News
2025 Summer Brown Bag Series, "Refilling Your Cup: Collective Approaches to Mental Well-being" July Sessions Now Open for Registration!
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Registration is now open for the July sessions of the Department of Psychiatry's 2025 Summer Brown Bag Series, "Refilling Your Cup: Collective Approaches to Mental Well-being!"
This series will focus on incorporating non-traditional forms of healing into your toolkit for wellbeing and will take place on Wednesdays at noon throughout the summer. CEUs and CMEs available.
Please note our first session takes place on July 9th, featuring LaVerne Hanes Collins, PhD.
As always, attending fulfills one of your annual required credits.
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Recent Grants Support Research Into Healthy Child Development, Grow Local Healthcare Workforce
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
The Department of Psychiatry has recently received an announcement of two federal grants.
Common Mechanisms Linking Pre- and Post-Natal Exposures for Child Health Outcomes
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $1.6-1.8 million per year over five years to extend its support for groundbreaking research on child health and development. Thomas O’Connor, PhD is the principal investigator for the project, “Common Mechanisms Linking Pre- and Post-Natal Exposures for Child Health Outcomes.”
This initiative continues the NIH’s longstanding investment in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, which investigates how early environmental factors impact child health. The research will focus on key areas, including Pre-, Peri-, and Postnatal Health, Upper and Lower Airways, Neurodevelopment, Obesity, and Positive Health.
This work underscores the University of Rochester’s commitment to advancing knowledge and improving health outcomes for children.
Graduate Psychology Education Programs
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded $449,973 per year over the next three years (for a total of $1.3 million) to continue efforts in growing the local healthcare workforce trained in treating Opioid Use Disorders (OUDs), Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and other behavioral health challenges in Monroe County.
Caroline Easton, PhD serves as the principal investigator on this project. Specifically, this grant will support our APA-accredited “Rochester Priority Behavioral Health Internship Training Program” to train 18 additional doctoral psychology interns with a focus on integration of care, trauma-centered care, OUD/SUD, and mental health services for high-demand, underserved populations. This award will also support the addition of new initiatives in the program focused on integration of care, social determinants of health, provider resiliency, and the use of evidence based digital therapies/digital tools as well as tele-behavioral health.
Representing URMC Psychiatry Nationally in June
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Psychiatry members recently presented at national conferences.
Victoria Pezzino, PsyD of our Postdoctoral Fellowship in Suicide Prevention program and our Addiction Psychiatry division recently presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence's national conference in New Orleans!
She shared her research project, "Assessing Substance Using- Depressed Young Adults' Alliance and Engagement with a Digital Avatar CBT Platform (RITch®CBT)," a digital platform to decrease addiction and prevent suicide.
Daniel Maeng, PhD also presented two posters at AcademyHealth's 2025 Annual Research Meeting in Minneapolis. Dr. Maeng discussed research from the following projects: 
- "30-Month Impact of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder on Acute Care Utilization in Rural Communities" by Daniel Maeng, PhD; Holly A. Russell, MD (Department of Family Medicine), Kenneth R. Conner, PsyD MPH (Department of Emergency Medicine), Jade Malcho, MD, Wendi Cross, PhD, and Hochang B. Lee, MD
- "Disparities in Use of Benzodiazepine and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder between Urban and Rural Medicare Beneficiaries with Opioid Use Disorder since COVID-19 Pandemic" by Daniel Maeng, PhD, Hugh Crean, PhD, Lisham Ashrafioun, PhD
Last but not least, several members in Psychiatry presented posters at the 4th Annual Better Teams. Better Care. Symposium, including Lorraine Schild, NP, Elaine Rigney, MD, Brock Scoville, Kevin Brazill, DO, Nicole Fulle, RN, Marsha Wittink, MD, Emily K. Cromwell, PhD, Sarah Gibson, MD, Emily Bennett, MD. View the conference posters here.
Celebrating Our Trainees at Key Day 2025
Monday, June 23, 2025
On June 11th, we held Key Day, the annual celebration of our trainees as they graduate from their educational programs and step into the next phase of their professional careers! Congratulations to all our graduates, including:
General Residency Program:
- Kartik Joshi, DO (December)
- Sungsu Lee, MD, PhD
- Jerold Lundgren, MD
- Grace Ro, MD, MS
Child/Adolescent Fast Track
- Emeric Quade, MD
- Yuri Zoghbi, MD
Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
- Dillon Auvenshine, MD
- Johnston Moore, MD
- Qiana Smith, DO
- Shaylyn Tuite, DO, MS
Charles E. Steinberg Fellows in Psychiatry and Law
- Maite Cintrón-Pastrana, MD
Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship
- Avantika Puri, MD
Doctoral Interns in Clinical Psychology (Adult)
- David Benitez, M.S.
