Clay J. Pavlis, MD
Founder, Medical Director & Chief Medical Officer of MWI Health
Board-Certified Psychiatrist · Sioux Falls, SD
Building personalized psychiatric care across the Dakotas and Iowa since 2012.
A Message From Dr. Pavlis
What to Expect as a Patient
Before your first visit, hear directly from Dr. Pavlis about how care works at MWI Health and the personalized approach behind every treatment plan.
About Dr. Pavlis
Dr. Clay J. Pavlis is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and the founder, Chief Medical Officer, and Chief Psychiatrist of MWI Health. A South Dakota native, he built the practice around a simple conviction: that mental health care works best when it treats each person as an individual, with the latest research and a customized plan rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol.
He graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine in 2003, completed a family medicine internship at the Sioux Falls Family Medicine Residency, and finished his psychiatry residency at the Sanford School of Medicine in 2007. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, board-certified in adult psychiatry, Buprenorphine-certified, and NeuroStar TMS certified.
Dr. Pavlis founded Midwest Wellness Institute, PLLC in 2012, now known as MWI Health, to bring that individualized approach to communities across the region. As the practice has grown, he has led a widening team of psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, therapists, and staff while continuing to see patients himself, including children as young as five and geriatric patients.
His clinical work spans some of the most demanding corners of psychiatry: forensic and independent psychiatric evaluations, competency and insanity evaluations, veteran services and disability evaluations, and correctional psychiatry. Alongside that, he provides everyday care that changes lives, including medication management, opioid addiction treatment with Suboxone, TMS neuromodulation, and psychopharmacogenomics. He also serves as an adjunct clinical assistant professor at both the University of South Dakota School of Medicine and the South Dakota State University College of Nursing, and mentors preceptorship students each semester.
Areas of Expertise
- Forensic & Independent Psychiatric Evaluations
- Medication Management
- Addiction Medicine & Suboxone Treatment
- TMS Neuromodulation
- Psychopharmacogenomics
- Veteran Services & Evaluations
- Geriatric & Lifespan Psychiatry
Conditions Treated
Treatment-Resistant Depression & Spravato
When depression hasn't responded to standard treatment, other options exist. In this short introduction, Dr. Pavlis explains treatment-resistant depression and how Spravato (esketamine) may help.
Spravato is provided at MWI Health under clinician supervision. MWI Health does not offer IV ketamine.
Research & Recognition
Dr. Pavlis is a published researcher in the peer-reviewed literature and holds active medical licensure across ten states, including South Dakota, North Dakota, and Iowa, the three states MWI Health serves. He serves on the South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners and represents South Dakota on the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Committee, reflecting a career-long commitment to the standards and integrity of the profession.
Ready to Start Care With MWI Health?
Dr. Pavlis and the MWI Health team are accepting new patients across South Dakota, North Dakota, and Iowa, in person and by telehealth. No referral needed, and our team verifies your insurance before your first visit.