News

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Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Team Heads to Orlando for National Federation of Families' Annual Conference

Monday, December 9, 2024

The Healthy and Equitable Futures program- a partnership between our Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness team, the National Parent Leadership Institute, and the Greater Rochester Health Foundation- presented at the National Federation of Families' Annual Conference in Orlando.

Presenters:

• Aparajita Kuriyan, UR Medicine Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness, Co-PI Healthy and Equitable Futures
• Toyin Anderson, National Parent Leader Institute, Parent Leader
• Carolyn Lee-Davis, The National Parent Leadership Institute, Director of Operations
• Maurice Haskins, Greater Rochester Health Foundation, Program Officer
• Linda Alpert-Gillis, UR Medicine, Director, Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness Outpatient Services and the Laboratory of Innovation in Child Mental Health Care Delivery
• Kenya Malcolm, UR Medicine, Director of IEC Initiatives, Psychiatry
• Shunthenia Hill, UR Medicine, Clinical Coordinator, Coordinator of Racial Justice Initiatives, Licensed Mental Health Therapist
• Jerard Johnson, UR Medicine, Senior Psychiatric Case Manager
• Sonia D’Silva, UR Medicine, Parent Leader
• Jason McDonald, UR Medicine, Parent Leader
• Julia Gonzalez, UR Medicine, Parent Leader

In their session, "Opening Doors to Community Voice: Collaboration With Parent Leaders," attendees learned how the University of Rochester Medical Center, in partnership with the National Parent Leadership Institute via our Healthy & Equitable Futures work, integrates parent voices in services to support leadership skills and drive positive change. Attendees also learned how inviting parent participation across multiple levels of services can significantly benefit children, caregivers, and systems change and work toward Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion goals.

Congratulations to Dr. Ann Cornell on Her Expanded Leadership Role

Friday, December 6, 2024

Please join us in congratulating Ann Cornell, PsyD, on her expanded clinical leadership role as Senior Director of URMFG Services at Sully’s Trail.

Dr. Cornell, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, has been a valued leader in the Behavioral Health Partners (BHP) program since 2017. Under her direction, BHP has flourished as a cornerstone of our behavioral health services. In 2019, Dr. Cornell further demonstrated her dedication and expertise by taking on the additional role of Director of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

In her new role, Dr. Cornell will continue to oversee BHP and EAP while expanding her leadership to include senior-level support for the University Mental Health Program (UMHP). She will also serve as a mentor to the UMHP Director, Daria Alongi, PsyD, further strengthening our commitment to integrated and comprehensive mental health care under URMFG services.

Kayla Hunt, PsyD Named Chief of Informatics for Psychiatry

Friday, December 6, 2024

We are pleased to announce that Kayla Hunt, Psy.D, has been appointed as the Chief of Informatics for Psychiatry. In this role, Dr. Hunt will work with teams throughout the department to optimize our use of the eRecord and explore new technological opportunities for our department. 

Additionally, Dr. Hunt, along with Kirk Harris, MD, will continue to serve as Associate Directors of Informatics within the URMC enterprise for the Psychiatry Service Line. Their responsibilities include attending enterprise-wide meetings about improvements and changes related to the eRecord and disseminating that information back to the department, along with working on projects that impact multiple departments within URMC. Furthermore, Dr. Harris will continue to be the informatics point person for questions and projects that specifically pertain to Psychiatry’s inpatient units and CPEP.

To support these initiatives, Dr. Hunt has built a team of ambulatory clinicians, known as Psych eRecord Champions to help achieve these goals and ensure effective communication about eRecord changes within the department.

The current team members are:  Pam Geil, LCSW-R (Strong Ties), Janine Coppini, LMHC/CASAC (Strong Recovery), Mac Kelly, PhD (BHP/CCW), Rachel Jones, LMSW (Strong Minds), Grace Yezierski, LMSW (Strong Minds), Alex Brumfield, LMFT (HFM/CCW) and Jillian Burgess, LMHC (PBHW).

Good Night Lights to Return on Dec. 11 and Dec. 18

Thursday, December 5, 2024

The Rochester Police Department's "Good Night Lights" initiative, now in its seventh year, will return in December. Due to ongoing construction projects at URMC on both Crittenden and Elmwood, Good Night Lights will be held this year for two nights.

We are thankful to the Rochester Police Department Community Engagement Team for organizing this event and teaming up with our Department of Public Safety and Department of Transportation and Logistics to make it happen.

This year, first responders will park their emergency vehicles on Crittenden–between East and Castleman–to say “goodnight” to families staying in the Golisano Children’s Hospital tower, and the vehicles heading westbound afterward on Crittenden toward Kendrick Road will keep their lights on (no sirens or horns) to support pediatric patients staying in the Behavioral Health building.

The officers will line up in their respective locations at 6:10 p.m., and will flash their lights to children watching from the windows of the Golisano Children’s Hospital locations at 6:30 p.m. They will leave each area at 6:45 p.m.

Both lanes of Crittenden—directly next to the Medical Center—will be shut down between 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. for these events. Traffic and URMC shuttles will be rerouted during this time.

Representing URMC Psychiatry Nationally and Internationally

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Several of our staff and faculty members recently presented at national and international conferences.

William Watson, PhD recently presented a panel discussion on using Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTD) with youth at the International Experiential Dynamic Therapy's 2024 International Conference. Dr. Watson also was a Process Group Leader at The Institute of Psychodynamic Coaching's Three-Day Intensive Weekend with Russian professionals as well as a presenter for the institute's Training Program in Group Psychology and Leadership.

Wilfred Pigeon, PhD presented "At the Interface of Sleep Research & Suicide Prevention" for the Veteran's Affairs Diversity in Suicide Prevention Research Fellowship. In addition, Dr. Pigeon also presented "Development of a Brief CBT for Insomnia Treatment and its Effects on Sleep, Mood and Suicidal Thoughts" at the University of Pittsburgh's Multidisciplinary Sleep and Circadian Conference Grand Rounds Series. 

Lastly, the UR Supporting Our Students team traveled to Orlando to present at the Advances in School Mental Health conference. Allison Stiles, PhD, Melissa Heatly, PhD, LJ Shipley, MD, and Jeff Kaczarowski, MD presented "Enhancing Access and Connection to Healthcare for EACH Youth: An Exemplar for Addressing Behavioral Health Inequities via Systems Integration, Capacity-Building, & Telehealth Initiatives in Schools" while Brianna Daniels, LMHC, Linda Alpert-Gillis, PhD joined Drs. Stiles and Heatly to present a symposium, "UR-Supporting Our Students: Building an Expanded School Mental Health Model."

Can Gratitude Benefit Your Health?

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

How giving thanks, keeping a gratitude journal, and being mindful can impact health and well-being

"Gratitude is the practice of focusing our attention on positive outcomes in our life and the source of those positive outcomes," said Autumn Gallegos, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychiatry Wellness Officer at URMC.

Read full article: Can Gratitude Benefit Your Health?

Researchers Uncover Possible New Biomarker for Psychosis Diagnosis

Monday, November 25, 2024

“Establishing such biomarkers could provide a key step in changing how we care for, treat, and offer interventions to people with psychosis,” said Brian Keane, PhD, assistant professor of Psychiatry, Center for Visual Science, and Neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Keane recently co-authored an article in Molecular Psychiatry that identifies how MRI scans could reveal brain differences in people with psychosis. “Aside from potentially predicting future psychosis onset, biomarkers could also help stratify patients into clinically meaningful subgroups and suggest new options for treatment or intervention.”

Read full article: Researchers Uncover Possible New Biomarker for Psychosis Diagnosis

Supporting Caregivers: Remember to Care for Yourself, Too

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Explore support groups, stress management strategies, and tips to help caregivers avoid burnout

Megan Ayles, LMSW, a senior social worker with UR Medicine’s Memory Care program, offers some helpful tips for caregivers who might be feeling overwhelmed: 

• Find support groups near you
• Know the symptoms of caregiver stress
• Beat caregiver burnout with strong boundaries
• Take a break
• Accept changes as they come

Read full article: Supporting Caregivers: Remember to Care for Yourself, Too

Janine M. Rowe Promoted to Clinical Director of Westfall Associates and EAP Services

Friday, November 15, 2024

We are excited to announce the promotion of Janine M. Rowe, MSEd., LMHC, CASAC, CEAP, SAP, CCC, NCC, to the role of Clinical Director of Westfall Associates and Employee Assistance Services in the Division of Collaborative Care and Wellness.