- Alexander Broekhuijse, M.A.
- Jordan Kocon, M.A.
- Mayra Rivera-Santiago, M.S.
Doctoral Interns in Clinical Psychology (Child & Adolescent)
- Ana Luisa Barbosa Torreao Dau, M.S.
- Shelley Gresko, M.A.
- Angela Santee, M.A.
- Kate Senich, M.A.
Postdoctoral Fellows in Clinical Psychology (Child & Adolescent)
- Hannah Grossman, Ph.D.
- Laura Perrone, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellows in Clinical Psychology (Integrated Care Family)
- Jeremy Ramos, PhD
Several trainees and faculty members were also honored with awards at the ceremony, including:
- Psychology Doctoral Intern Award- Alexander Broekhuijse, M.A.
- Psychology Research Award- Laura Perrone, Ph.D.
- Psychology Postdoctoral Award- Jeremy Ramos, PhD
- Psychiatry Resident Research Award- Jaewon Lee, M.D., MPH
- Richard Carl Albert Jaenike, MD Award- Sungsu Lee, MD, PhD
- Child & Adolescent Consortium- Shaylyn Tuite, DO, MS
- John Romano, MD Award- Grace Ro, MD
- Houghtalen Volunteer Award- Qiana Smith, MD
- Nanavati Award- Kartik Joshi, DO
Faculty Awards
- David Barry Award- Michael McGrath, M.D.
- Mary Lou Meyers Award- Joy Choi, MD
- Medical Student Shining Star Award- Tazia Sample, LMSW
- Social Work Educator Award- Tyler Buchiero, LCSW
- Raymond Babineau Award- Deanna Sams, PhD
- Sydney Rubin Memorial Award- Kyle Rodenbach, MD
- Otto Thaler Memorial Award- Myra Mathis, MD
- Friends of Residents Award- Jane Sundberg, PharmD
- Stephen W. Munson Award- Kathleen Baynes, MD
- James Michael, PhD Award- Ian Cero, PhD
- Rita Underberg, PhD Award- Kristen Holderle, PhD
- Champion of Psychology Trainees Award- Yasmin Coley
- Susan McDaniel Excellence in Teaching Award- Michelle Swanger-Gagne, PhD
- Pieter LeRoux Excellence in Supervision Award- Jessica Goodman, PhD, LMFT
- Eric Caine Award for Excellence in Mentoring- Susan H. McDaniel, PhD
Addiction Psychiatry Division Update
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
We are excited to formally announce recent developments to the clinical leadership structure and service within our Addiction Psychiatry Division.
Itza Morales, MSB, CASAC, was promoted to the role of Senior Director of Clinical Operations in the Addiction Psychiatry Division. Itza took over this role earlier this spring, and in it, she has operational oversight for all the clinics under the umbrella of Strong Recovery. This includes the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP), the Adult Chemical Dependency clinic (SRCD), the Adolescent/Young Adult clinic (AYA), and the Substance Use Disorder-Primary Care program (SUD-PC). Itza is approaching 34 years of service with the University, 26 of which have been within the Department of Psychiatry.
She started in Strong Recovery in 2008 as a Sr. Counselor and has been in various leadership roles for the past 10 years. Most recently, Itza was the Co-Director of Clinical Operations with Julie Achtyl. Along with this promotion to Senior Director, Itza worked with Dr. Mathis and I to adjust the leadership structure of Strong Recovery to adequately support the robust services in each of the clinics, which are also part of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). This restructure includes the promotion of 3 Clinical Coordinators to Managers of Clinical Program Operations for each of the clinics in Strong Recovery. Itza will also continue in her role as the Department’s Staff Wellness Officer.
The new Managers of Clinical Program Operations for Strong Recovery are as follows:
- Janine Coppini, MA, MPA, LMHC, CASAC is being promoted to be the Manager of Clinical Program Operations for the Adolescent/Young Adult clinic and Integrated Services. Janine has been in Strong Recovery for over 6 years and in a leadership role since 2019. She has been a Clinical Supervisor and Clinical Coordinator for Strong Recovery’s Co-Occurring Disorders team and the Adolescent/Young Adult clinic.
- Kelly Vandermark, MS, CASAC is being promoted to be the Manager of Clinical Program Operations for the Adult Chemical Dependency clinic and Access/Outreach services, including the SUD-PC. Kelly has been in Strong Recovery for over 15 years and in a leadership role since 2019. She has been a Clinical Supervisor and Clinical Coordinator for Strong Recovery’s Intake Team and the SUD-PC team.
- Lauren Smith-Friedman, LMSW, CASAC is being promoted to be the Manager of Clinical Program Operations for the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP). Lauren has been in Strong Recovery for over 17 years and in a leadership role since 2017. She has been a Clinical Supervisor and Clinical Coordinator for Strong Recovery’s OTP, providing different levels of clinical leadership.
