To protect the health and safety of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, Riggs has developed protocols for new patient admissions. The protocol varies depending on whether you have completed a vaccination process or not. Please see below for full details.

Where can I find information about your response to COVID-19?

 monthly with our testing results and you'll also find updates from the medical director there.

Yes. Shortly after the outbreak of the pandemic, we instituted regular testing and quarantine protocols. To date, we have only had two positive test results among the patients, both of whom were subsequently given medical clearance to resume their normal activities. (View our 

 for current statistics.) In addition, over 90 percent of our community has been completely vaccinated, and by the end of 2021 will be fully vaccinated (barring medical or religious exemptions)

Can I get the vaccine after I'm admitted?

At this time, in response to the directive from the President requiring staff of healthcare facilities to be vaccinated, and in line with our philosophy to use the same standards for staff and patients whenever possible, we are requiring that all incoming patients have, at minimum, received the first COVID-19 vaccine dose prior to admission, with the intent to coordinate with the Riggs medical office to obtain their second dose post admission (for two-dose vaccines).

How are you screening new patients for COVID-19?

In addition to usual medical information gathered during the preadmission process, new patients will be screened at intervals by Riggs staff, before and after they travel to the Center, including inquiry about the following:

PRIMARY: New onset cough, fever (>100 degrees), or shortness of breath

​SECONDARY: Muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new onset loss of taste/smell

​Exposure to confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19

What happens if I don't pass the screening?

If a prospective patient’s temperature is 100 F or above and/or there are symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 infection, consultation is rescheduled for when they have recovered.

At this time, newly admitted patients are not required to enter quarantine. Newly admitted patients who are fully vaccinated will enter the residential community in the usual way. Newly admitted patients who are only partially vaccinated are required to show proof of a negative COVID test completed within 72 hours of admission, and to be tested on site within 24 hours of admission. All patients will be tested weekly as part of the pooled service provided by Riggs. Given the constantly changing nature of the pandemic and state rules, we recommend you contact the Admissions office at 800.517.4447 to discuss your individual situation.

Riggs has established a protocol for all patients (both current and newly admitted) who develop COVID-19. Such patients will enter isolation at Riggs and be treated by our nursing staff and consultant in internal medicine.

If necessary, our consultant in internal medicine could arrange a transfer to a medical hospital for additional treatment.

What happens if a staff member gets COVID-19?

In addition to our vaccination requirements, we continue COVID screening on a regular basis. Any personnel with a positive test result or experiencing COVID-like symptoms are placed in quarantine, which removes them from interaction with patients and other Riggs staff until their status is resolved as safe to return to work.

Riggs admits 1 to 3 patients each week. We recommend calling as soon as possible to begin the admission process. Once assessed, appropriate patients are put on a waiting list for a consultation for admission. The total time from contact with Riggs to admission varies based on how quickly required information is provided to us, and the number of openings we have.

Are you conducting in-person campus tours for prospective patients and their families?

We have resumed in-person tours for prospective patients and their families! Masks will be required for all visitors and staff during the tour. Please contact Admissions at 800.517.4447 to arrange a day and time to visit. If coming to campus is not an option for you right now, you can take a 

virtual tour of the Austen Riggs Center

What does the admissions consultation involve?

The decision about whether to offer admission to Riggs is always made at an admission consultation. Admission consultations are scheduled in advance. Upon arrival to campus, Riggs staff will screen the potential patient and any accompanying family members for possible COVID-19 exposure and symptoms, including taking each person’s temperature to check for fever. The patient and involved family members will meet with designated Riggs clinicians over the course of two hours. All participants are required to wear masks. The consultation culminates in a decision about admission to the Center.

Clinical News

To protect the health and safety of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, Riggs has developed protocols for new patient admissions.