Janine joined the division of Collaborative Care & Wellness in 2021 as the EAP Services Manager for the UR Medicine Employee Assistance Program, where she has led initiatives in individual and group interventions to reduce work-related trauma sequelae, provided interdisciplinary supervision, and overseen clinical services. Janine is currently pursuing a doctorate in Counselor Education at the Warner School at the University of Rochester. She holds licensure as a mental health counselor in New York and numerous other credentials, including Certified Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, Substance Abuse Professional, Certified Employee Assistance Professional, Certified Career Counselor, and Nationally Certified Counselor.

Before joining our EAP team, Janine served as a Senior Chemical Dependency Counselor at Strong Recovery and prior to that, as Assistant Director of Disability Career Services at Rochester Institute of Technology. Among her many achievements, Janine received the New York State Career Development Association Early Career Professional Award in 2014 and the RIT Presidential Award for Excellence in 2018. 

Please join us in congratulating Janine on this well-deserved promotion and in supporting her as she transitions into this expanded leadership role.

2nd Annual Psychiatry Holiday Food Drive

Friday, November 8, 2024

Our second annual Department of Psychiatry Holiday Food Drive begins November 25th! All donations will directly help patients in our Strong Ties, Strong Minds, Strong Recovery, and those discharged from our inpatient programs. Drop off non-perishables until December 9th at the Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (1-9017), the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Educator Office (1-9022), inpatient units, and several clinics!

View a list of example food items that will be accepted 

Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy Virtual Open House

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Considering a career helping individuals and families struggling with relationship conflict, parenting, or mental health challenges? Our Institute for the Family will be holding several virtual open houses for those interested in pursuing a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Learn more about the MS MFT Virtual Open Houses

Sally Rousseau Named New Director of Strong Minds

Friday, November 1, 2024

Sally Rousseau, LCSW, LMFT will be rejoining the Department of Psychiatry as the new Director of Strong Minds, which includes our General Ambulatory clinic, the Deaf Wellness Center, the Gender Patient Support: Health and Wellness program, and the Adult Ambulatory Access programs.

Sally is rejoining the Department of Psychiatry as she spent a good portion of her 36-year career with joint appointments in Family Medicine and Psychiatry.  For the past 6½ years, Sally has been the Director of Social Work for Highland Hospital overseeing a team that covers 261 acute care beds.  She brings an incredible array of experiences in healthcare and specifically behavioral health to this role, including but not limited to direct clinical, grant and research coordination and management, clinical and administrative supervision, management and director of large clinical programs and/or groups.  Most of her experiences have been within the URMC system and Family Medicine.  Among her experiences outside of the system, Sally was the director of Rochester Regional Health’s Evelyn Brandon Community Mental Health which is a large multi-program site similar to Strong Minds.  

Sally obtained her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo.  She then completed her master’s in social work at Syracuse University.  In addition to being dually licensed in social work and marriage & family therapy, Sally has certification/extensive training in process improvement supervision methods as well evidence-based practices.  She has co-authored several peer-reviewed journal articles, numerous presentations at health system rounds and seminars, and taught courses at St. John Fisher University, the Nazareth/Brockport Collaborative MSW Program and the University of Rochester. Please join us in welcoming Sally Rousseau back to the Department of Psychiatry and to this critical role for our adult ambulatory services.

Julie Achtyl Named Psych Therapist Chief

Thursday, October 31, 2024

​We are pround to announce Julie V. Achtyl, MS, LMHC, CASAC-M, NCC, ACS as the Psych Therapist Chief.  This new position in the department will serve as the discipline chief for Psychiatry’s licensed/credentialed therapists (LMHC, LMFT, LCAT, CASAC) as well as related non-licensed clinical and clinical support roles.  This position will provide overarching discipline leadership, support, and oversight for psych licensed therapists. The role will be a liaison between the therapist disciplines and the department’s senior leadership with close collaboration with psychiatry education.  The Therapists Chief will collaborate with Clinical Program Directors and Division chiefs to support and educate regarding licensure regulations, scope of practice and supervision best practices for Mental Health Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, Creative Arts Therapists, Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselors, junior therapists in all those disciplines working on licensure/credentials, as well as related clinical support positions.  In this role, Julie will be a part of the Chief Administrative Officer’s office and work in partnership with Psychiatry’s Social Work Discipline Chief and in close collaboration with the Associate Chair of Education.

Julie brings 18 years of combined clinical and clinical leadership experience in the department to this pivotal role.  Her current role in our Addiction Psychiatry Division includes oversight of the Adolescent/Young Adult clinic, the Adult CD clinic and CCBHC Outreach services as well as the Discipline Chief CASACs She also has oversight of counselor education and training programs and in 2022, she started a new CASAC Certificate Program in partnership with the Warner School for masters prepared clinicians.  Julie completed her undergraduate studies at the State University of New York College at Brockport in Psychology and Health Science with a concentration in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling. Then she completed her graduate studies at the Warner School of Education mental health counseling.  Julie is currently a PhD student in Counseling and Counselor Education at the Margaret Warner School of Education and Human Development.  For a number of years, she was on the Faculty at Brockport as an Adjunct Professor in the Health Science Department, and she is a Clinical Supervision Foundations II Certified Trainer.

Pie Sale Fundraiser for Adult Inpatient Psychiatry

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

The holiday season is quickly approaching, so what better way to celebrate than by filling your bellies and your loved ones with pie?

Now through October 24th, you can order locally-made pies from Special Touch Bakery, proceeds benefiting our Adult Inpatient Psychiatry Services.

Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness Ranked Top 50 in US News & World Report

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

​UR Medicine’s Golisano Children’s Hospital's Division of Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness is among the nation’s best by the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospital rankings in Children's & Adolescent Behavioral Health Hospitals

The Division of Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness at UR Medicine is the largest provider of ambulatory children’s mental health services, the region’s only Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatient unit, and the only adolescent partial hospital in Western New York. The division’s ambulatory services include two large clinic sites and satellites in pediatric primary care and pediatric specialty offices and public schools throughout the region. The division recently launched the Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Center, the only service of this type in Upstate New York.

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The division consists of 50 faculty members and over 120 staff clinicians, including child and adolescent psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychologists, licensed mental health therapists, family and marriage therapists, licensed clinical social workers, creative arts therapists, and case managers. Research and education are also critical missions for the division, with multiple ongoing studies examining suicide risk and prevention, as well as training programs in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychology.

“I am honored and humbled to lead this team of clinicians and academics who are so committed to improving the lives of children and families in our region. Recognition in our ranking by US News and World Report provides welcomed and needed attention to the outstanding work they do." - Michael Scharf, MD, psychiatrist-in-chief at GCH.

Read full article: Golisano Children’s Hospital Ranked in Three Specialties by U.S. News & World Report

Ben Lee Named Visiting Professor at University of Florida

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

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We're excited to share that our chair, Hochang Ben Lee, MD, has been named a visiting professor at the University of Florida's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Funded by Florida's Behavioral Health Teaching Hospital Bill, this visiting professorship will support Florida's efforts to develop programs that increase the behavioral health workforce in the state of Florida as well as improve access to psychiatric care for its citizens. 

Dr. Lee will be providing valuable mentorship to junior faculty while informing the development and expansion of Consultation-Liasion Psychiatry clinical programs at the University of Florida, including: 

 - Providing valuable mentorship to junior faculty in the UF Division of C-L Psychiatry.

 - Strategizing with key stakeholders within the UF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences on initiatives to expand psychiatric service provision in cost-effective ways.

 - Fostering collaboration between the UF Division of C-L Psychiatry and the UF Organ Transplant and Oncology Divisions on clinical and research programs.

Blue Elevator Renovations

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Beginning 9/30, we will begin an upgrade of the Blue Elevators in the Mental Health and Wellness wing. This project will take approximately six months. During this project, please expect delays in response times from the elevator. For people needing access between the basement to the first floor of Psychiatry, please be aware of the elevator in the 8100 hallway.During this project, please expect delays in response times from the elevator. For people needing access between the basement to the first floor of Psychiatry, please be aware of the elevator in the 8100 hallway.

