Brady Drake
Photo by Josiah Kopp
Bridging the Gap with a New Standard in Psychiatric Care
In the complex and ever-growing field of mental health care, families often find themselves in a maze of waiting lists, impersonal interactions, and uncertainty regarding their next steps. Enter Dakota Adult and Pediatric Psychiatry—a community-driven clinic founded with a mission to fill these gaps and offer timely, compassionate, and comprehensive psychiatric care to those in need. Founders Dr. Douglas Hess, DO, and Aubrey Hess, PA-C aim to go above and beyond the standards of psychiatric care available to our community
“We wanted to offer timely and compassionate comprehensive care to the community as the wait times (still currently in some facilities) were over six months to one year. Our motivation to provide care stems from a personal history of mental illness impacting each of our lives at young ages through close family members,” they explained.
Both have faced the heartbreaking reality of losing a loved one to suicide—Dr. Douglas Hess, his grandmother, and Aubrey, her uncle. Knowing the pain, challenges, struggles, barriers, and stigmas of mental health, they are hoping the impact of their care can help others before getting to this point.
Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Douglas Hess is dual board-certified in General Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. He has been awarded the UND Dean’s Special Recognition award for outstanding volunteer faculty in April 2023 and the UND 8th Annual James E. Mitchell, MD Award for outstanding Co-Teacher of the Year for 2021-2022.
Aubrey Hess, PA-C has been Board Certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) since 2010.
Both providers also serve as Clinical Assistant Professors and have a passion for teaching.
What further distinguishes Dakota Adult and Pediatric Psychiatry from other psychiatric care providers is their commitment to treating patients as individuals rather than statistics. “We treat them like our own family—brothers, sisters, children, mothers, fathers, grandparents—and not just a number. We enjoy getting to know our patients on an individual basis and are genuinely invested in the outcome of their mental health journey,” Douglas said.
"We strive to offer timely responses from our providers directly to our patients, instead of a nurse or secretary, through our individualized patient portal system where patients have direct access to send questions to our providers."
Their unique approach doesn’t stop at individualized care. Dakota Adult and Pediatric Psychiatry extends its services to entire families, offering a more nuanced understanding of family dynamics and outside stressors.
“Many times, we get to see the whole family, which is very rewarding to see these kids grow and heal. Treating multiple family members allows the provider to understand the intricacies of a family dynamic, thus allowing better care,” Aubrey said.
“If you or your loved ones are going through difficult times or are interested in taking the next steps in psychiatric care, please reach out to a psychiatric specialist,” urges Dr. Hess. “Prompt appropriate diagnosis and treatment can reduce the duration and severity of your illness and reduce the likelihood of treatment-resistant illness developing,” they said.
Cutting-Edge Treatment: Spravato Nasal Spray
A large number of individuals who seek out psychiatrists have struggled with treatmentresistant depression and have tried multiple medications or other treatment modalities with limited success. When it comes to treatment-resistant depression, Dakota Adult and Pediatric Psychiatry offers an alternative that has seen significant success—Spravato nasal spray.
“Almost 100% of our clinic patient population have had a significant reduction in their depressive symptoms,” Dr. Hess said. Spravato offers a noninvasive treatment path compared to other alternatives such as ECT, which can have unwanted side effects. Its success rates are as high as almost 80%, making it a gamechanging resource for individuals aged 18 and above.
Dakota Adult and Pediatric Psychiatry is not just a clinic; it’s a community resource. Treating ages from five years old and older, the clinic often sees multiple family members, making their care holistic and multi-generational.
3523 45th St S Ste 107
Fargo, ND 58104
Office | 701-552-6578
dakotapsychiatry.com
[email protected]
New Location Coming Soon!
4541 52nd Ave S Ste 100
Fargo, ND 58104
