Easy Appointments
Getting an appointment at FFCP Maryland is as simple as 3 easy steps.
New Patients
To get started please complete the secure online referral form based on the County you reside in.
Psychiatric Emergency
If you are having a psychiatric emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. If this is an urgent mental health matter, please click below for information to contact your local crisis center.
Prescription Refills
When appropriate, FFCP Maryland provides prescription refills outside of a scheduled appointment as a courtesy service.
Families First Counseling & Psychiatry is an Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (OMHC) started by experienced mental health professionals who together have over 40 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. Our vision is to promote wellness and recovery in the treatment of mental illness, behavioral health problems, and emotional concerns.
We offer psychiatric medication management services for clients who have psychotherapy services from other providers and other agencies. We work well with outside agencies and welcome coordinating care and communicating with all your treatment professionals. Please call us if you had questions about receiving solely psychiatric medication services.
Vision Statement
To be the leading provider of accessible, high-quality mental health services in the State of Maryland.
Mission
To provide inclusive mental health services for clients with unique needs.
Core Values
In order to best serve our clients and remain true to our employees, FFCP embraces the following core values:
- We Celebrate Diversity – We believe in respecting the rights, differences, and dignity of others and care how we treat each other each day – this is the employee to employee, employee to client, employee to client’s families, employee to stakeholders.
- We Believe in Recovery – We know everyone can achieve a high quality, self-directed, satisfying life integrated in the community.
- We Give Quality – Our job is to exceed customer expectations by providing safe, effective and evidence-based behavioral health care that can be defined, measured and published.
- We Partner Community – We actively partner with local and regional organizations and service agencies to effectively meet the needs of the community and to increase the public’s awareness of mental health issues, mental health treatment and access to treatment.
Top Psychiatrists & Counselors
Our team of mental health psychiatrists and therapists are some of the best counselors in Maryland.
Prescription Refills
We provide our patients with a courtesy service of prescription refills outside of scheduled appointment times. Call 240-965-0076 for more information.
Trauma Training for Clinicians & Educators
FFCP offers trauma training to clinicians and educators. Individuals who complete all 5 courses are eligible to sit for an examination and receive STARR certification. Visit FFCP Trauma Training Program for more information.
Medical Director
Dr. Todd Christiansen
Dr. Todd Christiansen formed Families First Counseling & Psychiatry in 2017.
Education
2003 Residency, University of Wisconsin, Madison
2000 M.D., Medical College of Wisconsin
1996 B.S., University of Wisconsin, Madison
Professional Affiliations
Active Member, American Psychiatric Association
Active Member, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
Vice President/Clinical Supervisor/Marketing
Chandra A. Chester, MSW, LCSW-C
In Co-founding Families First Counseling & Psychiatry, Chandra saw the opportunity to create an environment where clinicians could grow and be supported. She also thought it was important to foster learning through a robust internship program. Throughout her career, she was able to take stock in different work environments to determine the type of environment she wanted to create for those who were a part of FFCP. Chandra has been a driving force in marketing the agency since its inception.
Chandra is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in the treatment of trauma. She has a B.A. from Salisbury University in Psychology and an M.A. from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Chandra has vast training in trauma and mind-body medicine. She has a certification in Traumatology from Intensive Trauma Training Inc. She also completed Level 1 and Level 2 Trauma Training through the Ferentz Institute of Advanced Psychotherapy Training & Education as well as Level 1 Internal Family Systems training through the Center for Self-Leadership. Chandra most recently completed Level 1 and Level 2 at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine.
Board Approved Supervisor
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Trauma Specialist
Strengthening People and Families
Families First Counseling & Psychiatry
We are an Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (OMHC) started by experienced mental health professionals who together have over 40 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. Our vision is to promote wellness and recovery in the treatment of mental illness, behavioral health problems, and emotional concerns.
Trauma Training Program
FFCP Maryland offers trauma training to clinicians and educators. Individuals who complete all 5 courses are eligible to sit for an examination and receive STARR certification.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment designed for individuals with self-harm behaviors. This can include self-cutting, suicide attempts, urgest to suicide, and suicidal thoughts.
Employment
FFCP is actively hiring licensed Off-Site Therapists in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and Howard County.