In addition to celebrating these new leadership roles, the Addiction Psychiatry Division has expanded to include the URMC Westfall Practice, with medical and clinical leadership overseen by Dr. Myra Mathis as Clinical Chief and Itza Morales as Senior Director. As the practice transitions to Addiction Psychiatry, we want to thank Dr. George Nasra and our Collaborative Care and Wellness (CCW) Division for supporting the Westfall team through the acquisition process and during the initial phases of their integration into URMC and the Department of Psychiatry. We are excited to see the continued development of the Westfall Practice under the Addiction Psychiatry umbrella.
Please join me and Dr. Mathis in celebrating the continued growth of addiction psychiatry and congratulating these outstanding clinical leaders on their new roles!!!!
Golisano Behavioral Health Center Marks 5 Years of Transforming Youth Mental Health Care
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Our Golisano Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Center on South Avenue celebrated its five-year anniversary on June 12th. Tours were provided for supporters and families with remarks by Mike Scharf, MD, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Jill Halterman, Physician-in-Chief at Golisano Children’s Hospital.
See below for some of the coverage of the anniversary!
Jennifer West, PhD featured on WXXI Connections: How to communicate about firearm safety
Thursday, June 12, 2025
FIPP co-director, Jennifer West, PhD, was joined by Strong Pediatric Practice pediatrician, Crystal Craig, MD, MPH, and the Strong Pediatric Trauma Program Manager, Adam Oplinger, BS, RN, CEN, TCRN, on WXXI’s radio talk show, Connections with Evan Dawson.
The group discussed the importance of secure firearm storage and highlighted ASK Day, a national effort that takes place each year on June 21 to encourage caregivers to ask about firearms in the spaces where their children spend time.
Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Receives Two Design Awards
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
The Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Center was awarded two design awards in May. Dwyer Architectural submitted for and won the CSI Rochester Chapter's Owner Collaboration Award and the Rochester chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)'s 2025 Citation Award.
The Owner Collaboration Award celebrated architecture, construction, and engineering projects utilizing exemplary communication to support successful outcomes.
The 2025 Citation Award spotlighted the clinic's incorporation of nature and design to create a functional, safe, and welcoming environment for children in need of mental health services.
We're proud to have this healing space right in our walls!
Board Excellence Awards Honor URMC Faculty and Staff for Outstanding Service
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
The UR Medicine Quality Institute and URMC Board joined together to celebrate the recipients of the 2024-25 Board Excellence Awards, acknowledging their remarkable contributions to patient care and teamwork. Led by Medical Center CEO David Linehan, MD, the annual awards ceremony took place on May 29 at Monroe Golf Club, honoring nine individuals, nine teams, four recipients of the Dr. Robert Joynt Kindness Award, and one lifetime achievement award. In his remarks, Dr. Linehan expressed heartfelt gratitude to the awardees for their dedication, emphasizing their pivotal role in caring for patients and serving the broader community.
“In health care, accolades are not the primary motivator,” Linehan said. “People choose this path because they are driven by a genuine desire to help others and serve their community. Despite the challenges inherent in health care careers, our honorees demonstrate unwavering dedication and resilience, traits that are evident in all our winners.”
Chief Medical Officer Michael Apostolakos, MD, echoed those sentiments, spotlighting the achievements of both individuals and teams who exemplify the collaborative and compassionate spirit of health care.
“We celebrate those who shine brightly in every aspect of their work,” Apostolakos said. “Their dedication to our patients, coupled with their collaborative spirit among colleagues, is truly commendable. Each day, they strive for excellence, continuously seeking ways to enhance URMC's impact on the health of our community and our collective well-being.”
Lifetime Achievement Award
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Robert Panzer, MD
A tireless advocate for quality improvement and patient safety, whose leadership has helped shape a healthcare system that is more compassionate, more effective, and more equitable.
Individual Excellence Awards
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Derek Wakeman, MD, Pediatric Surgery
For consistently demonstrating exceptional leadership and clinical excellence, with unwavering commitment to both his patients and teams. -
Melissa Cole, PA-C, Cardiac Catheterization & Electrophysiology Lab
For positive energy, professionalism, and sustained excellence in demonstrating the gold standard of care. -
Kevin C. Sciacca, MS, Information Technology
For positive, proactive leadership, which makes him a great ambassador of ICARE values. -
Olga Vasilyeva, PharmD, PhD, MSBA, OR Pharmacy
For her leadership, dedication, and patient-centered approach shine through in all her project collaborations. -
Lisa Setzer, BSN, RN-BC, 2-1800
For consistently providing exceptional attention and care to her patients, injecting both professionalism and positivity into every situation. -
Sheila M. Kingston, Medical Staff Services
For her direct, initiative-taking approach to innovative solutions and problem solving in process enhancement that benefits her team and department. -
Andre Castilloux, Ambassador & Guest Services
For his reliability, dedication, and commitment to excellence. He strengthens his team through kindness, respect, and expertise. -
Renise Ward, Dermatology
Who displays exemplary, genuine customer service and proactively resolves complex patient and provider concerns. -
Kathleen Bohn, Eastman Institute for Oral Health
For her expertise, dedication, and commitment to excellence that have inspired those around her and strengthened our institution's mission and vision.