William (Bill) Brien Named Assistant Director of Business Administration in Addictions & Geriatric Divisions

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

On October 1st, William (Bill) Brien will start in the role of Assistant Director of Business Administration in our Divisions of Addictions Psychiatry and Geriatric Mental Health and Memory Care. This position will support the fiscal management and administrative operations of both Divisions, including the following: 

 - The Addiction Psychiatry Division’s academic and clinical components which include all the Strong Recovery clinics (Opioid Treatment Program, Substance Use in Primary Care, Adult Chemical Dependency, and Adolescent/Young Adult)  

- The Geriatrics Mental Health and Memory Care Division’s academic and clinical components which include Older Adults, Memory Care, Alzheimer and Dementia Care, Capacity Clinic, and Telepsych Program

Bill’s experience includes years of management including serving in senior leadership roles at several human services and healthcare organizations. During this time, he has enjoyed “working with good people who do meaningful things that positively impact others.” Most recently, he was at the Children's Institute as the Director of Finance and Administration. His prior work included implementing strategies and projects with medical practices to support their transformation toward patient-centered care models. This work included mentoring and coaching practice leaders and staff; team building; selecting and implementing quality initiatives and developing the capacity to use data to drive improvement. Earlier in his career, he worked in behavioral health at Rochester Regional Health and served as an Executive Director of two non-profit organizations.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from William Penn College and master’s degree from the State University of New York College at Brockport. Bill also studied health policy at D’Youville College and has received training in Organizational Leadership and Lean Six Sigma. Bill enjoys basketball, golf, and riding his bike along the Auburn Trail. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Tina, their two daughters and six grandchildren.

We are very excited to have him as part of the Adult Ambulatory Services Administrative team!  

New Psychiatry Division Emphasizes Addiction Research, Education

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

The Department of Psychiatry is tackling the dramatic rise in mental health and substance use disorders with the creation of an academic Division of Addiction Psychiatry to expand care and bolster research and education.

UR Medicine’s nationally recognized Recovery Center of Excellence is housed within this new division and leading the way by implementing hot-off-the-press addiction prevention strategies while partnering with rural communities across the country to increase support and prevent opioid overdoses, said Division Chief Caroline Easton, PhD 

Blending cognitive behavioral therapies with cutting-edge digital tools will fortify our programs for patients, scientists, and learners as we collaborate with the NIH and FDA in developing more evidence-based digital tools to promote access to care for clients with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders.

“Using the biopsychosocial model, we’re strengthening our holistic care for clients with substance use and other addiction disorders by offering wrap-around services with translational research components,” Easton said. She joined the faculty earlier this year and also serves as the department’s director of digital therapeutics. (Learn more about Easton here.)

“Establishing a division dedicated to addiction psychiatry builds upon our legacy of leadership in psychiatric medicine and care,” said Hochang B. Lee, MD, chair and the John Romano Professor of Psychiatry. “The innovations in care, research and education continue our legacy of supporting tomorrow’s leaders in the field.”

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​​​ The department, which recently celebrated its 75^th anniversary, leads one of Monroe County’s two opioid treatment programs, has the region's only ACGME-accredited addiction psychiatry fellowship and, with the Warner School, developed an advanced certificate program in substance use disorder counseling. And, working with the regional psychology consortium, the division trains five psychology interns at clinical sites.

“We’ll be able to attract top talent because we have a unique and sophisticated system to support their career advancement,” Mathis said.

University Honors Two Teams, One Individual from Medical Center with Meliora Awards

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

The University of Rochester recently honored the 2024 recipients of the President’s Staff Awards at a reception at Helen Wood Hall on June 27. The annual President’s Staff Awards—the Meliora Award, Witmer Award for Distinguished Service, Lamar Riley Murphy Leadership Award, and the Staff Community Service Award—recognize employees whose innovative leadership, dedication, and sustained contributions have had a positive impact on the University of Rochester and the community. A new digital display on the River Campus and at the Medical Center will also recognize the winners.

Read More: University Honors Two Teams, One Individual from Medical Center with Meliora Awards

Hispanic American Champions Changing the Landscape of Health Equity

Friday, September 13, 2024

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated every year from September 15 to October 15, highlighting the vast contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of our country. Telva Olivares, MD was among the  Hispanic American champions highlighted by the Center for Community Health & Prevention for making a positive difference in community-identified priority health issues and inequities impacting the Rochester and Finger Lakes region. These changemakers are just a handful of Hispanic American leaders moving the needle across our institution. 

Read More: Hispanic American Champions Changing the Landscape of Health Equity

How To Deal with Political Stress

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

UR Newsroom: Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide Anthony R. Pisani, PhD, offers tips on managing stress during election seasons.

Read More: How To Deal with Political Stress

Caroline Easton: Integrating AI and compassion in addiction therapy

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Family values lead to technological innovation for a Rochester professor transforming addiction psychiatry.

A professor of psychiatry and the academic division chief of addiction psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, she’s merging cognitive behavioral therapy with cutting-edge digital tools to provide holistic care for those battling substance abuse. Her desire to give back, combined with the limitless potential of AI, is already making an impact, with a long runway of promise ahead.

Read More: Caroline Easton: Integrating AI and compassion in addiction therapy

New Leadership in Adult Inpatient Services

Friday, September 6, 2024

Please join us in welcoming Kyle Rodenbach, MD to his new role as Medical Director of our Adult Inpatient Services.

Dr. Rodenbach attended medical school at the University of Rochester, graduating in 2016. He completed residency training at UPMC in Pittsburgh in 2020. Following graduation, he was an attending at the Univ of Wisconsin Madison on an inpatient psychiatric unit while also providing ECT and consult services, and teaching residents and students. Dr. Rodenbach joined our department last year where he became a valued member of the CPEP team as an attending working with high acuity patients. With his interest and experience in working with acutely and severely mentally ill patients as well as teaching, he transitioned in March of this year to the inpatient service as Associate Medical Director and teaching attending to the resident team. His passion, experience, and commitment to caring for those we serve and educating our residents make him an invaluable asset to our inpatient team and the Adult/Acute Psychiatry Division.

High Stakes, Higher Risks: Can Sports Betting Be Addictive?

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Dr. Myra Mathis, Clinical Chief of the Addiction Psychiatry Division and Medical Director of Strong Recovery, provides warning signs of gambling addiction and how to help yourself or others. 

Read More: High Stakes, Higher Risks: Can Sports Betting Be Addictive?

EAP Blog | Back to School: Preventing Bullying at School

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

School starts this month. Many parents worry about bullying in school. In the new EAP blog post, read steps that may help a child build confidence in speaking and develop resilience. 

Read More: EAP Blog | Back to School: Preventing Bullying at School

Two New Starts in Psychiatry

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

We are excited to announce two new additions to our department! 

Paula VanMinos, EdD has joined Psychiatry as the Assistant Director of Business Administration for Education and Faculty Affairs. In this new role, she will oversee all administrative operations and the teams supporting our education/training programs such as the Skills Lab and the Psych Tech Group. She will also have oversight of the Faculty Support Office operations and team. Paula joins us from Jordan Health, where she has been the Finance and Grant Administration Director since 2021.  She also has previous administrator experience working for UMRC at Highland Family Medicine and the Finance department. Paula obtained her Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Educational Leadership from the University of Rochester Warner School of Education in 2014. We are thrilled to now have Paula with her expertise in the role.  She will work directly with the department’s Associate Chair of Education, Tziporah Rosenberg and the Associate Chair of Faculty Affairs, Carol Podgorski.  Please join me in welcoming Paula back to URMC and to the Department of Psychiatry. 

Shaun Lewis is our new Sr. Customer Technology Specialist starting 9/1/24.  In this role he will oversee the Skills Lab and supervise the Psych Tech Group.  Shaun comes to us from URMC's Learning and Development department where he was the Sr. Analyst Programmer/Internet and Digital Technology Program Manager since 2022 and in other tech support roles since 2013. Shaun obtained his Bachelor of Art in Music Industry from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.  He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in all aspects of audio/visual technology as well instructional design. Shaun will be a part of the Education arm of the department and will report directly to Paula. Please join me in welcoming him to the Department of Psychiatry. 

Managing Anxiety Going Back to School: A Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Students

Monday, September 2, 2024

A confident, collective effort can make the experience rewarding for everyone

It’s normal to be concerned about your child's anxiety about returning to the classroom. Melissa Heatly, PhD, at Golisano Children’s Hospital, provides ways to demonstrate your support and confidence to your children as they return.

Read More: Managing Anxiety Going Back to School: A Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Students

School Year Stress: Acing the Back-to-School Season

Friday, August 30, 2024

UR Medicine Newsroom: The beginning of the school year brings busy schedules, routine adjustments, and—for many—lots of stress. Being prepared, mindful, and having the necessary tools to organize your family routines can help reduce your stress and anxiety.

Read More: School Year Stress: Acing the Back-to-School Season

2024 URMFG Innovation Grantees: Creating Deaf Equity in Behavioral Health Assessment

Friday, August 30, 2024

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The Deaf population reports higher rates of behavioral health problems including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Rochester, NY is home to one of the largest Deaf communities in the world but, even here, Deaf individuals still struggle for access to healthcare.

UR Medicine promotes biopsychosocial care via routine screenings outside of behavioral health clinics (e.g., primary care); however, these screenings are only available in written English and Spanish, excluding many Deaf patients given the community median reading level of 4th grade.