COVID-19 Admission Protocol

The Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy of the Austen Riggs Center has been named as a 2021 recipient of 

In winning the award, we join a distinguished group of over 100 individuals and organizations from around the globe who have had an indelible impact on the theory and practice of psychoanalysis. First conferred in 1990, a sampling of the Sigourney recipients includes Rosemary Balsam, Peter Fonagy, Shmuel Erlich, The Menninger Clinic-Topeka Institute for Psychoanalysis, the South African Psychoanalytical Association,​ The William Alanson White Institute, and others.

, the purpose of the award is to honor the expansion and connection of psychoanalysis to many fields of study and experience. “Supporting Mary Sigourney’s intentions for the award, work by the Erikson Institute helps expand the beneficial elements of psychoanalytic thought to diverse communities around the world,” says William A. Myerson, PhD, MBA, the Sigourney Trust’s psychoanalytic co-trustee.

“This award highlights the growing influence we have on helping to define the field and improve the lives of patients whom we’ve treated both directly here at Riggs and indirectly through our influence on other clinicians, organizations, and patients’ access to care.”
– 

“We strive to make psychoanalytic concepts accessible, relevant, interesting, and applicable to a wide range of problems and settings, and by winning The Sigourney Award-2021, our portfolio of psychoanalytic education, research, and advocacy is strengthened, and gains increased public awareness.”
– 

Evelyn Stefansson Nef Director of the Erikson Institute for Education and Research

“The Sigourney Award recognizes the critical role that the Erikson Institute plays in shaping public conversation about crucial issues of our time, especially those that sit at the at the intersection of clinical theory, the humanities, neurosciences, and the social and political sciences—that is to say, human experiencing in a world of turbulent change.”
– 

Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital

Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

News

The Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy of the Austen Riggs Center has been named as a 2021 recipient of The Sigourney Award, a major psychoanalytic award.

Erikson Institute Receives The Sigourney Award

New Way To Register for Events and Take Courses

The Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy of the Austen Riggs Center recently completed a transition to EthosCE for all of its CME/CE events and course offerings.

Regardless of whether you had an account with us previously*, you will need to create a new EthosCE account in order to register for live upcoming CME/CE events/webinars or to take our recorded online CME/CE courses.

*Important note: if you had an account with Riggs previously (through our website or CME Tracker), please use the email address associated with that account to create your new EthosCE account (to ensure your existing transcripts are linked). If you have any transcript issues, please email: 

Creating your EthosCE account is an easy, two-step process:

 and click on "Register" in the top right corner

Fill out the required fields on the "Create new account" page and then click the "Create new account" button at the bottom of the page.

Now you'll have access to explore our catalog and register for all our CME/CE courses/events–both live and recorded.

Education News

New CME/CE System - Register Now

“Identifying the next generation of psychodynamic and biopsychosocial psychiatrists, educators, and/or leaders, and supporting their development is critical to the field of psychiatry,” says David Mintz, MD, director of psychiatric education. “That’s why, three years ago, we initiated the Austen Riggs Award for Excellence in Psychotherapy.”

The annual award recognizes and supports the development of psychiatric residents who have demonstrated interest and ability in psychodynamic psychotherapy and/or psychodynamic psychiatry or have shown promise as researchers in biopsychosocial approaches to psychiatric practice, including psychotherapy.

Each year, program directors of psychiatry residency programs are invited to nominate and submit one of their current residents at any level of training for consideration.

The 2021 Austen Riggs Award for Excellence in Psychotherapy recipients are:

Michael Huang
University of Pennsylvania

Victoria Teague
Campbell University / Cape Fear Valley Health

Zicole Brown
Prisma Health / University of South Carolina

Recipients of the Award for Excellence in Psychotherapy receive $250 and a certificate of honor.

Each year, program directors of psychiatry residency programs are invited to nominate and submit one of their current residents at any level of training for consideration. 

Excellence in Psychotherapy Award Winners Announced

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, FAPA, cites research by 

, in his Psychology Today article, "7 Themes Reported by Near-Lethal Suicide Attempt Survivors."

Grant Hilary Brenner, MD, cites research conducted by Riggs clinical staff members on suicide.

