Helen Panarites, M.D.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Dr. Panarites received her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. She completed her adult psychiatric residency training at the New York Hospital Cornell-Westchester Division in White Plains, N.Y. In 1992 she moved to Atlanta for her child psychiatry residency training at Emory University School of Medicine where she had the distinction of being chosen chief resident in child psychiatry her second year.
After training, Dr. Panarites continued on faculty at Emory University working with children and adolescents with a wide range, psychiatric, behavioral and developmental disabilities. She held the position of Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and served as the Medical Director of the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at Grady Health Systems. She was involved in training Emory medical students, psychiatry residents, child psychiatry residents, psychology interns and supervised the clinical social workers in the clinic. She taught psychiatry residents and specialized in subjects related to ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders.
During her time at Grady, Dr. Panarites helped develop a school based partnership with Atlanta Public Schools setting up psychiatric teams that provided direct in-school services to several elementary schools. The school based clinic was effective in improving access to mental health care for children in high risk schools. In November 2006 Dr. Panarites joined a team of Emory pediatricians who traveled to the Republic of Georgia. She served as a consultant to health care providers in Georgia who were dealing with the medical and post-traumatic psychiatric sequelae of that country's civil war.
In 2002, Dr. Panarites left Emory and Grady Health Systems to pursue private practice psychiatry. She also worked part-time as a staff psychiatrist at the Dekalb Community Service Board where she provided outpatient care to children and adolescents with a wide range of psychiatric illnesses and severe behavioral disorders. In 2004, Dr. Panarites accepted a more permanent full time position at Dekalb Community Service board at the Clifton Springs Mental Health Center. She continued her part-time private practice and her work at Dekalb CSB until joining the faculty at the Marcus Autism Center in October 2007. She still continues on as voluntary faculty at Emory University and is involved in teaching and supervising the residents.
Dr. Panarites enjoys playing tennis and golf and hiking. She is the mother of two daughters adopted from China.
Contact Information
Helen Panarites, M.D.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Marcus Autism Center
1920 Briarcliff Road
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 404-785-9400
Fax: 404-785-7485