Psychiatrist specializes in children and teens
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 02:53 p.m., October 12, 2007
Updated 02:53 p.m., October 12, 2007
The newest psychiatrist at the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas has dedicated his career to helping children and adolescents.
Jose Eyma, who started at the center on Oct. 1, came to Emporia from the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility in Larned, where he was the clinical director. Eyma is Mental Health Center’s third full-time psychiatrist and specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry.
He moved to Emporia with his wife Marise, who he has been married to since 1973. He has one daughter who lives in upstate New York and works in family practice.
Eyma also has held positions at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Riker’s Island Hospital in New York City. He is fluent in Spanish, French and English.
In an interview Wednesday, Eyma said he earned his medical degree from Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Mexico. He served his residencies at Harlem Hospital Center in New York City; Cabrini Medical Center in New York City; and Brookdale Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Eyma became interested in children and adolescents when he did a residency in pediatrics.
“To do child and adolescent psychiatry, you need some knowledge of children,” he said.
Eyma said many psychiatrists don’t want to work with children and adolescents because of the field’s unique challenges. Eyma said he saw a need for more people in the field, which often is under-served.
Eyma said treating young people requires looking at home life, school, parents and family.
“It sometimes takes a lot of commitment and can be draining,” he said.
Despite challenges, working with children allows the psychiatrist to identify problems earlier in life, Eyma said.
“The beauty of child and adolescent psychiatry is you start seeing patterns early,” he said.
Advances in the medical field the past 20 years have helped with child and adolescent psychiatry, especially when it comes to medications, Eyma said.
“The medications that we have now are so much milder than what was available 15 to 20 years ago,” he said.
Even though medication is more widely available, it should be used sparingly with children, Eyma added. Eyma said professionals who do not specialize in children and adolescent psychiatry don’t have the needed knowledge when it comes to prescribing the medications for children.
“Sometimes they come to us with a whole list of medications,” he said. “Our training tells us to minimize the amount of medication for children. Because remember that the medications aren’t made for children.”
Eyma said he recognizes a need for child and adolescent psychiatry in the Emporia area and is looking forward to working here. He was recruited to Emporia by Jean-Daniel Policard, medical director of the Mental Health Center. He and Policard have known each other for many years. When the current position came up in Emporia, Eyma said the time was right to make the move.
“When I came here, I felt welcome,” he said, adding that he hopes to stay her for a while. “There’s definitely a need here. I can see it here. I look forward to serving the community.”