Deaf patients are less likely to receive routine screenings due to communication barriers, and the lack of measures available in American Sign Language (ASL). In addition, relevant Deaf cultural factors (e.g., acculturative stress) are rarely assessed nor integrated into care.

Despite URMC being a leader in Deaf health, ASL-translated behavioral health screening measures are not available and are needed to improve identification, referral, and intervention for our Deaf patients. This gap represents an opportunity to optimize care for Deaf patients that could also serve as a model nationwide to reduce health disparities. This quality improvement project will develop an ASL behavioral health assessment toolkit. 

Health Equity Pilot Awards Fund Research Projects Focused on Violence Prevention and Caregiver Support

Friday, August 23, 2024

The Office of Health Equity Research’s “Pilot Studies in Health Equity” award supports research in the Office’s key community-identified priority areas: safe and healthy housing, prevention of mental health and substance use disorders, prevention of gun violence, prevention of re-incarceration, and prevention and management of chronic diseases.

This year, the Office of Health Equity Research (OHER), part of the Center for Community Health & Prevention (CCHP) at the University of Rochester Medical Center, is proud to fund two research projects in these critical areas.

• Intergenerational Mentoring to Promote Healthier and Safer Communities
• Building Social Connections for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia from Underserved Communities

“We are excited to offer these awards for the second year and to be able to support such meaningful research that will impact our community for years to come,” said Edith Williams, MS, PhD, director of the CCHP and founding director of OHER.

Read more about the Research Projects

Intergenerational Mentoring to Promote Healthier and Safer Communities

Violence and the resulting trauma are leading causes of morbidity and mortality across the lifespan, disproportionately impacting under-served, urban communities. For older adults, violence in the community can lead to isolation and loneliness, which are often linked to a decreased quality of life and overall well-being. With funding from the Pilot Study in Health Equity Award, Corey Nichols-Hadeed, JD, principal investigator (PI) and Kimberly Van Orden, PhD (Co-I and mentor), will work to reduce community violence by promoting intergenerational social connection.

Nichols-Hadeed is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry (URSMD) and co-directs both the Firearm Injury Prevention Program and Geriatric Forensic Psychiatry Program. Van Orden leads the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Helping Older People Engage (HOPE) lab, co-directs the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, and directs the Department of Psychiatry’s CSPS NRSA T32 fellowship.

 Their project, “Intergenerational Mentoring to Promote Healthier & Safer Communities,” is grounded in academic-community partnership, with scientific and clinical expertise in healthy aging, community-partnered research, and community violence prevention. Goals include developing an intergenerational “Community Conversations” program aimed at older adults and youth, creating training manuals and training experiences for older adult mentors, refining curriculum, and piloting the program to examine effectiveness.

The funding provided by OHER will build on existing work supported by a Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM award) and established community partner relationships to ensure sustainability and responsiveness to community needs.

“We are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to continue this work and bring more attention to the importance of healthy aging across the lifespan while addressing the prominent health crisis of community violence,” shared Nichols-Hadeed. “We look forward to being able to share what we learn with our community.”

Building Social Connections for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia from Underserved Communities

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 6.9 million Americans living with dementia in the United States (2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures). The majority of persons with dementia are cared for by unpaid family members. Health inequities and the lack of access to clinical care and support can make caregiving more challenging for Black caregivers from underserved communities. With limited support, these caregivers may experience significant social disconnectedness and loneliness that is often associated with negative physical and mental health.

Sandhya Seshadri, PhD, MA, MS (PI), assistant professor of Neurology and associate director of research in the Neuropalliative Care division of the Department of Neurology, Paula Amina Alio, PhD, (Co-I) professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and associate professor of Clinical Nursing in the School of Nursing, and Benzi M. Kluger, MD, MS, the Julius, Helen and Robert Fine Professor of Neurology (Co-I) will use funds awarded by the OHER Pilot Study, co-funded by the University of Rochester Aging Institute (URAI), to build social connections and decrease social isolation and loneliness among Black caregivers by developing an intervention that is scalable across marginalized Black communities.

The project, “Building Social Connections for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia from Underserved Communities,” aims to:

• Understand the social needs, and experiences of isolation and loneliness among Black caregivers of persons living with dementia.
• Co-develop an intervention, entitled “Congregational Compassionate Care (CCC) for Black caregivers of persons living with dementia.”

Also involved in the research is community partner Reverend Phyllis Jackson, RN, founder of the Interdenominational Health Ministry Coalition. At the community level, faith-based institutions and churches have historically played an important role in addressing public health issues and providing support to Black families. These groups, however, have not been involved in partnerships with researchers in the design and implementation of interventions to support caregivers of persons living with dementia. A large focus of this project will be the collaboration between healthcare researchers and congregations, fostering a sense of ownership of the intervention among community and congregational leaders.

“The Interdenominational Health Ministry is excited to participate in this project,” shared Reverend Jackson. “The more compassionate care we can provide Black and Brown caregivers who are struggling with these issues, the better positioned we are to help them maintain their mind, body, and spirit wellness. This project is ministry in action for us.”

“We are delighted to receive the OHER Pilot Study award,” said Seshadri. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to address the issues of social isolation and loneliness among dementia caregivers in the City of Rochester. By collaborating with Reverend Jackson, we will be best prepared to develop an intervention that meets the needs of these caregivers and well poised to apply for funding for a larger study through the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Aging.”

“The UR Aging Institute is delighted to partner with the Office of Health Equity Research to fund new research initiatives in support of aging and health equity,” shared Annette (Annie) Medina-Walpole, MD, URAI director and chief of the Division of Geriatrics & Aging.

“Both pilot grants illustrate the importance of social connections in older adults. With the ever-rising number of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, improving social connections and combatting loneliness in caregivers is both timely and critical. Ms. Nichols-Hadeed’s research around building social connections through an intergenerational program to prevent community violence is equally important to URAI and will no doubt have a lasting impact.”

Health Equity Research Core Investigators affiliated with OHER are eligible to apply for these pilot grants. The grant program is currently co-sponsored by OHER, the University of Rochester Aging Institute, and the Environmental Health Science Center/Institute of Human Health and Environment. 

The Pilot Studies in Health Equity award will open again in January 2025. OHER can fund up to five proposals depending on participating co-sponsors and the merit of applications received. Researchers interested in affiliating with OHER are encouraged to contact oher@urmc.rochester.edu.

John "Jack" McIntyre, MD Receives 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Earlier this spring, Dr. John "Jack" McIntyre, MD was presented with the URMC Department of Psychiatry's 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. McIntyre graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in 1967 and completed his residency in the URMC Department of Psychiatry in 1973 followed by a fellowship in Internal Medicine at the University of Kentucky. Dr. McIntyre has published research in multiple periodicals including The American Journal of Psychiatry, Schizophrenia Research, and The American Journal of Psychiatry. 

"Dr. Jack McIntyre embodies the essence of compassionate and insightful psychiatric care," says Hochang Ben Lee, MD, John Romano Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, "Jack embodies Rochester Psychiatry, and his footprints looms large across all mental health services in our region. His work as the President of the American Psychiatric Association (1993-1994) also reflected his profound dedication and unwavering commitment to mentally ill patients' well-being. Jack has been a standout alumnus and advocate for UR Psychiatry for decades. His innovative approach and empathetic nature are truly inspiring and invaluable to both fellow alumni and current trainees." 

View More Photos from the Event: John "Jack" McIntyre, MD Receives 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award

Enhancing care with Proactive Integrated Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (PICLP)

Monday, August 19, 2024

Ben Lee, MD, was a member of the Home Study team to assess the effects of enhancing older inpatients’ care with Proactive Integrated Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (PICLP).  Read the full article below. 

Sharpe, M., Walker, J., van Niekerk, M., Toynbee, M., Magill, N., Frost, C., ... & Yousif, M. (2024). Proactive integrated consultation-liaison psychiatry and time spent in hospital by older medical inpatients in England (The HOME Study): a multicentre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Psychiatry.

Read More: Enhancing care with Proactive Integrated Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (PICLP)

A New Chapter for Kate Cerulli

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

​​​As of July 1st, Kate Cerulli, JD, PhD retired from her role as Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Susan B. Anthony Center. During her 20+ years with our department, she founded the Laboratory of Interpersonal Violence and Victimization and the Healing through Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law Collaborative while shaping our current focus on translating scientific research into practical solutions for those facing challenges in meeting their social determinants of health.

As she moves into semi-retirement and a part-time role with Mt. Hope Family Center, we hope you join us in congratulating Dr. Cerulli on this new chapter! 