Team Excellence Awards
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Pediatric Dentistry, OR Services
Their dedication to clear, dependable, and compassionate communication with patients, providers, and surgical staff is unmatched, and their excellent work has a profound impact on patient outcomes. -
Perioperative Wellbeing Team
Their commitment to improving team culture, providing education, and advocating for our staff has resulted in increased access to resources and better communication. They exemplify both kindness and excellence in supporting those who deliver exceptional care at URMC. -
URMC Telestroke/Teleneurology Service
The team’s dedication to enhancing patient care, regional collaboration, and innovation has established a model of excellence in virtual care that can inspire other service lines. -
Space Planning and Design
For consistently leveraging exceptional ingenuity, initiative, and financial stewardship through full engagement across departments to optimize space management and achieve operational excellence. -
EDAR RAD Re-Design Team
For using innovation and thought leadership to develop a new patient registration method that promotes operational excellence by improving ER throughput and enhancing the patient and family experience. -
Transition Care Unit (TCU) Team
For collaborating across disciplines to expedite inpatient unit transitions, which addresses the critical need to decrease ED boarding while doubling the number of bed hours saved annually. -
Unit 2-1800
For designing and implementing a care model that maximizes RN/LPN roles, leveraging expertise within a streamlined staffing structure, resulting in the highest quality care, while increasing staff satisfaction and retention. -
UReduces
For leading a transformative initiative to reduce postoperative opioid prescribing across the Department of Surgery with an innovative, multi-phased approach that significantly reduced perioperative opioid prescribing overall. -
URMC Provider Informatics
For being a vital partner to our IT and operational teams, helping URMC maximize the return on our technology investments through provider wellness initiatives, actionable data provision, and critical systems support.
Dr. Robert Joynt Kindness Awards
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Nicole SanGiacomo-Zollo, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC, CPHON, Pediatrics
For energy, optimism, enthusiasm, and work ethic that inspire all those around her, and for continuously seeking creative solutions to innovate and improve patient care. -
Deanna Palmeri Sams, PhD, Psychiatry
For unwavering kindness and dedication to patient well-being, consistently creating safe space, and demonstrating an exceptional commitment to excellence, empathy, and compassion in patient care. -
Jaeson Flagg, RN, Nursing, Unit 5-1400
For steadfast compassion and consistently going above and beyond for all patients, as well as assisting co-workers with difficult tasks, all while maintaining a warm, positive attitude, embodying the true spirit of kindness. -
Rajbala Thakur, MBBS, Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine
For having a profound and positive impact on patients in palliative care and chronic pain management, and broad-scale mentorship of learners and staff alike, all with kindness, compassion, and a humanistic approach.
4-9000 and CPEP Recognized by SWAT Youth Council
Friday, May 23, 2025
Our 4-9000 Child/Adolescent Inpatient Social Work team and CPEP team (made up of clinical evaluators and mental health assistants) were recognized by the SWAT Youth Council at their Got Dreams Annual Celebration. They were nominated by the Family Access and Connection Team (FACT) whom they partner with to link youth and families with local mental health resources.
The award particularly highlighted the teams’ work in supporting the Monroe County System of Health and youth mental health. Both our CPEP and the 4900 teams play a crucial role in engaging youth and families in their behavioral health journey, while embracing community partners and voices!
Courtyard a Breath of Fresh Air for Psychiatry Patients, Staff
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Fresh air can be therapeutic, and perhaps no one knows this better than patients admitted for long hospital stays.
Thanks to a collaboration between Psychiatry and Medical Center Space Planning, Strong has a new area dedicated to giving adult inpatients on Psychiatry units 9000 and 9200 the chance to get outside as part of their care and recovery.
You might know this courtyard, located on the ground level across from the ID badge office and former Metro Deli. It has been used by many staff as an informal outdoor break area to date, but since Metro Deli closed during the pandemic, foot traffic in that area has decreased, and the indoor seating area has served as a break room for Facilities staff.
Starting June 1, swipe access to enter the courtyard will be limited to staff who care for Psych patients. While this area will be dedicated to patient care, there are still outdoor seating options for staff in areas including the courtyard at GCH, outside Flaum Atrium, as well as benches and tables along Crittenden Blvd. near Helen Wood Hall and Saunders Research Building.
