About me
Dionne Smith Coker-Appiah, PhD, MAED, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. She is affiliated with the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and provides clinical care for adolescents and emerging adults. Dr. Coker-Appiah has also engaged in a focused program of research that has focused on Rural Adolescent Dating Violence Prevention and Rural Adolescent Mental Health. Her research program has enabled her to build a comprehensive, domestic and international, Adolescent Dating Violence (ADV) Prevention research program, utilizing community-based participatory research approaches. More specifically, her research program is designed to: (a) prevent ADV and the associated health implications (mental, sexual, physical) among rural African Americans and international youth of Color, (b) build effective and sustainable community partnerships that build community capacity to address these issues, and (c) design culturally and geographically appropriate ADV prevention interventions. She directs the Adolescent Dating Violence Prevention Laboratory, which, in addition to conducting research, provides training and mentoring to numerous students (undergraduate, graduate, medical) and fellows. Her research has been funded by both federal and non-federal grants. Dr. Coker-Appiah’s most recent research has focused on building community partnerships to promote mental health and prevent ADV in rural North Carolina (Project LOVE) and Ghana, West Africa (GEAR UP-Ghana). She is also currently exploring, from an intergenerational and key stakeholder perspective, knowledge, perceptions and beliefs about mental health in rural communities (Minding Our Business). Dr. Coker-Appiah has dedicated her career to engaging in innovative research designed to prevent ADV and promote the mental health of youth in rural communities of Color. She is passionate about using her clinical skills and research and prevention efforts to ensure that all adolescents are mentally healthy and able to live healthy, violence-free lives.
Clinical areas of focus
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treatment
- Existential Group Therapy
- Health Promotion Counseling
- Pain Medication Management
- Parent Management Training
- Play Therapy
- Women's Mental Health Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Adjustment Disorder With Anxiety
- Adjustment Disorder With Mixed Anxiety And Depressed Mood
- Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Agoraphobia
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Anxiety
- Appearance And Behavior Symptoms
- Asperger Syndrome
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Cognitive Function Disorders
- Conduct Disorders
- Depressive Episode
- Eating Disorders
- Emotional Disorders
- Emotional State Symptoms
- Emotional State Symptoms (MOOD SWINGS)
- Irritability
- Manic Episode
- Memory Loss
- Mental Health Conditions
- Personal Risk Factors
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Postpartum Depression
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
- Problems Related To Primary Support Group
- Psychosis
- Psychotic Disorder
- Reaction To Stress And Adjustment Disorders In Children
- Schizoid Personality Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Selective Mutism
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Specific Phobia
- Suicidal Thought
- Tic Disorder
- Tourette Syndrome
- Trauma And Stress Disorders
- Trichotillomania
Procedures I perform
- Adjustment Disorder Treatment
- Alcohol Abuse Counseling
- Anxiety Disorder Treatment
- Anxiety Management
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treatment
- Behavioral Activation
- Behavioral Modification
- Bipolar Disorder Treatment
- Child Development Guidance
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Cognitive Flexibility Training
- Depression Treatment
- Electroconvulsive Therapy
- Existential Group Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing
- Graston Technique
- Grief Counseling
- Group Psychotherapy
- Group Therapy
- Health Promotion Counseling
- Mental Health Assessment
- Mental Status Exam
- Mood Disorder Treatment
- Motivational Interviewing
- Neuropsychological Testing
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment
- Pain Medication Management
- Parent Management Training
- Personality Disorder Treatment
- Play Therapy
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Screening
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment
- Psychiatric Evaluation
- Psychological Evaluation
- Psychopharmacology
- Psychotherapy
- Schizophrenia Treatment
- Social Skills Training
- Stress Reduction
- Suicidal Ideation Treatment
- Suicide Intervention
- Women's Mental Health Treatment
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- First Health PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Network OA
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Choice POS
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-POS Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- United Student Resources
- HighMark
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Administrators
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- IH-HMO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- IH-POS
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Choice Fund PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- TRICARE East Prime
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Choice POS II Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Classic 5000
- POS OA
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- IH-Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- OA Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Medicare FFS
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- UHC Passport
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- MultiPlan, Inc
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Medicare Direct
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Navigate
- Beech Street PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- TRICARE for Life East
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Open POS II
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
Education
Fellowship: National Institutes of Health (2013)
Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2006)
Graduate: University of Tennessee at Knoxville (2004)
Internship: Ohio State University - College of Medicine (2004)