MEDICATION MANAGEMENT · PART OF OUR VIRTUAL IOP
Medication care that works with your therapy
Medication management at Kin Wellness means a physician evaluates what you need, prescribes when medication makes sense, and adjusts it over time, in step with your therapist.
It is part of our intensive outpatient program, led by our Medical Director, Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, by video anywhere in California or in person at our Fountain Valley office. Most major PPO and HMO plans. New clients can start right away.
WHAT IT INVOLVES
What medication management involves
A full evaluation
Your first appointment covers your symptoms, history, current medications, and what you have tried before, so decisions start from the whole picture.
Decisions you are part of
If medication might help, Dr. DeSanto explains the options, what to expect, and possible side effects. You decide together, and choosing not to take medication is a real option.
Follow up and adjustment
Regular follow ups track how things are going, adjust the dose or the medication when needed, and keep your therapist in the loop.
ADHD assessment and medication
We assess and diagnose ADHD in adults, and ADHD medication can be prescribed by video or in person, alongside the therapy and skills work in the program. How we treat ADHD
YOUR MEDICAL TEAM
Led by Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD
Medication management at Kin Wellness is provided by our Medical Director, Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, completed his residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and has more than 12 years of experience in addiction treatment.
One prescriber, one team
Dr. DeSanto is the only prescriber at Kin Wellness, so the person who evaluates you is the person who follows your care. He works alongside our Clinical Director, Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, and the therapists who run your groups and individual sessions.
Who it is for
Medication management is available to people in our intensive outpatient program. It can be useful if you are starting medication for the first time, if what you take now is not working the way you hoped, or if you want one team handling therapy and medication together.
One plan, not two
One treatment plan. Your prescriber and your therapist share the same plan and talk to each other, so you never have to carry information between them.
What you notice counts. What comes up in group or in therapy informs medication decisions, and the people you see every week know when something changes.
By video or in person. Appointments by video anywhere in California, or in person at our Fountain Valley office.
COMMON SITUATIONS
When people ask about medication
STARTING FOR THE FIRST TIME
You have never taken medication for your mental health and want a careful, unhurried evaluation before deciding anything.
WHAT YOU TAKE IS NOT WORKING
You are already on medication and it is not helping the way you hoped, or the side effects are getting in the way. A fresh review of the whole picture can change that.
ONE TEAM FOR BOTH
You want therapy and medication handled by people who talk to each other, inside one program, instead of two offices that never compare notes. How the program works
QUESTIONS
Questions people ask about medication
Do I have to take medication to join the IOP?
No. Medication is one option, and whether it is part of your care is a decision you make with Dr. DeSanto. Choosing not to take medication is a real option.
Who prescribes at Kin Wellness?
Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, our Medical Director. He is the only prescriber on our team, which means the physician who evaluates you is the one who follows up with you.
Are appointments by video?
Yes, anywhere in California. In person appointments are available at our office at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, Fountain Valley, CA 92708.
What if I already take medication?
Bring a list of what you take and the doses to your first appointment. Dr. DeSanto reviews it with you and, with your permission, coordinates with other doctors you see.
Can I get medication management without joining the program?
Medication management at Kin Wellness is part of our intensive outpatient program rather than a standalone service. The program is what makes the coordination work: your prescriber and your therapist are on the same team, with the same plan.
Do you assess and treat ADHD?
Yes. We assess and diagnose ADHD in adults, and ADHD medication can be prescribed by video or in person, alongside the therapy and skills work in the program.
Is medication management covered by insurance?
It is part of the program, so it is covered the way the program is. We work with most major PPO and HMO plans, and we check your benefits and tell you what your care would cost before you commit to anything. Verify your insurance.
What if I am in crisis?
Our program is not an emergency service. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, at any hour.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. Our program is not an emergency service.
Clinically reviewed by Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, Clinical Director. Medically reviewed by Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, Medical Director. Last updated October 2026.
Related: Virtual IOP · ADHD and OCD treatment · EMDR therapy · Conditions we treat · All services
WHO YOU WOULD WORK WITH
A small team you will actually get to know
Kin Wellness is run by its clinicians. The people below are the people in your groups, and the full team is on the Team page.
Cofounder and Clinical Director, LCSW #80761, Ph.D Candidate
Paola Mercado Demeza, AMFT
Cofounder and Lead Clinical Therapist, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #15190. Supervised by Angelina Desanto, LCSW, Ph.D Candidate
Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD
Angelina DeSanto, LCSW
Medical DirectorLET US HELP
Tell us how to reach you
Tell us how to reach you and someone from our team will call you back. The first conversation is short and confidential: what has been going on, what your questions are, whether this is the right level of care for you, and what it would cost with your insurance. There is no obligation to enroll, and if it is a fit you can start right away.
Prefer to call?
949.706.8610
Office hours Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 8 PM Pacific. In person care at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, Fountain Valley CA 92708.