Psychiatry first approached UR Space Planning to ask if the Metro courtyard, one of very few green spaces around the Medical Center and conveniently located near Behavioral Health, could be dedicated to their patients. The answer was a resounding yes.
“We are so glad to have leadership’s support for this courtyard project,” said Amber Foster, senior director URMC Space Design & Administrative Services. “It is a hidden gem and we are grateful to our staff for cooperating with the change, which will add value to the care we provide.”
The clinical care teams are excited about the possibilities. Hochang (Ben) Lee, MD, said many patients are admitted for 10 days or longer. “This is a great advancement for patients to be able to get out and get fresh air,” Lee said. “Taking a walk and getting some sunshine, especially during the summer, adds great benefit, so this is an exciting development that’s also relatively low cost.”
There are no plans for new amenities yet, and Lee said things will start simple as the team finds balance between safe, supervised outdoor time in the space. Some things they’re considering are sport or exercise equipment, and possibly some raised garden beds. There are already picnic tables and seating around the courtyard, and shade from a tree.
Opening the courtyard to patients comes at a time when capacity is high among the roughly 80 inpatient Psych beds and 30 Med-Psych beds. There are additional ALC patients on the units and they often stay for months at a time, explained Patrick Seche, program administrator for Psychiatry. He said that with longer lengths of stay, patients can be on a locked unit with no opportunity to do anything outdoors. “Having this space will make a significant positive impact on the care we provide,” said Seche. “It won’t apply to every patient, but those who can will have a place to do so in a safe way.”
The sentiment was echoed by Psychiatry’s Director of Nursing Courtney Blackwood, who is excited by the possibilities provided by an outdoor space.
“This gives us the opportunity to promote therapeutic healing, foster social connections and encourage physical activity,” said Blackwood. “These benefits play a vital role in enhancing the overall patient care experience leading to recovery.”
Stephanie Bruder is Psychiatry’s administrator for Crisis and Acute Inpatient Services. She said the care teams work hard to provide resources for mental health patients to improve their outcomes and until now, were limited in where they could provide supervised activities.
“Usually if a patient is with a staff member outside, they are getting discharged,” Bruder said. “The outdoor space will serve as another resource—it’s a very large win for the clinical teams. It is exciting for the whole department to be a part of that and to watch it grow.”
The Aging Mind
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
People may consider sadness as just part of getting older. However, studies show that one in four older adults lives with a mental illness, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders..
Dr. Yeates Conwell spoke with Call to Mind on suicide in older adults and models to address this public health challenge.
Read More: The Aging MindYeates Conwell speaks to WNYC-FM about mental health conditions in older adults
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Yeates Conwell, MD, spoke to WNYC-FM (May 10) about untreated mental health conditions in older adults and how they can become deadly. “Being connected to other people is a necessity, and absent those connections, people can become at greater risk for suicide,” Conwell said. “Older people are particularly prone to that because of changes of all sorts.”
Tanya Tran Receives Canadian Institute of Health Research Health Research Training
Monday, May 5, 2025
Tanya Tran, PhD was recently named a grantee of the Canadian Institute of Health Research's Health Research Training award. This award aims to develop the next generation of scientific, professional, and organizational leaders by supporting post-doctoral/post-health-degree health research in Canada or abroad over the next three years.
Dr. Tran's project, "Psychotherapy for Motivation Symptoms: Evaluating A New Skills Training Approach to Preventing Psychosis in Youth," will introduce and determine the outcomes for Motive-Action, an innovative psychotherapy program targeting motivation symptoms - a
significant hurdle in psychosis prevention.
Expanded School Mental Health Collaboration To Be Honored With "What's Great In Our State" Child Mental Health Awards
Friday, May 2, 2025
The Expanded School Mental Health collaboration with the Rochester City School District is being honored at New York State's "What's Great In Our State" Child Mental Health awards on May 5th. The "What's Great in Our State" program is an annual celebration of children's mental health awareness, recognizing individuals, schools, and organizations making a difference in the field.
Dr. Heatly will present alongside Crystal Clark (RCSD Director of Student Support Services) about the Rochester City School District's innovative "Village Approach" to promoting children's mental health and wellness. This "village approach" represents the success of collaborative efforts between RCSD and URMC's Department of Psychiatry, GCH's Department of Pediatrics, Rochester Regional Health, the New York State Office of Mental Health, and others. Key Psychiatry faculty contributing to this program include Melissa Heatly, PhD, Allison Stiles, PhD, Linda Alpert-Gillis, PhD, Laura Shipley, MD, and Jeffrey Kaczarowski, MD.
Representing URMC Psychiatry Nationally and Internationally in April
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Psychiatry staff and faculty members recently presented at national and international conferences.