7 Themes Reported by Near-Lethal Suicide Attempt Survivors

, "Medical-Necessity Letters Written By Psychiatrists Can Be Decisive."

“What we have to do is find ways to extend the impact of 

 beyond UBH to all commercial insurers and to Medicare and Medicaid.” —Eric Plakun, MD

Advocacy News

"The authoritative voice of a psychiatrist, backed by the law, can push insurance companies to do the right thing."

Medical-Necessity Letters Written By Psychiatrists Can Be Decisive

, is quoted in Jennifer Lubell's article for 

, "Trust is Key in Treating Borderline Personality Disorder." 

"Nature and nurture both matter. 'And I don’t think we’re paying enough attention to the nurture side,' Dr. Plakun said."

The importance of the alliance between therapist and patient can be key in treatment outcome success.

Trust is Key in Treating Borderline Personality Disorder 

, "Residency Programs Need Greater Focus on BPD Treatment." 

“This is where I see the need for a greater psychotherapy teaching focus in residency, along with teaching of general principles for working with patients with BPD,” said Dr. Plakun.

Eric Plakun, MD, comments on the need for borderline personality disorder training.

Residency Programs Need Greater Focus on BPD Treatment

13 years after Congress passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, mental health clinicians and patients still wrangle with insurance providers to pay for medically necessary—and legally mandated—coverage.

, four authors* with medical, legal, public-policy, and personal experience in this area provide expert advice as well as letter templates and suggested text that you can access and download for FREE.

Download Article

Download Letter Template

Download Patient Handout

“Providing a Routine Medical Necessity Letter to Improve Access to Care for Our Patients,” which appears in the July 2021 edition of the journal, offers you:

 of effective evaluation and treatment of mental and substance use disorders that meet generally accepted standards extracted by Drs. Paul Applebaum and Joseph Parks from the 

Wit v United Behavioral Health (UBH)/Optum

A detailed overview of how insurers will often base their denials on a lack of “medical necessity,” effectively overruling a clinician’s determination of the proper course of treatment and running counter to the parity act as well as state laws.

An in-depth review of the 4 key elements in an effective medical necessity letter

In addition, included with the article are three practical and easily reproducible appendices for you to adapt to your specific needs:

Template for a medical necessity letter, with instructions for use

Suggested text for inclusion in a medical necessity letter (from the 

Patient Handout—information to share with your patients regarding additional resources to help them file claims and secure medically necessary coverage they are entitled to

*“Providing a Routine Medical Necessity Letter to Improve Access to Care for Our Patients,” appears in the 

, MBA, Board Member, The Kennedy Forum Illinois; 

, JD, Member, DeBofsky, Casciari, Sherman, Reynolds, and Adjunct Professor of Law at University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law; 

, MD, Medical Director/CEO, The Austen Riggs Center, and Founder, American Psychiatric Association Psychotherapy Caucus; and 

, MBA, Executive Director, The Kennedy Forum Illinois.

 content is normally offered for a fee, but due to the public service nature of this article, the authors have made special arrangements for you to access this important article for free. Click below to download a PDF of the article and its appendices.

Additionally, clinical and advocacy organizations may further share this information with blog posts, newsletter updates, and website links. For more information about support in sharing, please contact John Zollinger at 

Austen Riggs Center’s Dr. Eric M. Plakun collaborates with Kennedy Forum Illinois and other experts to provide template to help patients with insurance coverage. 

Medical Necessity Letters: Tips and Templates to Help Your Patients with Insurance Coverage for Mental Health Treatment

–The Austen Riggs Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media: Executive Producers/Directors Margie Friedman and Barbara Multer-Wellin for their documentary 

, a film about Me2/Orchestra the world’s only orchestra created by and for people living with mental illness and those who support them.

