Angel Rivera, M.D.

About Angel Rivera, M.D.

Angel Rivera, M.D., is a bilingual (English and Spanish) psychiatrist with more than 15 years of clinical experience across telepsychiatry, forensic psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, correctional medicine and crisis intervention. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and completed psychiatric training at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Mount Sinai Beth Israel, where he developed expertise in geriatric psychopharmacology and psychosocial treatment frameworks.

Dr. Rivera has worked in high-acuity clinical settings, including maximum-security state prisons, county correctional facilities and crisis stabilization units. He has served as Chief Medical Officer at Thrive Talk, a telehealth mental health platform, and currently works as a staff psychiatrist for the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, delivering mental health care to underserved populations. He focuses on telemedicine and telepsychiatry as ways to reach patients who otherwise have poor access to mental health services.

Role at Service Dogs

Dr. Rivera reviews Service Dogs content on emotional support animals (ESAs), psychiatric service dogs and what a legitimate clinical evaluation looks like, so readers get guidance grounded in how licensed clinicians actually assess a need for an assistance animal.

Areas of expertise

• Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and treatment
• Telepsychiatry and remote care through telemedicine platforms
• Forensic psychiatry and correctional settings
• Geriatric psychiatry, including care for patients aged 55 and older
• Crisis intervention and acute stabilization
• Medication management, psychopharmacology and treatment planning
• Substance abuse assessment and treatment

Clinical experience

• Staff Psychiatrist, Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency (Hanford, California, 2020 - present)
• Chief Medical Officer, Thrive Talk, a telehealth mental health platform
• Staff Psychiatrist, Robert J. Demarco, CSCR (San Diego, California, 2015 - 2020), inpatient crisis and administrative segregation units
• Staff Psychiatrist, Santa Clara County Jail - Valley Medical Center (San Jose, California, 2013 - 2015)
• Staff Psychiatrist, CSP-Senior Impact (San Diego, California, 2012 - 2013), geriatric psychiatry
• Staff Physician, Salinas Valley State Prison (Soledad, California, 2011 - 2012)

Education and training

• Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, 1990
• Psychiatry residency, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 1990 - 1992 (Veterans Hospital, University Hospital, Parkland Hospital and Terrell State Hospital)
• Psychiatry residency, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, 1992 - 1993 (geriatric psychiatry and psychopharmacology)

Memberships and languages

• Member, Florida Medical Association
• English (fluent) and Spanish (native / bilingual)