed and treated a diverse range of mental health disorders.

Additionally, his specialized experience in child and adolescent inpatient populations further enhances his ability to provide comprehensive and compassionate mental health care.

Cristian Cuevas is the Lead Nurse Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Orange Coast Psychiatry and is supervised by Dr Barrios.

Griselda Hernandez

PMHNP-BC (Fluent in Spanish)

As a licensed Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with a robust background in psychiatric and substance abuse nursing, Griselda provides compassionate, evidence-based care to individuals facing mental health and addiction challenges. The core of her practice focuses on promoting holistic wellness, fostering resilience, and empowering patients in their recovery journey. Specializing in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of adolescents with various mental health disorders, Griselda strives to create a therapeutic environment where patients feel valued, respected, and supported.
“My approach is grounded in years of diverse experience, including work in psychiatric units and medical detox units for both adults and adolescents. This extensive background has equipped me with the skills and knowledge to manage complex psychiatric and substance abuse conditions effectively. I am committed to staying updated with the latest advancements in psychiatric care, integrating cutting-edge therapies and best practices into my treatment plans. Collaboration is key to my practice; I work closely with multidisciplinary teams, families, and community resources to provide coordinated and comprehensive care tailored to each individual’s unique needs.”
Griselda holds a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in Psychiatric-Mental Health from West Coast University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Additionally, she is fluent in the English and Spanish language, enhancing her ability to connect with a diverse patient population.
Griselda currently practices as a Nurse Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Orange Coast Psychiatry, where she is supervised by Dr. Barrios.

Dr Barrios

Board-Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Dr. Carlos Barrios is a Board-Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with over two decades of experience in mental health care. His expertise in telepsychiatry has allowed him to serve patients across California and beyond. In his practice, Dr Barrios integrates metabolic and functional methodologies, focusing on guiding patients toward medication independence and emphasizing the connection between physical and mental health.
Outside of his professional life, Dr Barrios is passionate about kettlebell training, which helps him maintain my physical and mental wellness. He cherishes visiting his family in Guatemala, to reconnecting with his cultural roots and rejuvenating his spirit. Dr Barrios is also deeply involved in transcendental meditation and rucking, practices that not only provide him with tranquility but also keep him grounded and connected to nature. These hobbies reflect his commitment to a holistic approach to health, both personally and professionally.