Austen Riggs Center Medical Director/CEO Eric M. Plakun, MD, stated, “

 is a remarkable film that fights stigma by showing people struggling with mental and substance use disorders as, above all, quite simply human, with areas of competence in addition to areas of struggle and challenge. The film demonstrates the value of relationships and of belonging to a community as part of achieving resilience.”

Friedman remarked, “We are honored to receive the Erikson Prize. Me2/Orchestra's mission is to defeat mental health stigma. They have created a transformative organizational model that erases stigma through inclusion and compassion." Multer-Wellin added, "We share their mission and hope the film challenges audiences to reconsider preconceived notions of what it means to live with a mental illness and provokes much-needed dialogue.”

The Austen Riggs Center will hold a virtual event later this year to honor the 2021 prize recipients. For more information about the film, visit: 

Past recipients of the prize have included Alison Bechdel, Kiese Laymon, Neal Shusterman, Andrew Solomon, the Boston Globe Spotlight Team, NPR’s Hidden Brain, and many others.

The Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media recognizes a select group of media professionals, including journalists, writers, and others who create exemplary work that contributes to a deeper understanding of and greater public awareness about mental health issues and carries an award of $3,000.

The Riggs Center is a leading psychiatric hospital and residential treatment program that has been serving adults since its founding in 1919. Within an open setting, patients participate in an intensive treatment milieu that emphasizes respectful engagement. Individual psychodynamic psychotherapy is provided four times a week by doctors on staff. The Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy of the Austen Riggs Center studies individuals in their social contexts through research, training, education, and outreach programs in the local community and beyond. For more information, visit 



John Zollinger
Austen Riggs Center
Director of Communications
413.931.5816


Aaron Beatty
Austen Riggs Center
Communications Officer
413.931.5245


Film About Orchestra for People Living with Mental Illness Named   2021 Recipient of Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media 

Orchestrating Change Named 2021 Austen Riggs Erikson Prize Recipient

On February 28, 2019, Judge Joseph Spero of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued the 

findings of fact and conclusions of law in Wit v United Behavioral Health (UBH)

, a class action brought against the country’s largest behavioral health insurer. On November 3, 2020, Judge Spero issue a ruling related to the remedy phase of this case. Based on his knowledge and experience, Austen Riggs Center Medical Director/CEO Eric M. Plakun, MD, served as plaintiffs’ expert on adult mental disorders for this case. Dr. Plakun is an authority on access to care, implementation of mental health parity, and other advocacy issues.

Articles about Judge Joseph Spero’s November 3, 2020 Ruling

UBH Ruling Called an Enormous Victory for Patients, Wake-Up Call to Insurers

California Passes Law Based on Wit v. UBH Case

Federal Court Orders UnitedHealth To Fix 67,000 Behavioral Health Denials

, November 4, 2020) – features remarks from Austen Riggs Medical Director/CEO Eric Plakun, MD

District Court Issues Injunction Against UBH for Failure to Cover Mental Health/Substance Use Disorders

US Judge Orders United Behavioral Health To Revamp Behavioral Health Claims Processing

, November 4, 2020) – requires paid subscription

U.S. Federal Court Orders Special Master and 10-Year Injunctions for UnitedHealthcare Affiliate That Breached Fiduciary Duties

After Delivering Landmark Win for Mental Health Patients, Judge Orders UnitedHealth to Reprocess Over 50,000 Claims and Reform Claims Handling

” (Zuckerman Spaeder, November 3, 2020)

13 years after Congress passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, psychiatric professionals and patients still wrangle with insurance providers to pay for medically necessary—and legally mandated—coverage. Writing in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, four authors with medical, legal, public-policy, and personal experience in this area provide expert advice as well as letter templates and suggested text that you can access and download for FREE.

Taming the Wild West of Managed Care | The Dorm and Austen Riggs Center - YouTube

Insurance companies regularly deny access to mental health treatment that you determine to be medically necessary for your patients. In this presentation, Eric Plakun, MD explores the “game-changing” impact that the verdict in the Wit v. United Behavioral Health class action suit can have on access to care and insurance coverage for your patients.