Several Child and Adolescent Psychiatry team members recently presented at the Pediatric Academic Society 2025 meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Linda Alpert-Gillis, PhD, and Michael Scharf, MD presented a poster discussing the Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care as a new model to address the pediatric mental health crisis.
- Alison Stiles, PhD, LJ Shipley, MD, Jeff Kaczorowski, MD, and Dr. Scharf presented at the conference's Behavioral Health Special Interest Group.
- Arielle Sheftall, PhD and Dakota Daniels, BA, and Jenson Rowan, BA of the Sheftall Lab presented the following posters respectively: Discrepancies in Reporting of Suicidal Behaviors: An Exploration in Preteen Youth, Pediatric Mental Health: Investigating the Link Between Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Self-injury and Parent Maltreatment History: Investigating Youth’s Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors.
Craig Rooney, PhD coauthored a presentation discussing psychologist’s roles, skills, and joys in supporting healthcare professional wellbeing in academic health centers.This presentation was highlighted at the 2025 Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers (APAHC) Conference's at St. Petersburg, Florida.
Marsha Wittink, MD will be joining Virginia Pankey, AIA, LEED AP, EDAC of HOK Design Group to present "Pioneering the Design and Function of Medical Psychiatry Units" at the annual Design in Mental Health Conference in Manchester, UK in June. This interdisciplinary event brings together individuals with lived experience and their families, along with clinicians, health system leaders, and designers, all working to improve mental health spaces and care delivery.
BHP Blog: Finding Clarity in Complexity: Small Steps to Big Solutions
Thursday, May 1, 2025
The May blog from Behavioral Health Partners highlights the power of narrative therapy and discusses how “the next right step” can help you regain your footing and step into clarity.
Read BHP Blog: Finding Clarity in Complexity: Small Steps to Big Solutions
Join Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness for Stroll for Strong Kids!
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
The 2025 Stroll for Strong Kids will take place on May 31st!
Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness will once again have a stroll team walking to raise funds to support child and adolescent psychiatry services.
Support the team's efforts by:
- Joining Team Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness to walk with us in the stroll.
- Donating to our Team (Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness).
- Share the walk information and team page on social media!
- Participate in the team Bottle & Can Drive:
Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness is teaming up with Upstate Bottle Return again this year to raise funds for the Stroll for Strong Kids- From now through June 30th, return your recyclables to any Upstate Bottle Return location, and they will match 1¢ for every 5¢ return. When you drop off your recyclables, let them know they are for Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness. Click here for a list of Upstate Bottle Return locations.
Myra Mathis, MD receives Courage to Heal Award
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Myra Mathis, MD, was honored by Thomas Jefferson University as a pioneer in compassionate and patient-centered care. Dr. Mathis presented the Courage to Heal Medicine Grand Rounds at the university in February as part of the award ceremony. An addiction psychiatrist, Mathis serves as medical director for Strong Recovery, UR Medicine’s outpatient dual-diagnosis clinic, which offers an opioid treatment program and a full range of addiction and psychiatric services. University News April 28, 2025
Introducing Our New Instagram Page!
Monday, April 28, 2025
Introducing our new Instagram page!
In addition to Facebook and X, you can now find the latest news from UR Medicine Mental Health & Wellness on Instagram at urmc_psych!
Faculty News: Representing URMC Psychiatry Nationally and Internationally
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Several of the Psychiatry staff and faculty members recently presented at national and international conferences.
Our Psychiatry team recently stopped by the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry's (AAGP) 2025 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
Presenters included the following:
- Yeates Conwell, MD, Kim van Orden, PhD, Grace Ro, MD, EJ Santos, MD- "Suicide Risk Assessment for Geriatric Mental Health: Protocol Design and Implementation"
- Sungsu Lee, MD, PhD- "Medical Emergencies in Inpatient Psychiatry: Prevalence of Medical Transfers from Inpatient Psychiatric Units at an Academic Medical Center" Poster Session
- Grace Ro, MD- "Group-Based Music Interventions for Older Adults with Dementia: A Review"
- Kim Van Orden, PhD- "Mental Health Concerns of the Unpaid and Paid Dementia Caregiver Workforce," "Article Highlights from the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry"
EJ Santos, MD presented the AAGP's Annual Meeting welcoming reception as the AAGP Acting President.
J. Steven Lamberti, MD, presented two talks at the Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (ACCJH) meeting in Austin, Texas, on March 17th- "Forensic Assertive Community Treatment(FACT): An Emerging Best Practice" and "A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Rochester Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Model."
On March 21st, Brian Keane, PhD presented at Princeton University Thalamus Conte Center's Scientific Meeting. His talk discussed thalamic and cortical sensory dysconnectivity as a biomarker for psychosis.
Last but not least, William Watson, PhD gave a two-hour virtual presentation to residents at the Stony Brook Medicine Department of Neurology, discussing Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Attacks.
