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Memorial Sloan Kettering psychiatrist Julia Kearney

Julia A. Kearney, MD

Pediatric Psychiatrist

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Coping difficulties

My Specialties

  • Psychiatry and psychiatric care
  • Psychotherapy
  • Caregiver counseling
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Dr. Kearney's Office Information
Languages: English
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Get to Know Me

I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist and pediatrician who works with patients with pediatric cancers and their families. My emphasis is on individual and family-focused psychological support.

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Cancer is an illness that can cause great distress within a family. I work as part of a dedicated team of specialists who are sensitive to the impact that cancer can have on family dynamics. Together we support family members on one of the most intense journeys of their lives, letting them know there is a place for them to share their fears and frustrations and to receive support.

My research evaluates the impact of medical illness on a child’s development and on family dynamics. I also study childhood medical trauma and the psychiatric aspects of Fanconi anemia (a rare inherited disorder that affects the bone marrow). I also work with the Symptom Studies and Pharmacotherapy Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry, which evaluates approaches to managing both physical symptoms (such as nausea, vomiting, and pain) and the emotional and cognitive effects of cancer and its treatment. My colleagues and I conduct studies to assess and manage such symptoms, with the goal of enhancing quality of life and relieving suffering.

I am a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, and the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine.

What I Do at MSK

I'm a pediatric psychiatrist (sy-KY-uh-trist), which is a doctor with special training in mental, emotional, and behavioral health. I can prescribe medicine to help with these issues. I treat children and adolescents.

  • Associate Attending Psychiatrist
  • Clinical Director, Pediatric Psycho-Oncology Program
Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Coping difficulties
  • Adjustment disorders
  • Agitation
  • Attentional Disorders
  • Cognitive changes
  • Confusion
  • Delirium
  • Existential distress
  • Family distress
  • Mood changes
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Psychotic disorders
  • Sleep problems
  • Coping with cancer survivorship

My Specialties

  • Psychiatry and psychiatric care
  • Psychotherapy
  • Caregiver counseling
  • Bereavement counseling
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Meaning-centered psychotherapy (MCP)
  • Psychopharmacologic treatment
  • Supportive psychotherapy
  • Managing symptoms of cancer treatment
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Residencies

  • Mount Sinai Medical Center (New York)

Fellowships

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Board Certifications

  • Pediatrics
  • General Psychiatry
  • Psychosomatic Medicine

Awards and Honors

  • Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2025)
  • Castle Connolly: Exceptional Women in Medicine (2024)
  • Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2024)
  • Top Doctors New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly (2023)
  • Exceptional Women in Medicine Award, Castle Connolly (2023)
  • Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
  • Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2016-2018)

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (MTA and NYC retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Anthem BCBS and other BCBS licensee plans

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

See updates

Anthem BCBS Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

See updates

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

See updates

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

See updates

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage (Medicare Choice PPO Network and VIP Prime Network Only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

See updates

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

See updates

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Metroplus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

City Employee Health Plans (Gold and Gold Care)

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

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Contact and Location

Dr. Kearney sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue New York NY 10065
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Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

See all Pediatrics doctors

See all Attending Staff doctors

See all Affiliated Faculty doctors

See all Psychiatry Service doctors

Clinical Trials

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Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

Search clinical trials

Research and Publications

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Kearney’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Julia A. Kearney discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
    Professional Services and Activities

If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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