New APA-Backed Federal Parity Law Is a Game Changer

APA-backed federal legislation enacted in December 2020 gave the federal government powerful new authority to enforce the law that requires insurers to provide the same access to psychiatric treatment as other medical care for patients they cover. For anyone who’s struggled to find psychiatric care, or has found it too expensive to afford, this law, strengthening mental health parity, is a game changer. Learn more at 

Wit v. United Behavioral Health: How This Landmark Verdict Puts Mental Disorder Access to Care Standards Back In Your Hands

In November 2020, a federal magistrate judge issued a stinging rebuke to the United Behavioral Health division of UnitedHealth Group, the nation's largest behavioral health insurer, saying it could no longer use its overly restrictive guidelines to deny mental health and substance use treatment and compelled them to reprocess over 50,000 claims. In this webinar, three experts with intimate knowledge of the case, Meiram Bendat, Joe Parks, and Eric Plakun, discuss how the ruling curbs the power of insurance companies to decide what standards of care are appropriate, and provide insights on how caregivers can use the verdict to advance access to care for their patients.

In this video, Austen Riggs Medical Director and CEO Eric M. Plakun, MD, who served as plaintiffs’ expert in 

, details how the order hands clinicians and professional groups a powerful tool to reclaim their role in determining access to care for patients.

Freedom of Access to Medically Necessary Treatment

As clinicians know, and as Federal District Court Judge Joseph Spero made part of his verdict in the landmark 

 class action lawsuit [which we reference later in this piece], treatment should address underlying problems and co-occurring disorders in a way that goes well beyond mere crisis stabilization.

Caroline E. Reynolds, Esq., explains the theory of the case, in which UBH (Optum), the nation’s largest behavioral health claims administrator, was found liable for breaching its fiduciary duties to its insureds by developing and using medical necessity criteria that were pervasively more restrictive than generally accepted standards of care.

WEBINAR: Upholding Generally Accepted Standards of Care: Strategies Informed by the Wit Case

The National Council for Behavioral Health has developed a new toolkit to empower behavioral health providers to claim their role as an authority on generally accepted standards of care.

Eric Plakun, MD, Medical Director/CEO, Austen Riggs Center

Joseph Parks, MD, Vice President, Practice Improvement, National Council for Behavioral Health

Lindsi DeSorrento, MPH, Director, Healthcare Transformation, National Council for Behavioral Health


Dr. Plakun’s 4 Tools to Maximize Insurance Claim Appeal Success

If you receive a denial from your insurance company for mental health treatment that you and your treating clinician believe is medically necessary, there are four important tools to maximize the chances for success in an appeal.

Austen Riggs Center Medical Director/CEO Dr. Eric Plakun lends knowledge and experience as plaintiff's expert in Wit v. UBH class action lawsuit to fight for mental health parity.

Mental Health Parity and the Wit v. UBH Class Action Lawsuit

Medical Director/CEO Eric M. Plakun, MD, authors a regular psychotherapy column for the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. Below is a listing of his columns, the most recent of which is often set to free, full-text access.

Providing a Routine Medical Necessity Letter to Improve Access to Care for Our Patients


(July 2021 – Volume 27, Issue 4 – p. 288-295) – Free, full-text access


Improving Access to Psychotherapy: Implications of Wit Versus United Behavioral Health


(May 2021 – Volume 27, Issue 3 – p. 199-202)


Afterword to “Working on the Frontlines From Home: Residents’ Experiences With Telepsychiatry During the COVID-19 Pandemic”


(January 2021 – Volume 27, Issue 1 – p. 48-51)



(July 2020 – Volume 26, Issue 4 – p. 309-312)


The Mental Health Crisis in America: Recognizing Problems; Working Toward Solutions: Part 3. Access to Care


(May 2020 – Volume 26, Issue 3 – p. 228-234)


The Mental Health Crisis in America: Recognizing Problems; Working Toward Solutions: Part 2. Offering Hope Through Engagement


