Tourette Association of America Center of Excellence
If you or a loved one experiences tics or Tourette's disorder you want the best possible diagnosis and treatment. At Mount Sinai Health System, you’re in the right place. We are home to a Tourette Association of America Center of Excellence. We earned this distinction for our evidence-based care, groundbreaking research, and commitment to education and advocacy.
Giving you optimal care is our top priority. Our clinical team has been helping patients with Tourette's disorder and related conditions for years. We offer comprehensive evaluations, consultations, and evidence-based therapy. When indicated, we can also provide medication. We treat a variety of related conditions, including the following:
- Tics and Tourette's disorder
- Anxiety
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Behavioral concerns
- Depression
- Learning disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Treatments We Offer
We offer the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), an evidence-based treatment. This method includes a behavioral approach called Habit Reversal Therapy (HRT). It can also help you become aware of motor and vocal tics and the situations and settings where they are most likely to arise. In addition, we can introduce specific strategies to help you manage tics. CBIT and HRT are considered safe and effective treatments. When appropriate, we can combine them with medication management.
We work closely with Mount Sinai’s Center of Excellence in ADHD and Related Disorders. We develop personalized plans for students not reaching their potential in school. We also work closely with neurologists and other medical specialists to ensure you or your child receives the best medical care.
Research Trials
Existing treatments can offer significant relief, but therapy and medication do not work for everyone. We are at the forefront of research on treating Tourette's disorder. We are performing clinical trials and can recommend your participation, if you are a good fit.
Why Participate?
People have different reasons for joining clinical trials. Many families understand the importance and value of furthering science and research. Others are enticed by trying a brand-new medication. Still other families are motivated by comprehensive and regular appointments with experts in Tourette’s disorder. All of this comes at no cost. If you or your child is between the ages of 6 and 18 and you would like to learn more about our current research studies, please contact Robert Jaffe, MD, at (646) 535-2242.
Education
We follow the teaching philosophy and mission of Mount Sinai’s Department of Psychiatry. The goal is to train the clinicians of tomorrow. We offer residency, fellowship, and externship programs. Our programs include:
We work with other New York State centers of excellence to disseminate current research and practice standards. Our audience includes primary care providers, teachers, and politicians. We host and collaborate on events regularly. Recent activities include “Tourette's Disorder Across the Lifespan” and “Bridging the Healthcare Disparities in Tourette's,” featuring New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
Our Center of Excellence is committed to helping patients and their families navigate Tourette's disorder. This includes treatment, advocacy, and pushing the field forward. We look forward to working with you.