AMAZING IS POSSIBLEChildren's Behavioral Health Services

Kay Kutz, LSW, provides leadership and oversight to The Children’s Institute’s behavioral health team and ensures all services provided to our amazing kids and families meet the highest quality of care and compliance. She is honored to lead our team of behavioral health professionals who are motivated, passionate, and positively impact the social and emotional well-being of children and adolescents via both in-person and telehealth therapies.

• Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Social Work from California University of Pennsylvania 

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Dr. Kole earned his bachelor’s, medical, and bioethics degrees at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed a combined residency program in pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child psychiatry at Brown University and is board certified in these three fields. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh, he provided integrated care psychiatry to patients of all ages at the Providence Community Health Center. His commitment to patient care has led him to be twice inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Dr. Kole is accepting new patients and will see clients on Tuesdays both in-person and via telehealth at The Children’s Institute.

• BA, MD and Masters in Bioethics at University of Pennsylvania 2005-2013
• Combined Residency in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry at Brown University 2013-2018
• Board Certified Physician in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry
• National Health Service Corps Scholar 2018-2020

Dr. Melnick provides clinical supervision and consultation to The Children’s Institute’s behavioral health team. He is a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and is a supervisor of psychiatric residents at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital and Allegheny Health Network. For more than 40 years, Dr. Melnick maintained a private practice and previously served as medical director at The Bradley Center and Pressley Ridge and also served as medical director of the St. Francis Medical Center’s in-patient child and adolescent psychiatric units. Dr. Melnick has been recognized as a Distinguished Life Fellow by both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

• BA in Psychology Antioch College, 1967. MD Drexel University College of Medicine, 1972
• Internship, Residency in Psychiatry and Fellowship In Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 1976
• Board Certified in Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

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Casey Harvilla, M.A., ATR-BC, LPC, enjoys helping others and believes that self-expression and self-awareness are crucial tools in reaching goals and becoming your best self. As a board certified art therapist, she loves providing a space for clients to be creative and open, but also offers traditional talk therapy/counseling, therapeutic play and writing, and various other methods that help kids better express and understand themselves. She enjoys helping children and families realize their potential and learn positive ways to interact and grow. Casey’s specialties include working with children with anxiety, depression, ADHD, self-esteem, and body image challenges. 

• Bachelor’s degree in Art Therapy with Digital Media minor, Mercyhurst College
• Master’s degree in Art Therapy with specialization in Counseling, Seton Hill University 
• ATR-BC (Board Certified Art Therapist)
• LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor)
• CCATP-CA (Certified Clinical Child and Adolescent Anxiety Treatment Professional)

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Christina Jolley, CRNP, evaluates, diagnoses, and treats children within our behavioral health clinic, including children whose treatment may require appropriate prescription medications. She has worked with children of many ages and abilities, including extensive work with children with autism and other special needs, and loves being able to follow the journeys of children and families as they learn, grow, and meet their goals. Christina wants kids to feel that their voice is highly valued when making treatment decisions and enjoys working together to meet their goals. She also takes the time to connect with other medical providers and schools to gain the best understanding of the children and families she serves.

• Doctorate in Nursing Practice 
• Certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner 
• Certified as a Pediatric Mental Health Specialist
• Certificate in School Nursing

Dana Buchko, M.A., is often the first friendly voice parents and guardians hear on the phone when connecting with our Behavioral Health team to learn more about our services. Having earned her Medical Assistant associates degree from the Sanford Brown Institute of Pittsburgh, she finds great joy in using her skills and knowledge to help connect families with the right resources. Dana loves playing an important role with parents and guardians selecting The Children’s Institute to meet their child’s needs.

As a behavioral health therapist at The Children's Institute, Hopeton Bailey works with amazing kids and their families to work toward resilience and healing, with particular clinical interest in anxiety, depression, anger management, family conflict, stress management, self-improvement, and trauma. A Certified Grief and Counseling Specialist (CGCS) with extensive training in trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and grief and loss, Hopeton obtained his master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is also bilingual - English and Patois.

He has a background and therapeutic skills in person-centered counseling, behavioral therapy, family therapy, mindfulness and meditation, trauma-focused therapy, grief and loss therapy, and brief solution focus therapy.