(March 2020 – Volume 26, Issue 2 – p. 135-140)


The Mental Health Crisis in America: Recognizing Problems; Working Toward Solutions Part 1. Defining the Crisis


(January 2020 - Volume 26 - Issue 1 - p 52-57)


Psychotherapy in Psychiatry: Fighting Alternative Facts


(November 2019 - Volume 25 - Issue 6 - p 466–469)



(July 2019 - Volume 25 - Issue 4 - p 298–302)


What Psychotherapists Should Understand About DNA Methylation


(May 2019 - Volume 25 - Issue 3 - p 212–214)


Psychotherapy and Advocacy: Four Freedoms as Fundamental Patient Rights


(March 2019 - Volume 25 - Issue 2 - p 128–131)


Psychotherapy With Suicidal Patients Part 2


(January 2019 - Volume 25 - Issue 1 - p 41-45)


Psychotherapy With Suicidal Patients Part 1


(November 2018 - Volume 24 - Issue 6 - p 420–423)


Clinical and Insurance Perspectives on Intermediate Levels of Care in Psychiatry


(March 2018 – Volume 24 – Issue 2 – p. 111-116)


Two New Psychotherapy Studies: Back to the Future?


(January 2018 – Volume 24 – Issue 1 – p. 45-47)


A “Trans-Dyadic” Perspective on the Goldwater Rule


(November 2017 – Volume 23 – Issue 6 – p. 431-435)



(July 2017 – Volume 23 – Issue 4 – p. 281-435)



(May 2017 – Volume 23 – Issue 3 – p. 210-213)


Psychotherapy Research and the NIMH: An Either/Or or Both/And Research Agenda?


(March 2017 – Volume 23 – Issue 2 – p 130-133)


Psychotherapy, Parity, and Ethical Utilization Management


(January 2017 – Volume 23 – Issue 1 – p 49-52)


An Introduction From the New Psychotherapy Columnist


(November 2016 – Volume 22 – Issue 6 – p 467-470)

 is the medical director/CEO at the Austen Riggs Center. 

Medical Director/CEO Eric M. Plakun, MD, authors a regular psychotherapy column for the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. 

Dr. Eric M. Plakun’s Psychotherapy Column in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice

Education and training for mental health professionals is part of the lifeblood of the Austen Riggs Center and its Erikson Institute. We offer myriad opportunities for mental health professionals of all guilds and in spite of the necessary COVID-19 precautions Riggs needed to take to keep patients and staff safe, this spring we marked an important education milestone: our two social work interns–first-year Master's students at Smith College School for Social Work Frances Parrish and Cheryl Fromularo–successfully completed their field internships in person with us. Field internships are a hallmark of MSW education and while the pandemic necessitated many adjustments to more remote formats, Riggs is proud to have been able to offer a safe in-person internship experience at a time when few were available.

The internships were made possible through a partnership with the Smith College School for Social Work and stipends were fully funded through a generous donation by a former Riggs patient.

Frances and Cheryl recently sat down to reflect on their experience.

What were some of the most important things you learned?

“It was really interesting and highly educational to be able to observe and participate in team and clinical meetings, to see the full spectrum of treatment work like a well-oiled machine; I think that will stick with me for the rest of my career. In addition, having a window into the business side through my work with the resource management committee and learning about the nuance of medical writing and record-keeping provided some important practical learning.”

“Getting to see different disciplines working together and experience what each has to bring to patient treatment in terms of the clinical work here, was really useful and important to learn about. My most significant learning came from working directly with patients and families. Piecing together family histories and conducting psychosocial assessments was an important piece of learning for me.”

Was there anything about the internship that surprised you?

Education and training for mental health professionals is part of the lifeblood of the Austen Riggs Center and its Erikson Institute.

News

Media Inquiries

We welcome media inquiries about the Austen Riggs Center, or regarding topics related to psychiatric treatment and mental health services.

© 2022 The Austen Riggs Center

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