Elizabeth J. Santos, MD delivered president speech at Annual AAGP Meeting
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Dr. Santos is the new President of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) and a leader in the field of Geriatric Psychiatry. She delivered the president's speech at the annual AAGP meeting in March 2025.
MIPS Holds Second Annual Retreat
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
The Medicine in Psychiatry Services division held its second retreat on March 6th, themed 'Stronger Together: Enhancing Our Team-Based Approach to Care.' Staff and faculty from our three service settings- IMIPS, SUMMITS, and MIPS- Primary Care- kicked off the day with a pre-retreat field trip to visit community sites our patients rely on, including transitional housing, Street Medicine Services, and Recovery All Ways.
The retreat continued at the Memorial Art Gallery, where we explored how art can inform our work and learned from experts in pain processing therapy. Through interactive workshops, we strengthened interdisciplinary communication, built trust, and reaffirmed our shared mission.
BHP Blog: No Rules Just Write: A New Approach to Journaling
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Anxiety, depression, and trauma can all contribute to repetitive thoughts and negative self-talk. You may experience the same worry over and over, stress about anything that doesn’t go as planned, or continuously come up with new “evidence” that suggests no one likes you. Persistently replaying the same concerns in your mind – also called ruminating – can lead to an emotional downward spiral and a sense of feeling stuck. Writing in a journal can help you break this cycle.
Read BHP Blog: No Rules Just Write: A New Approach to Journaling
Match Day 2025
Friday, March 21, 2025
Happy #MatchDay25!! Today medical students around the U.S. find out where they will spend the next four years in residency gaining practical experience in their field. Please join us in welcoming our 2025 class of Psychiatry residents to Rochester!
- Kelyn Chen (Rutgers University)
- Abraham Choe -University of Rochester
- Grace DiGiovanni- University of New England
- Alana Hull- Virginia Tech
- Vivian Lee- Drexel University
- Jennifer Marino- University of Massachusetts
- Abigail Shilvock- Cornell University
- Olivia Waldman- University of Buffalo
In addition, a huge congratulations to the medical students with whom we have been able to spend time during their clerkships! The following students will be continuing their careers in psychiatry at residencies across the U.S.
- Zonia Ali - Eastern Connecticut Health Network
- Vincent Betti- Boston University Medical Center-MA
- Abe Choe- University of Rochester Medical Center
- Eliane Grace- Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliate Hospitals (Med. Psych)
- Anysia Lee- University at Buffalo SOM-NY
- Meredith Pescatello- Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, Triple Board
- Catherine Pizzarello- Ohio State University Med Center (Psych/research)
- Kaden Zellers- SUNY Upstate Medical University
Psychology Training Program Wins CCaPPTC Award
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
The URMC Clinical Psychology Doctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship program recently received the Program Excellence in Training Award from the Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology Training Council (CCaPPTC). Dr. Jennifer West is the Director of Training and Dr. Kristen Holderle is the Associate Director.
Representing URMC Psychiatry Nationally and Internationally
Friday, March 7, 2025
Several of the Psychiatry staff and faculty members recently presented at national and international conferences.
Caroline Easton, PhD, Lee Ashrafioun, PhD, Alex Barrette, Holly Russell, MD, and Melissa Heatly, PhD will be presenting at the Rural Centers of Excellence on Substance Use Disorders (RCORP) Reverse Site Visit in Washington D.C. in early March. This event featured networking with other Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees as well as discussions regarding best practices in opioid use and substance use disorder interventions.
Andrea Garroway, PhD recently presented at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s Annual Educational Conference in Tennessee. This session discussed communication coaching in internal medicine.
William Watson, PhD, alongside Danish colleague Emil Rask, PhD, presented a two-hour webinar, "Using ISTDP with Children and Adolescents: Two Clinical Case Examples," to 175 members of the International Experiential Dynamic Therapy Association on February (IEDTA). An earlier version of this seminar was presented at the IEDTA’s biennial conference in San Diego last year.
The Research and Health Equity Symposium featured a poster co-authored by our IMIP team- Elaine Rigney, MD, Lorraine Schild, NP, Nicole Fulle, MS, RN, Kevin Brazill, DO, Brock Scoville, and Marsha Wittink, MD- and presented by undergraduate Harrison Eck.
Corey Nichols-Hadeed, JD and Jennifer West, PhD, alongside Eric Perkins of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, presented at the Upstate Elder Abuse Center at Lifespan’s NYS E-MDT Initiative Webinar Series, a two-part series on firearm safety and dementia. They discussed aws related to firearms, safe storage of firearms and legacy planning of these firearms.
Janeen Thompson Named CCW Assistant Director, Business Administration
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Janeen’s primary office will be located at Sully’s Trail, with regular time spent at Strong Memorial Hospital.