Panic Attacks vs. Heart Attacks: Understanding the Differences

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Panic attacks are alarming because the symptoms can mirror a life-threatening heart attack.

Read More: Panic Attacks vs. Heart Attacks: Understanding the Differences

Incorporating Reliable and Ethical AI into Medical Diagnosis and Treatment

Monday, August 12, 2024

UR Medicine Newsroom: Caroline Easton, PhD, professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), has leveraged AI to fine-tune an app that uses avatar coaches to guide patients through cognitive behavioral therapy. 

BHP Blog: Managing Anxiety Related to World Events

Friday, August 9, 2024

Behavioral Health Partners Blog
By Marianne Wink, RHIT, CPC, CRC (retired)

There have been many critical events in the past years that have us all on edge. You are not alone in managing thoughts and anxiety related to the effects of the pandemic, the multiple wars in other countries, or politics. These events affect all of us in different ways. The important thing is to understand what you can control and what you cannot. The following suggestions may help you gain and retain perspective in your everyday life in order to reduce anxiety.

Rochester Review: Doctors, patients, algorithms, and avatars

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Clinicians, computer scientists, and ethicists are working across the University of Rochester to incorporate reliable and ethical AI into medical diagnosis and treatment.

Caroline Easton, PhD is the Medical Center’s academic chief of addictions psychiatry and director of digital therapeutics for the Department of Psychiatry. Her use of AI in therapies illustrates one facet of AI’s transformative power in medicine and health care. This story appears in the summer 2024 issue of Rochester Review, the magazine of the University of Rochester.

YoUR Support Team wins the 2024 Meliora Award

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

The YoUR Support Team wins the 2024 Meliora Award, recognizing their exceptional contributions to staff well-being since their inception in 2013. The team, consisting of approximately 25 volunteers, offers emotional support to staff experiencing work-related trauma, known as Second Victim Syndrome, through a structured, multi-layered approach. Adapting the Critical Incident Stress Management framework, they provide interventions such as "demobilize, defuse, and debrief" tailored for healthcare settings. Their work spans various departments, ensuring no staff member feels isolated after critical incidents. Demonstrating leadership, collaboration, and accountability, the team shares their model regionally and nationally, contributing to conferences and publications. They embody URMC’s ICARE values by promoting inclusion, compassion, and respect, fostering a supportive work environment, and enhancing staff resilience and well-being.

Photo: L-R, University President Sarah Mangelsdorf, Janine Rowe (Co-leader, YoUR Support), Jaclyn Wilmarth, (Co-leader, YoUR Support), and Kathleen Gallucci, University Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

A Bittersweet Transition

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

​It is with mixed emotions that we share that Steve Fasone, Founding Director of our Psychiatry Technology Group, has made the very exciting decision to retire this summer, winding down his full-time time with us on July 26, 2024. 

Some words from Tziporah Rosenberg, PhD and Patrick Seche, MS, CASAC: 

It’s not hard to feel at least a LITTLE better about this departure when you see his face light up about moving closer to family, leaning into his most important role as grandfather, and his appreciation of the wisdom that all good things eventually must give way to other goodness. 
 
I’ve heard spontaneous platitudes about his imprint on the very fabric of this Department, grief about how we will manage without him and his many gifts, and plenty of stories that I will be sure we save for when we celebrate this milestone with him. Steve started at the University in 1981 and worked with the Medical Center Media team (the group now known as the Center for Experiential Learning) until 1993. And after a brief time out of state, he returned to Rochester, and joined our Department in 2000. I’m sure he singlehandedly (or rather, with his expert team!) saved us all from Y2K. 
 
To say “his impact on our Department is indelible”, is an enormous understatement. He has visioned, supported, built, installed, maintained, staffed, produced, polished, updated, refined, modernized, designed, tested, re-tested, and, honestly, perfected countless efforts spanning Education, DICE, Office of Mental Health Promotion, and all of the major events, to-do’s, conferences, and celebrations of our Department as a whole. He has partnered across departmental boundaries, supported scholarly and educational efforts through our Skills Lab and every one of our training programs, mentored work-study students, supervised and mentored a robust staff of talented technicians and generous and talented humans over the years. He has been perhaps among the most unsung heroes across all of our Department’s core missions, a masterful educator, team member, and all-around MVP. 
 
All the ways we do what we do now with technology, with relative ease and routine, are because of Steve and his leadership. Among his many gifts has long been to take something seemingly complex and flustering and bringing even the most fearful end user or teacher or presenter along to a place of confidence. He has been ahead of the curve countless times, has served as a trendsetter to others across the Medical Center, and has been a simply exemplar innovator, for which we are all unimaginably lucky. 
 
We will be hosting a celebration for Steve to honor his contributions and upcoming transition later in July. And while part of him may know how loved he is, I encourage you to connect with him to let him know it. We are delighted that he has also agreed to do some TAR work after he leaves Rochester and as we endeavor to bolster our Psych Tech group with some new members.

Celebrating Graduates at Key Day

Monday, July 1, 2024

In June, we celebrated Key Day, our annual ceremony highlighting our newest class of graduates from our education programs. In addition, we also recognized several trainees and faculty/staff/ and friends for their work in research, care, and education respectively.

A big congratulations to all those graduating this year! We're so excited to have been part of your journey and can't wait to see your next steps!

Residency Receives Special Endowed Gift

Friday, June 28, 2024

Thanks to the visionary generosity of Teresa Miller, MD, ’83M (Res) and John Goeke, the Dr. Teresa R. Miller Psychiatry Resident Wellness Fund was recently established in the Department of Psychiatry. “Feeling grateful for my training as a psychiatry resident at the University of Rochester, John and I decided to make this gift to provide support for the next generation of practitioners,” says Miller. “My residency was instrumental in teaching me the importance of the mind-body connection which I have integrated into my private practice over my entire career.” The intent of this thoughtful gift is to enhance the well-being of current and future generations of psychiatrists, and contribute to healthier, more resilient mental health practitioners.

The proceeds from the endowment are intended to allow psychiatry residents to attend the annual Mindful Practice in Medicine Retreat developed by the University of Rochester’s Ronald Epstein, MD and Mick Krasner, MD which Miller attended in 2019. She felt it gave her and the other healthcare practitioners in attendance opportunities to bond over the stresses of practicing medicine. They also acquired tools to restore equilibrium and allow them to flourish. This year, two residents attended the Retreat, one of whom was Liliana Luna-Nelson, MD, who remarked, “The Mindful Practice in Medicine Core Workshop was inspiring, restorative, and transformative. I continue to revisit daily what we explored there. It profoundly informs my personal and professional life with more grace, flexibility, and empathy towards patients, colleagues, and myself.”

Department Chair, Ben Lee, MD shared, “I am deeply grateful for this insightful contribution Terry and John have made to support our young trainees for generations to come. I feel that knowing someone is caring for and thinking about their well-being will be an incredible boost to morale.”

Miller was supported throughout her career by Goeke’s involvement as a partner and office manager in her practice. He adds, “By providing resources and support for psychiatry residents to cultivate mindfulness and prioritize their own wellness, we are not only investing in their individual well-being but also in the quality of care they will provide to their patients throughout their careers.”

About creating the endowment, Miller expressed, “This whole process has been illuminating for me and has helped me stay connected to the University of Rochester, which is very important. My hope is for those who might benefit from it. I am excited that it will continue for generations to come.”

In turn, the Department of Psychiatry is grateful for Miller and Goeke’s generosity and their unwavering dedication to the future of mental health care. This endowment represents a commitment to the holistic health of those who dedicate their lives to the well-being of others. It's a testament to the belief that by nurturing the mental and emotional well-being of psychiatry residents, we can create a ripple effect that positively impacts countless lives.

Golisano Children’s Hospital Opens New Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Center

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

On June 26th, we cut the ribbon on the Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Center, the region's FIRST walk-in mental health clinic for young people! 

Thank you to the Brighter Days Foundation and many donors who contributed to this center, which will provide care for children and adolescents 18 and under without a prior appointment. Thank you also to West Herr Ford of Rochester for their donation of a dedicated vehicle for children and families identified by the triage team as lacking transportation to the clinic.

Missed the ribbon cutting? You can view the recording here! 

The center officially opens on July 15th! Learn more about the Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Center here or check out some of the local news coverage of this event! 