Nicole Johnson, M.A., is dedicated to exploring the healing powers of creative expression and artmaking. She believes creativity can help children and families share meaningful experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Through therapy, Nicole works with her clients to help them overcome challenges and move toward change. A graduate of Seton Hill University, Nicole earned her bachelor’s degree in art therapy, and master’s degree in art therapy with a specialization in counseling. Nicole has a background of working with diverse populations including children, adolescents, and adults. She has experience supporting women in early recovery, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and those who are faced with grief and loss. Nicole’s therapeutic approach is rooted in creative arts, person-centered, and existential therapies. She values meeting the child where they are and forming a collaborative relationship to cultivate change and achieve goals. Nicole is passionate about fostering a safe and creative space for amazing children and families to explore, grow, and heal. 

Katherine Macasek, M.S., NCC, has a passion for working with children and their families to promote resiliency, trust, and healing. Katherine has many years of experience working with infants, toddlers, children, and teens in different professional settings. The most valuable lesson Katherine has learned is the importance of connection before correction. Dedicated to building connections, Katherine enjoys working with individuals, groups, and families experiencing foster care/adoption, sensory, mood, and trauma disorders. 

• Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Mercyhurst University 
• Master's degree in Professional Counseling, Carlow University 
• Nationally Certified Counselors, NBCC 

Brianna is a graduate of Penn State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in applied clinical psychology and is currently working toward her LPC licensure. Brianna has a clinical interest in working with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, particularly childhood sexual and physical abuse, in addition to those with mood and/or anxiety disorders. She has a background in cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy. Brianna utilizes a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach that is cognizant of her client’s culture, sexual identity, and gender identity. She is passionate about working with children and their families to help them identify and break intergenerational patterns of trauma. A proponent of social learning theory, Brianna believes that maladaptive and disruptive behaviors can be unlearned through genuineness, empathy, and support.
 

Tia has a background working with child and adolescents in multiple professional settings such as inpatient, school setting, and residential treatment settings. She practices from a trauma-informed and behavioral approach.

Tia’s practice is reflective of the belief that all behavior is learned, and our experiences shape how we view and relate to the world around us. She also believes finding connections with others, building a strong foundation, and finding a sense of belonging can help us reach overall wellness.

She believes in creating a safe and supportive environment to assist in the therapeutic process to develop healthy decision-making skills and build effective coping strategies. Tia loves helping the amazing kids and families to bloom into their best, true self. 

Diagnostic specialties would include mood disorders, anxiety, depression, adhd, trauma, and conduct/disruptive/impulse-control. 

• B.A in Psychology from California University of Pennsylvania 
• M.S in Professional Counseling from Carlow University- with a concentration in trauma informed therapy.

Lori has numerous years of experience working with diverse populations including children, adolescents, and adults in various professional settings. She has experience in supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her therapeutic approaches include CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and/or person-centered to support and motivate clients in achieving goals and building skills to adapt to everyday challenges. 

Lori strives to empower her clients to heal, grow, and be resilient to live happy, healthy, and responsible lives. She enjoys working with children and adolescents to assist them in their self-discovery, self-improvement, and self-advocacy. 

Lori is a graduate of California University of Pa., where she received a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.

Tajonae has a background in working with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma-related disorders, and co-occurring substance use disorders. 

She uses therapeutic skills such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, trauma-focused therapy, and person-centered therapy, while keeping careful consideration of cultural concerns and practices. 

Tajonae has previous experience working with adolescents in the criminal justice system, where she discovered her passion to advocate for adolescents and families. 

She is passionate about building positive therapeutic relationships and providing a safe space for amazing kids to share their stories and develop healthy coping skills to adapt to life changes. 

•    B.S in criminal justice and a minor in psychology from Bowling Green State University 
•    M.A in clinical mental health counseling from Bowling Green State University 
 

Maddie (she/her or they/them) is passionate about working with teens and young adults, LGBTQ+ people, and people who experienced sexual or relationship violence.

Maddie’s approach to therapy focuses on making meaning of the experiences that have shaped us, as well as matching our environments and our personal needs to each other. Her passion for therapy comes from her experience that connecting with others and sharing our thoughts, feelings, and stories can lead to transformative healing that allows us to pursue our authentic life goals. 

She uses techniques from person-centered approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed Care, and systems approaches to best work with individuals and families.

Their therapeutic focuses include depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and healthy relationships.

•    Bachelor's degree in psychology
•    Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh