Online Psychiatrist Marianna, FL: Telepsychiatry for Jackson County
Ascend Psychiatry & Wellness brings telepsychiatry to adults in Marianna and across Jackson County. Your online psychiatrist is Dr. Jack Long, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in evaluation and medication management. Appointments happen over secure video, which matters in a part of Florida where the nearest open psychiatry appointment can be an hour's drive away.
Psychiatric care in a rural shortage area
Jackson County is rural, with about 47,000 residents, and local psychiatric options are limited. A handful of prescribers and community programs serve the county, and openings with them can be hard to come by. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration designates the region that includes Jackson County as a high-needs, rural mental health professional shortage area. That designation reflects how few psychiatric prescribers serve the area relative to need.
When a local appointment is not available, residents often look outside the county. Dothan, Alabama is roughly 36 miles away (about 45 minutes), Tallahassee roughly 66 miles (a little over an hour along I-10), and Panama City roughly 56 miles (about an hour and 15 minutes), all approximate. Crossing into Alabama adds complications, since insurance networks can differ across the state line.
Why telepsychiatry fits Marianna
For a Marianna resident, the time cost of in-person psychiatry is not the appointment itself but the trip. A 30-minute follow-up in Tallahassee can take most of a day off work once you count the drive on I-10 in both directions. Telehealth changes that.
- Care without the I-10 drive. Your evaluation and follow-ups happen by video from home in Marianna, Graceville, Sneads, or Cottondale.
- One psychiatrist, anywhere in Florida. Dr. Long provides care exclusively via secure telehealth to patients throughout Florida, and you see the same provider at every visit.
- Local pharmacy. Prescriptions are sent to the pharmacy you use in Marianna.
- Flexible for students and shift workers. Chipola College students, hospital staff, and shift workers can schedule around classes and rotations.
Telehealth does not replace local crisis and emergency services. Ascend provides outpatient psychiatric care and is not equipped for emergency situations. For a psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
About Dr. Jack Long
Dr. Jack Long, MD, sees adults 18 and older and focuses on psychiatric medication management. He looks for the right medication at the right dose, then monitors carefully and adjusts when needed. He commonly treats:
- Depression, including depression that has not responded to earlier medication trials
- Anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and social anxiety
- Bipolar I and bipolar II disorder
- Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
- Second opinions and adjustments to a current medication plan
Dr. Long trained in general psychiatry at Richmond University Medical Center, with a particular interest in psychopharmacology. He regularly coordinates with therapists and primary care doctors, which helps when your other care is local to Jackson County. Read more on Dr. Long's profile.
Care that holds up through storm season
Marianna residents know what a hurricane can do to local services. After Hurricane Michael in 2018, roads, offices, and power across Jackson County were badly disrupted. Because Dr. Long practices by telehealth, your appointments do not depend on a particular office being open. If you evacuate to a relative's home in Tallahassee, Panama City, or anywhere else in Florida, you can keep your scheduled visit from there, and prescriptions can go to a pharmacy near where you are staying. Before storm season, it is worth confirming your pharmacy details and how much medication you have on hand with your psychiatrist.
Getting started from Marianna
Your first visit is a psychiatric evaluation of about 60 minutes. Dr. Long asks about your symptoms, medical and mental health history, past medications, and your goals, and the two of you agree on a plan. Follow-ups are shorter.
Rural internet can be uneven. A smartphone on a good cellular signal works for video visits, and you can join from any private place in Florida where the connection is steady.
Insurance Accepted
In-network with major Florida carriers. Cash pay and HSA/FSA also accepted.
SureFit
NALC Health
Don't see your carrier? Contact us - we may still be in-network.
What Our Patients Say
Real reviews from Florida patients - see what they share about their experience.
Questions from Marianna patients
Is there a psychiatrist in Marianna, FL?
Local psychiatric options in Marianna are limited, and the region is a federally designated mental health shortage area. Telepsychiatry with Dr. Jack Long lets Jackson County adults see a board-certified psychiatrist by secure video.
Can I see an Alabama psychiatrist in Dothan instead?
You can, though it means driving, and your insurance network may differ across the state line. Dr. Long provides care via secure telehealth to patients throughout Florida.
What if my internet connection is weak?
A smartphone with a strong cellular signal works for video visits. You can join from any private place in Florida with a steadier connection.
How much does a visit cost?
Ascend accepts Cigna, Aetna, Optum, Medicare, Tricare, Oscar, UMR, Surest, UHS, Evernorth, Meritain, UnitedHealth, Allegiance, SureFit and NALC Health plans and lists cash-pay rates on the fees and insurance page: $300 for an initial evaluation and $150 for a follow-up visit. HSA and FSA accounts are accepted.
Scheduling with Dr. Long
Ascend accepts Cigna, Aetna, Optum, Medicare, Tricare, Oscar, UMR, Surest, UHS, Evernorth, Meritain, UnitedHealth, Allegiance, SureFit and NALC Health plans, with cash-pay rates listed on our fees and insurance page. Dr. Long sees adults 18 and older, by secure telehealth video from anywhere in Florida.
In a crisis? Our practice provides outpatient psychiatric care and is not equipped for emergency situations. For a psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For mental health crisis support, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.
Other Florida telehealth locations: New Port Richey, Sebring, Groveland, Clermont.