• URMC Newsroom 
• First Pediatric Mental Health Clinic in Upstate NY Opens Its Doors
• Golisano Children’s Hospital Opens Region’s first Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care
• New Pediatric Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center Comes to Rochester
• 'The Only One in Our Region': First Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Opens in Upstate New York
• New Mental Health Urgent Care Clinic for Children Will Accept Walk-ins
• URMC Opening Region's First Walk-in Mental Health Urgent Care Center for Kids in July
• Walk-in Mental Health Clinic for Kids to Open at Golisano Children’s Hospital
• Pediatric Mental Health Center at URMC Seeks to Support Children at a Time of Crisis

2024 Creatively Connecting Summer Showcase

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Thank you for joining us for the 2024 Creatively Connecting Summer Showcase. Sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry Residency Program featuring performances from members of the Department of Psychiatry. 

Registration for July Sessions of 2024 Summer Brown Bag Series Now Open

Monday, June 24, 2024

Registration is now open for the July 10th – 31st sessions of our 2024 Summer Brown Bag Series. Join speakers every Wednesday starting at noon throughout the summer to learn about inequities surrounding our communities through a diverse lens. CEU and CMEs are available. 

Representing UR Medicine Mental Health and Wellness at the Stroll for Strong Kids

Friday, June 14, 2024

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Golisano Children's Hospital's Stroll for Strong Kids or contributed to our Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness's fundraising efforts

Together, we raised $2,333.70 to support mental health services for youth in our community. This was the 10th anniversary of having our Behavioral Health Activities Station at the event. Thanks to the creativity of staff, faculty, and parent volunteers, we had wonderful activities related to this year’s theme of Pirates and Mermaids - including Treasure Box Coping Kits and Under the Sea Sensory Bottles. 

Our Firearm Injury Prevention Program (FIPP) team also joined the Stroll in support of preventing firearm injury and safe firearm storage

Join your Mental Health Colleagues at the Pride Parade on July 20th

Friday, June 14, 2024

URMC encourages broad institution-wide attendance at the Pride Parade this year. Sign up to attend the Pride Parade in Rochester on July 20 and support our LGBTQ+ community.  Members of the URMC community will line up between 9:30 and 10:30 and march at 11. Free swag items will be available. Hope to see you there!

Can Adults Have ADHD?

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Untreated and undiagnosed ADHD can lead to everyday struggles. UR Medicine’s Michael Scharf, MD, explains how ADHD symptoms vary from childhood to adulthood and shares the best ways to seek diagnosis and treatment as an adult.

Michelle Russo Joins Psychiatry Education Team

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Michelle Russo to Psychiatry and our Education team as our new Administrator for Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Undergraduate Medical Education. In this role, she will support and oversee the coordinators of our GME/LCME programs, interfacing with and supporting our training directors from a regulatory and reporting perspective, liaising with our GME office, our Department administration, the Associate Chair for Education, as well as ensuring the health, vitality, and growth of our GME team. 

Michelle joins us after developing her skills in several GME programs, most recently the Cardiothoracic Surgery program here at URMC, as well as Pediatrics. She also comes with program management experience, a deep desire to learn and contribute to our Departmental learning environment, and a highly effective interpersonal and relational leadership style. 

URMC Psychiatry Research Highlighted in Conferences

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

• A December 2023 publication, "Heterogeneity of Response to Methylphenidate in Apathetic Patients in the ADMET 2 Trial," coauthored by Anton Pjetur Porsteinsson, MD was recently awarded the 2024 Publication of the Year Award by the International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Neuropsychiatric Syndromes PIA. The team is invited to present their work is invited during the in-person PIA Day in Philadelphia in July. 
• Tyler Fleming, DO, MPH presented at the American Academy of Psychodynamic Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis a roundtable entitled 'The use of the novel and musical in psychodynamic formulation in graduate medical education'.
• Arielle Sheftall, PhD's presentation on discrepancies in reporting between parents and youth on suicidal behavior was recently accepted for the biennial European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behavior. She will be presenting at the conference in Rome in August.
• Jennifer West, PhD presented at the annual American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association meeting in Denver on Project RISE: Reduction in secondhand smoke exposure for patients with craniofacial differences. (first author Colette Stenz, PsyD).
• Jennifer West, PhD, Kristin Holderle, PhD, and Wendi Cross, PhD recently presented at the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers in Albuquerque "From crisis to community commitment: A three-part social justice initiative."
• Jennifer West, PhD and Micheal Scharf, MD also were co-authors on a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Toronto in May: Addressing social determinants of health in youth and young adult victims of firearm violence. (first author Crystal Craig)
• Jennifer West, PhD and Kristin Holderle, PhD  presented at the biennial conference of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers in Albuquerque a poster, "From crisis to community commitment: A three-part social justice initiative"
• Myra Mathis, MD co-presented two sessions at the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting:  "Telemedicine and Addiction Treatment: The potential implications for marginalized populations (In Relation to the Ryan Haight Act)" and "Pregnancy & Buprenorphine: To offer or not offer, that is the question"
• Ellen-ge Denton, PsyD, MS will be chairing the upcoming Youth Suicide Research Consortium Fifth Annual Conference. This year's theme is Youth Suicide Research Among Understudied Groups Around the Globe: Insights, Directions and Opportunities. Click here to register for this free event! 

In addition to these faculty achievements, Sungsu Lee, MD, PhD, Grace Ro, MD, and Jaewon Lee, MD, MPH, residents in our Psychiatry Residency Program, presented at the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting in May. 

Last but not least, Dakota Daniels and Allan Sikh, Human Subjects Research Coordinators at the Sheftall Lab, presented at the Suicide Research Symposium in late April, the ABCT student conference, and the Youth Suicide Research Consortium Conference.

New Program Will Promote Firearm Safety as a Public Health Issue

Monday, June 3, 2024

Firearm Injury Prevention Program (FIPP) will provide gun safety education to the community

A newly established UR Medicine program led by Corey Nichols-Hadeed, JD & Jennifer West, PhD, will collaborate with healthcare providers, community agencies, and residents across Rochester and the Finger Lakes Region to find effective ways to prevent suicides and other intentional or accidental injuries and deaths related to firearms.  

Advanced Certificate in Addictions Counseling Program Celebrates Graduating Class

Friday, May 31, 2024

The Advanced Certificate in Addictions Counseling Program completed its pilot year and the team of faculty, staff, and students who made this program possible feel tremendous pride in the learning community that we’ve collaboratively created. Congratulations to our graduates, Abigal Myslivecek, Katie Blakley, Jackie O’Connor, and Charles Brown! 

The Advanced Certificate in Addictions Counseling program is a collaboration of the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education, the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and Strong Recovery and is designed to meet the educational needs of master-prepared professionals who are interested in obtaining the Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Use Counseling (CASAC) credential. What makes our program unique is the targeted curriculum of substance use disorder education that is often missing from master-level human service degrees. Therefore, in two short semesters a student will obtain all the necessary educational hours to meet the requirements to become a CASAC-Trainee.

Some words from students: 

"There are so many countless benefits for me from taking this course, it is so hard to pick out the greatest one, but for me, I think that this course has really increased my awareness of the impact of substance use on our communities and in particular, I feel more confident in my ability to screen for, assess, and diagnose substance use disorders- all of this in a patient-centered and recovery-oriented way. I feel also that the course has provided a really unique benefit from learning from a panel of experts that are really pioneers in the field of chemical dependence treatment and the course was the most up-to-date and relevant of any type of learning on these subjects I’ve ever experienced. I truly do not believe that this quality of instruction or educational material that is this contemporary, relevant, and useable is accessible anywhere else." 

Additionally, the program includes two tracks, one for students interested in gaining more alcohol and other drug clinical internship experience at Strong Recovery, and the other track is designed for students interested in learning more about clinical supervision. In total, the commitment is two semesters, and the cohort begins every fall. The deadline to apply to our program is July 15th, 2024. 

Interested in joining the next cohort of the Advanced Certificate in Addictions Counseling Program? An informational session will be held on 6/5. Click here to register. 

New Approach to Trauma Has Helped Thousands of Youth Recover

Friday, May 10, 2024

UR School of Medicine and Dentistry alumna Hildegard Messenbaugh, MD, turned her ability to connect with youth and her own exposure to childhood adversity into a groundbreaking career. Inspired by George Engel, MD, and her desire to help others, she found a clear path forward in psychiatry. Dr. Messenbaugh founded the Denver-based nonprofit Third Way Center and began challenging conventional thinking about mental health.

Administrative and Leadership Transitions in Psychiatry

Monday, May 6, 2024

It is our pleasure to announce some upcoming administrative and leadership transitions in Psychiatry!