With over 30 years of experience in healthcare, Janeen brings a wealth of expertise to this position. Her background includes serving as a Board-Certified Music Therapist specializing in Alzheimer’s Disease in long-term care settings, leading integrated care teams in hospice and PACE programs, and most recently serving as a Practice Manager for the Geriatric Division. Outside of her professional responsibilities, Janeen is an active volunteer with Scouting USA, where she has served as a Scoutmaster for an all-boy troop and enjoys mentoring volunteers on leadership and team-building. She is also dedicated to her family, who graciously supports her enthusiasm for "Forced Family Fun."
We are excited to have Janeen in this new role and look forward to her continued contributions to the CCW Division. Please join me in congratulating Janeen on this well-deserved opportunity.
Additional Patient Access to Mental Healthcare Through URMC Virtual Network
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
The Virtual Urgent Care service has extended its care to patients who need mental health services. Virtual Mental Health Urgent Care offers a convenient alternative for patients in need of prompt mental health support in situations that would otherwise wait until an appointment becomes available with their mental health provider.
The URMC Department of Psychiatry’s Chief Administrative Officer, Patrick Seche, MS, CASAC, emphasizes the importance of leveraging UR Medicine’s resources and clinical expertise to address the mental health needs of the community. “Adding this virtual component to our crisis services for children and adults is a significant step towards those efforts. Kudos to our team of providers, clinical leaders, and administrators for working diligently with the project team for a successful implementation.”
The service is available to patients aged 5 and older residing in New York State and is ideal for those who are experiencing non-emergent - but imminent - symptoms of mental health concerns, such as anxiety attacks or depressive episodes, and are unable to be seen by their mental health provider within a reasonable timeframe of the symptomatic event. A symptom guide of physical and mental conditions is available to direct patients to the appropriate service.
The Digital Health Team introduces this service as an extension of the Virtual Urgent Care services that launched in late 2023 and reached 25,000 completed visits in October of last year. The dedicated team of mental health care providers is available Monday through Friday, 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., with plans to expand staffing and hours of operation as patient volume increases. Services are billed through the patient’s insurance. Depending on the patient’s plan, a co-payment or deductible may apply.
Hochang Benjamin Lee awarded Visiting Professor Award from the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Hochang Benjamin (Ben) Lee, the John Romano Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, received the 2024 Visiting Professor Award from the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Lee is a fellow of the ACLP, a professional organization that provides leadership in education, research, and advocacy to advance integrated psychiatric care for the medically ill.
Read Hochang Benjamin Lee awarded Visiting Professor Award
Register Now for the13th Annual Joseph Ryan Conference
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
The 13th Annual Joseph Ryan Conference Strong Recovery Presents:
New Frontiers in Addiction Psychiatry and Trauma: Brain, Behavior, and Innovative Digital Tools
Friday May 2, 2024, 8:30am to 4:00pm, Hilton Garden Inn, 30 Celebration Dr, Rochester, NY 14620
Contact Stacy Ciotti or Kalie Ernewein to register.
Read more about the 13th Annual Joseph Ryan Conference
BHP Blog: Mastering work-life balance in health care
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Feeling overwhelmed or burned out? Discover in the March blog from Behavioral Health Partners how the “life calendar” can help you reclaim your time, manage priorities, and balance your personal and professional life to improve your well-being.
Read BHP Blog: Mastering work-life balance in health care
What Can the Brain Tell Us About Chronic Pain?
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Paul Geha, MD an associate professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester, leads groundbreaking chronic pain research focused on understanding the brain mechanisms of pain. Recently, his team has made significant strides in studying chronic back pain and the transition from acute to chronic pain.
Struggling to Manage Uncertainty?
Monday, February 24, 2025
Struggling to Manage Uncertainty? Try These 6 Tips from the Office of Wellbeing
There’s a lot of uncertainty around us – and that can often be anxiety-provoking. While it can feel very uncomfortable, it doesn’t have to keep us from taking care of ourselves and one another, said Craig Rooney, PhD, URMC’s chief wellbeing officer.
Read Struggling to Manage Uncertainty? Try These 6 Tips from the Office of Wellbeing
WXXI Podcast: Is it okay for kids to become friends with AI?
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Pediatric psychologist Tony Pisani, PhD, and Michael Scharf, MD, professor in child and adolescent psychiatry, discussed the potential dangers of childhood friendships with AI chatbots on WXXI’s Connections (Feb. 13). “Too much of anything is not a good thing,” Scharf said. “We don't even know how much of the things you're missing out on are critical for development. If you [interact with AI chatbots] all day, it means you didn't have lunch with someone, you didn't play on a sports team, you didn't do physical activity.” Pisani suggests that parent involvement is key. “Instead of trying to be cops about this, maybe be co-explorers,” he said.
Read WXXI Podcast: Is it okay for kids to become friends with AI?