LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Recently, Mendocino Community Health Clinic (MCHC) welcomed Dr. Rebecca Timme to its staff.

Dr. Timme is a pediatrician and child psychiatrist who will be splitting her time between Hillside Health Center in Ukiah and Lakeside Health Center in Lakeport.

She comes to Northern California from the University of Kentucky, where she recently completed her residency in pediatrics, psychiatry and child psychiatry.

Although she thought she’d end up working at an academic center, the work/life balance of Mendocino County and MCHC’s organizational philosophy drew her to Ukiah.

“I really enjoy working with kids,” she said. “And I believe in integrated care.”

She explained the importance of working closely with a team of providers for the benefit of the patient, and cautioned against the damage that fragmented care can inflict, especially for youth who require medication for psychiatric care.

Dr. Timme primarily will be working with patients under the age of 18, but for psychiatric patients, she may also care for emerging adults as old as 22, depending on the care required.

While she treats the individual patient, she says she has a “family focus” that recognizes the influence of family structures on individuals and involves family members as appropriate.

Because of her extensive training, she is able to recognize the influence of physical and mental health on one another.

“I take a holistic approach, paying attention to the connection between the body and mind,” she said.

She looks forward to working with the team at MCHC as well as with providers in the community.

If a pediatric patient already has an established pediatrician and therapist, Dr. Timme can provide psychiatric consultations to assist with medications, but has no interest in “taking over” that patient’s care.

“I want to be part of a health care structure that protects kids,” she said.

Dr. Timme is happily married and the proud mother of an 18-month-old son.

Lakeside Health Center can be reached at 707-263-7725; contact Hillside Health Center at 707-468-1010.