Psychiatrist brings history of experience in childhood treatment to Oxford

Residents of Oxford now have access to expanded mental health services for children and adolescents with the addition of Dr. Stephen Pannel at Right Track Medical Group.

Stephen Pannel, DO, ABPN, ABAM, who also serves as Right Track Medical Group’s Chief Medical Officer, is board certified in adult psychiatry and addiction medicine and is board eligible in child and adolescent psychiatry.

“Children and teens are not immune to the struggles of mental health,” he said.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 Americans ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder, while 3.2% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 1.9 million) have diagnosed depression.

Dr. Pannel’s commitment to the development of coping mechanisms and treatments for children is something he has seen as vital in treatment since his fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Dr. Pannel, who also works at a drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility, always emphasizes the need for early intervention.

“How we intervene now in our children’s mental health matters in the long-term,” said Dr. Pannel. “Through early intervention can help shape how our children will struggle — or not struggle — with mental health as adults.”

Dr. Pannel is also committed to eliminating the stigma often associated with mental healthcare so that patients of all ages have a clear path to mental wellness.  

“When our children are unwell, we take them to the doctor and think nothing of it. However, when they have problems that interfere with their mental well-being, there is all of this stigma with going to get help or medicine that could make a huge difference. We at Right Track Medical are here to change this old-fashioned way of thinking,” he said.

To read more on Dr. Pannel, visit https://www.righttrackmedical.com/staff/stephen-pannel