• Julie Caster, RN will begin transitioning into the Community Division Administrator role. In this role, she will support operations of our Strong Ties, Assertive Community Treatment, Health Home Care Management, and Strong Minds programs. Julie originally joined Psychiatry in 2004 as a Sec III for Strong Ties Case Management and never left!  Julie continued to progress in her career taking on roles as a care manager at different levels and then shifting into nursing.   From 2011-2020, Julie held multiple RN positions with increasing educational and leadership responsibilities in both inpatient and ambulatory settings.  
• Jessica Moore, PhD will be taking on the role of Senior Director for Hospital-Based Ambulatory Services in our Division of Collaborative Care & Wellness. She will be providing leadership and strategic alignment for many clinics under this division. As Senior Director, Dr. Moore will also provide leadership support for all the other directors of such clinics. 
• Tyler Fleming, DO, MPH will be taking on the role of Medical Director for Family Therapy Services. In this role, he will work with Dr. Moore to help integrate our Family Therapy Service program's clinical, educational, and academic missions.
• Adam Cake, LCSW will be taking on the role of Clinical Director for the Adult Partial Hospitalization Program. He is transitioning into this role from his previous position as Senior Social Worker for Adult Partial Hospitalization and will continue to help the program grow and build a strong team to provide care for those experiencing acute mental health symptoms.

Colette Stenz Recieves 2024 Trainee Contributions to Training Award

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Colette Stenz, PsyD, psychology postdoctoral child and adolescent track fellow, recently received the 2024 Trainee Contributions to Training Award from the Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology Training Council (CCaPPTC). Dr. Stenz was recognized for her impactful, innovative clinical and educational contributions in the psychology training program and pediatric behavioral health settings, with a focus on improving access to evidence-based care for patients with pediatric disorders of the gut-brain interaction (DGBIs).

Dr. Stenz was also acknowledged for her work with the Psychology Training Program Diversity Workgroup spearheading the development of informational material for program applicants that highlights Rochester and its diverse residents, in particular as agents of change and advocates for social justice. 

How Childhood Trauma May Impact Adults

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Thomas O’Connor,PhD, director of the Wynne Center for Family Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and Kristen Holderle, PhD, UR Medicine’s Clinic Director of the HEAL Collaborative, share the ways in which trauma affects the brain and body, how PTSD and trauma are related, and suggestions for healing.

Yeates Conwell Weighs in on How Volunteering Affects Your Brain

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Yeates Conwell, MD, director of the Office for Aging Research and Health Services, spoke to BrainHQ about why volunteering benefits both brain and overall health. "When you're volunteering, so many things can get better, because it exercises so many of one's physical, emotional, and mental faculties at once. People who volunteer are able to improve their energy and enjoy an overall better quality of life."

Read the full article

Stroll for Strong Kids Pie Sale

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Team Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness is teaming up with Special Touch Bakery to raise funds for the 28th Annual Stroll for Strong Kids. Proceeds from the pie sale will benefit URMC’s Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness services. 
 
Now through Friday, April 26th, you can order locally-made pies. All pies come frozen. Fruit pies are unbaked with baking instructions on the box. Cream pies are simply thawed and served. 
 
Your order will be ready for pick up on Friday, May 10th, just in time for upcoming celebrations!

Order Locally Made Pies Here

Yeates Conwell Receives Carter Catlett Williams Award for Excellence in Aging Services

Monday, April 8, 2024

Congratulations to Yeates Conwell, MD for receiving this year's Carter Catlett Williams Award for Excellence in Aging Services!

This award is given by Lifespan of Greater Rochester Inc. at their annual Celebration of Aging at the Convention Center and honors those making remarkable contributions to the field of aging and long-term care services.

Training Workshops on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment-Seeking

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Our UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence will be offering free trainings throughout April for peers and healthcare workers to provide guidance on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment-Seeking (CBT-TS), work through resistance, and encourage help-seeking behavior in those seeking treatment. One-session and four-session training available, depending on familiarity with CBT-TS.

Unique Psychiatry Program Delivers De-Stigmatized, Compassionate Care

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

MIPS team reaches those with severe mental illness facing barriers in health care

It’s a sobering fact that people with severe mental illness die, on average, 15 to 30 years earlier than the rest of the population. But the cause isn’t what you might expect, according to Marsha Wittink, MD, chief of academic affairs in the division of Medicine in Psychiatry Services (MIPS) at the University of Rochester Medical Center. 

Bridge Art Gallery Call for Art Closes May 3rd!

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

There’s a little more than a month left to submit artwork for our Bridge Art Gallery's next call for art, Growth in Tough Times. We invite artists of all ages to respond to our call for art exploring resilience and overcoming challenges by completing the attached submission form or filling out our online form here.  In addition, save the date for the show reception on May 29th from 4:30 PM to 6 PM at the Romano Room. Stay tuned for more details! 

Pilot Award to Translate Mental Health and Deaf Cultural Screenings

Thursday, March 28, 2024

We are proud to share that Aileen Aldalur, PhD and Kimberly van Orden, PhD, alongside Wyatte Hall, MA, PhD, and researchers from Gallaudet University and UMass Chan Medical School were recently awarded the Quality Institute Healthcare Innovation Pilot Award from the UR Medicine Quality Institute.

This award will fund the team's project, "Creating Deaf Equity in Behavioral Health Assessment," which will translate several mental health screenings and Deaf cultural measures into ASL. These screenings will be piloted across UR Medicine in the upcoming years. Congratulations to the team for this well-deserved award!

Stroll for Strong Kids is June 1st!

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

The 28th Annual Golisano Children's Hospital Stroll for Strong Kids will be held on June 1st at Genesee Valley Park! This family-friendly event features a race/walk fundraiser to support programs that serve our kids and their loved ones as well as entertainment and lunch for youth participants. Our Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness team will be raising funds to support pediatric psychiatry programs.  Interested in supporting the team's efforts? You can. . .

• Join the walk team and/or Donate to the team's fundraising efforts
  • To donate, select a participant from the team and go to their profile to reach the "Donate" button. Select "Direct my gift to" and select "Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness" from the drop-down menu
• Purchase a pie through the team's Pie Sale until 4/26
• Participate in Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness's bottle and can drive! From now until 5/31, Upstate Bottle Return will be matching a portion for every 5¢ return at any of their locations. Just mention that you would like your return to support Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness’s fundraiser!
• Organize a Jeans Day in your program! 
• Share the walk information and team page on social media! 

Thank you to everyone's support in making this year's walk a success.

Deaf Wellness Center Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

In March, our Deaf Wellness Center (DWC) celebrated its 25th Anniversary.

The foundations of this program began in 1990 when founder Dr. Robert Pollard joined UR Medicine and two years later, a National Institute of Mental Health grant provided funding for our Psychology Internship Program to bring on a deaf intern focused on serving deaf patients.

Since then, the program has grown to provide mental health and counseling services to deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, deaf disabled, late-deafened, and CODA adults with the center officially receiving its name in 1999.

Adobe Donation Supports Youth Suicide Prevention

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Ian Cero, PhD, Peter Wyman, PhD, and Anthony Pisani, PhD recently received a $20K donation from Adobe, Inc. to fund initial research into the potential uses of AI for suicide prevention among high-risk adolescents. This pilot will evaluate the potential for Adobe’s image-generating AI platform (Firefly) to improve suicide safety planning for youth and adults in their lives. The pilot will be conducted with patients discharged from our Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program with youth and supportive adults collaborating to use Firefly to visualize images personally important to their safety plan.

Transitions in Psychiatry Education

Friday, March 8, 2024

 After 21 years at URMC, and over 18 in our Department, Marylee Gramlich will be departing from URMC, the Department’s Education team, and her role as the Education Administrator; her last day with us will be March 29. Marylee has been a champion for all things education! She is a consummate advocate for our learners and our faculty, an excellent steward of our Education resources, a builder of community, and a beacon of warmth to all who are new to the Department of Psychiatry. She has been the heartbeat of this part of our Department, and we are all indebted to her for her countless and tireless contributions. While Marylee is surely one of a kind, and irreplaceable, our Psychiatry Education team will be working toward fortifying the team with some additional resources and support. 

 In addition, Vicki Perry, the fearless Psychiatry medical student education coordinator, and coordinator for our Geriatric Fellowship Program, will be leaving our department in March. 

 Laura Cardella, MD, Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry says, "Vicki has been the clerkship coordinator for longer than I have been the clerkship director. She has a level of institutional awareness that not many of us do. She is quick to lend a hand when asked,  has helped facilitate more than a thousand medical students through the psychiatry clerkship, and deeply cares about them and their education."

Please join us in thanking Marylee and Vicki for their years of service! 

Advanced Certificate in Addictions Counseling Program Rounding the Bend on Pilot Year

Friday, March 8, 2024

The Advanced Certificate in Addictions Counseling Program, a partnership between our Strong Recovery Services, the Warner School of Education, and the School of Medicine and Dentistry, is rounding the bend on its pilot year. The team of faculty, staff, and students who made this program possible feel tremendous pride in the learning community that we’ve collaboratively created. 

This program is designed to meet the educational needs of master-prepared professionals who are interested in obtaining the Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Use Counseling (CASAC) credential. What makes our program unique is the targeted curriculum of substance use disorder education that is often missing from master-level human service degrees. Therefore, in two short semesters, a student will obtain all the necessary educational hours to meet the requirements to become a CASAC trainee.

Additionally, the program includes two tracks, one for students interested in gaining more alcohol and other drug clinical internship experience at Strong Recovery, and the other track is designed for students interested in learning more about clinical supervision. In total, the commitment is two semesters, and the cohort begins every fall. The deadline to apply program is July 15th, 2024.

Interested in learning more about this program and becoming a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor? An informational session will be held on March 28th at noon. Click here to register.

Elizabeth Santos, MD elected president of National Geriatric Psychiatry Association

Friday, March 8, 2024

Elizabeth Santos, an associate professor of psychiatry, will lead the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry beginning March 18. She is the latest of at least four AAGP presidents with ties to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Santos is the Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program, the Strong Behavioral Health Older Adults Clinic, and the Medical Director of the URMC Memory Care Program.

Biomarker changes in spinal fluid could help diagnose Alzheimer's early

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Media Spotlight: Geriatric psychiatrist Emily Clark, DO, spoke to Medical News Today (Feb. 28) about a long-term study on early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Clark said the new findings confirm the differences in biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid and blood plasma in patients who developed the disease in the future and those who didn't. "A temporal manner of biomarker changes has been a hypothesis for many years that has been validated as biomarker testing advancements have been made in research settings," said Clark.

Kristina Washington Named Sr. Administrator for Adult Acute/Crisis/MIPS

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

We are excited to share that Kristina Washington, LCSW will be promoted to the new position of Senior Administrator for Adult Acute/Crisis/MIPS services. In this role, Kristina will provide administrative oversight, guidance, and support for all of our adult inpatient crisis programs such as the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, Mobile Crisis, and Crisis Call Line, as well as other acute programs such as the Adult Partial Hospitalization Program. 

Kristina joined the department almost 23 years ago and has served in various admin support, clinical, and leadership roles across our ambulatory and acute/crisis services.  Her most recent has been as the Clinical Director of our Adult Partial Hospitalization Program for almost 2 years to date.  Kristina brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this new role and I look forward to working with her to continue to support and advance our Acute/Crisis/MIPS services for adult patients. 

Please join us in congratulating Kristina on her new role!

Perspectives for Black History Month and Beyond: Q&A with Dr. Arielle Sheftall

Friday, February 9, 2024

Arielle Sheftall, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry with expertise in understanding and addressing mental health disparities.  In this Q&A session, Sheftall discusses key research findings, providing valuable perspectives for Black History Month and beyond.

Stressed Out? Try These Science-Backed Ways to Stress Less

Friday, February 9, 2024

Here are some tips to calm your body and mind when stress is overwhelming you. 

When the biggest student mental health advocates are the students

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Read the New York Times Article

Student-led efforts can play a vital role, too, says Peter Wyman, a professor of psychiatry, co-director of the Center for Study and Prevention of Suicide, and director of the Network Health and Prevention Program. Peer leaders can be “significant influencers,” he says, in helping friends to avoid risk-taking behaviors, like vaping or drugs, and to embrace coping behaviors, like seeking counseling. The closer a teen is to the peer leader delivering a prevention message or demonstrating a healthy coping behavior, the bigger the impact, Wyman says.

Itza Morales Named Staff Wellness Officer

Monday, January 29, 2024

We are excited to announce the appointment of Itza Morales, MSB, CASAC as the new Staff Wellness Officer for the Department of Psychiatry. In this role, Itza will partner with Autumn Gallegos, PhD, our Faculty Wellness Officer, to promote and implement wellness initiatives throughout the department. Together, they will aim to make ongoing wellness a consistent part of the fabric of our work environments.

Itza has a long history of promoting wellness in Addiction Psychiatry. She has served as Strong Recovery’s Wellness Champion for the past 5 years. In that role, she has guided the implementation of many wellness initiatives. She will continue her position as Co-Director of Operations of Strong Recovery but will allocate some of her time to fulfill this pivotal role for the department.

George Nasra Named Associate Chair for Adult Ambulatory Care

Friday, January 26, 2024

In this role, Dr. Nasra will provide leadership and strategic direction for our adult ambulatory services. He will also facilitate collaboration across our different programs.

Dr. Nasra brings a wealth of expertise, having previously led the DSRIP integration efforts and played a pivotal role as Associate Medical Director of Behavioral Health in the Accountable Health Partner (AHP). His extensive collaboration with affiliate hospitals, particularly through our primary integration programs and telepsychiatry-based emergency psychiatry program highlights his commitment to advancing our department's goals.

Under Dr. Nasra's leadership, the Division of Collaborative Care and Wellness has flourished, becoming one of the largest divisions of its kind in the country. Today, our department stands as one of the most integrated in the country, a testament to Dr. Nasra's dedication and strategic vision.

During this transitional period, Dr. Nasra will continue his role as Clinical Chief of our Division of Collaborative Care and Wellness in the interim.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Nasra on his new leadership role!

‘Change is now:’ Mental health care expansion in progress at Golisano Children’s Hospital

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Construction is underway for our Golisano Children's Hospital Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care!

Michael Scharf, MD, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, alongside Lauren Opladen, ICU nurse at Strong Hospital, spoke with News 8 WROC Rochester on how this program will help streamline the process of mental health services for youth and their families.

Gold & Silver Star Recipients Show ‘What URMC is All About’

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Each year, we pause to recognize those whose exemplary work has earned top recognition from patients, families, and colleagues at URMC through the ICARE Stars program.

Hundreds of Gold and Silver Star recipients in a variety of roles across the organization were honored at a virtual ceremony Dec. 19. As echoed by numerous speakers, these superstars—recognizable by their gold and silver ID badges—are proof that the Medical Center is only as good as its people and the quality work they deliver every day—from each interaction with patients and, importantly, with each other.

“These outstanding individuals and their actions reflect our best work,” said Chief Operating Officer Kathy Parrinello. “You serve as role models for what URMC is all about and the actions we celebrate today demonstrate the best of our organization and what makes URMC a great place to work.”

For decades, the ICARE Star program has long provided a simple way to recognize faculty and staff publicly through written words of thanks. The ICARE Values (Inclusion, Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) not only guide our interactions with those we serve but are critical to our success as a whole, said Jackie Beckerman, Senior Director of ICARE Commitment and Chief Patient Experience Officer.

“You consistently go above and beyond and serve as role models for others,” she said. “In a field as challenging as health care, you always show up with your best. Today we celebrate you and everything you do, day in and day out.”

Chief Medical Officer Michael Apostolakos, MD, called the accomplishments “humbling,” and one of the reasons many patients and families leave satisfied with the care they receive.

“People who show the ICARE values set a culture of engagement for others,” he said. “The level of engagement of our staff is directly related to patient and family satisfaction. Your actions create a culture that lets us give the best care to patients and we can’t thank you enough for that.”

Chief Nursing Executive Karen Keady praised the teamwork behind each individual award, noting the critical importance of every role within this organization.

“A special shout-out to our many nursing recipients, as busy as we are–you continue to offer great clinical care and interpersonal skills that take us to the next level–and I could not be more proud of each and every one of you.”

Vicky Hines, Chief Operating Officer of the UR Medical Faculty Group, praised the ICARE program. Hines, who has worked at URMC for 38 years, and said: “It has always been our remarkable people, like our Gold and Silver Star recipients, that have brought me the greatest sense of joy throughout my tenure at the Medical Center.  Your commitment to our patients and to each other, is an inspiration to us all.”

Psychiatry employees representing a number of our services- including but not limited to Psychiatric nursing, our inpatient, outpatient, and partial services, and Psychiatric social work- were among those honored during this ceremony. Congratulations to all that were recognized and thank you for your continued hard work! View a recording of the celebration. 

Want to Improve the Well-Being of Health Workers? The System Itself Must Change

Monday, January 8, 2024

There is increasing evidence of work-related harm to the brain with chronic high-level uncontrolled (but not controlled) stress. This will have implications for work-related mental health issues, and now evidence of cognitive impairments, neuroanatomical changes. Some are reversible if stress is reduced but the time window of the reversibility is not known.

Michael Privitera, MD, MS, alongside leadership from the Total Worker Health Program, published a NIOSH Science Blog article discussing the need for systemic interventions in the workplace using the Total Worker Health Program as an example of healthy work design.