Dear Faculty, Trainees, and Staff:
This month also marks my year-long service for the Department as Interim Chair, and it's been a challenging but extremely rewarding role for me. One of my priorities has been to listen more and better understand what faculty are thinking and feeling about our Department, your jobs, and your careers. I am deeply interested in facilitating us working together to enhance the experience and future for all of us! I'd like to thank you for filling out the recent faculty survey, which was enlightening to me, and I will share the results at our March Faculty meeting. One observation I have made over the year is that we have very passionate faculty and staff throughout the Department, but many of you are hidden or simply keep a low profile. Please notice the newly added section in this edition -- Faculty Spotlight.
Additionally, more transparency of opportunities within the Department has been requested. To that end, I would like to highlight an upcoming Faculty opportunity:
Our expanding telehealth activities have been wildly successful and, under the leadership of
David Pruitt, MD
, and with the expertise of
Kelly Coble, MSW
, many Divisions have been involved including Addictions, Child and Adolescent, and General Adult -- not to mention our very own IT team’s involvement, creating a very strong backbone! I would like to formally organize this critical work as a distinct Department of Psychiatry Telehealth Program. Kelly Coble will serve as the Program Director and Dr. Pruitt will continue to serve as the Medical Director for FY 2021. Thank you Dave and Kelly for your outstanding dedication and contributions to this program!
In FY 2021, as Dr. Pruitt transitions his time out of leadership roles, the Department will be seeking a junior- to mid-level faculty with an interest in telepsychiatry to serve as our next Medical Director of the Program. If you are interested in telehealth service delivery and in the possibility of becoming a leader in the field, please come talk to me! Dr. Pruitt has agreed to spend the next and final year in this role getting our next Director up to speed!
Finally, I will see all of you at our upcoming faculty meeting. We'll be discussing the need to champion diversity, and I look forward to your feedback.
Sincerely,
Jill RachBeisel, MD
Interim Chair, Department of Psychiatry
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Spotlight on Deanna Kelly, PharmD, BCPP
Recipient of the R37 Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award
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Deanna Kelly, PharmD, BCPP
, was recently selected for the prestigious Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) award by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Her project is entitled, “A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Telementoring Program, Project ECHO, to increase Clozapine Prescribing.”
In providing background information on this highly competitive award, the NIH specifically handpicks individuals who currently have an R01, enabling scientists to continue supported research for an additional three to five years – thereby bypassing the peer-review process. The NIMH nominated Dr. Kelly, and the NIMH Director Dr. Josh Gordon made the final decision.
The MERIT award recognizes and supports researchers with superior competence and productivity. Dr. Kelly’s study will measure the change in clozapine prescribing outcomes and test whether prescriber self-reported competence mediates change in prescribing behavior. Prescribing outcomes in underserved African-American patients will also be examined.
The conversion of Dr. Kelly’s R01 to an R37 is a rare, celebrated achievement. In highlighting Dr. Kelly and the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC), the only other Departmental faculty member to receive an R37 (from 1987 to 1996) was Will Carpenter, MD, also of MPRC. Currently, only five people within the University of Maryland, Baltimore have an R37.
“I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving of this highly prestigious honor. Dr. Kelly has been remarkably successful in competing for NIMH funding to support her investigation of innovative interventions, which have made a real difference in our treatment of people with serious mental illnesses,” said Robert Buchanan, MD, Director of the MPRC.
Dr. Kelly, congratulations on this outstanding achievement, and thank you for all of your tireless and hard work -- we are honored to have you among us!
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Christopher Marano, MD
, was recently promoted to Director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Adult Acute Care at the start of this month.
The Department is thrilled to welcome Dr. Marano's experienced leadership: his expertise lies in the treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia and psychiatric disorders among medically complex older adults. He has participated in clinical trials of pharmacologic treatments for the behavioral disturbances of dementia, as well as multimodal imaging studies of late-life depression and mild cognitive impairment. His research interests include the neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, the neurobiology of late-life depression, and the relationship between late-life depression and dementia.
Dr. Marano also serves as the Associate Director of Residency Training for the University of Maryland and Sheppard Pratt Psychiatry Residency.
Congratulations on your promotion, Dr. Marano, and we look forward to your new leadership!
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Constance Lacap, LCADC, MHS
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Constance Lacap, DO
, was named as Assistant Dean for Assessment for the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and will work with the Office of Medical Education staff and course directors to develop and maintain the examination and evaluation processes for undergraduate medical education. In her new role, she will work to ensure consistency and innovation in UMSOM-wide methods for evaluting students in preparation for their entrance in medical practices.
Dr. Lacap is also a key member of UMSOM's Medical Education Continuous Quality Improvement Working Group. She previously served as the Director of Medical Student Education in the Department of Psychiatry and as Clerkship Director.
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Robert White, LCPC
, has been promoted from Director of Behavioral Health to Director of External Affairs and Program Development. He has been with the Department for more than 31 years and, during his tenure, has been instrumental in launching many of our most successful programs.
Robert manages the Employee Assistance Programs and Behavioral Health contracts for the Department of Psychiatry. He directs Departmental strategic planning, The Maryland Center on Problem Gambling, and has been instrumental in the grounding of our Telemental Health Program, as well as negotiating contracts and legislation. Robert is also the Chair of the Annual Tuerk Conference.
He is board certified in addiction counseling and employee assistance, and is licensed as a professional counselor. He teaches and publishes on subjects related to: Telemental Health, Impaired Professionals, Addiction Intervention, EAPs, and Problem Gambling.
Congratulations, Rob!
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SPOTLIGHT ON OUR FACULTY:
Drs. Anique Forrester & Sarah Clark
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Did You Know?
Dr. Forrester is
...
- A member of the Consultation-Liaison Division
- Provider for the Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation Service
- The liaison who conducts all allogeneic pre-stem cell transplant evaluations
- Director of the C-L Psychiatry Fellowship
- Chair of the Department Diversity Committee
- Faculty Advisor for the Department Cultural Diversity Day
- An alumni of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia (MD degree)
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Did You Know?
Dr. Clark is...
- A member of Dr. Gould's team with the Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroimmunology
- A researcher who focuses on neuroimmune interactions between the adaptive immune system and central nervous system in psychiatric disorders
- Aiming to est. an independent research program to investigate neuroimmune interactions & their impact on brain function & behavior
- A graduate of UMSOM (Post-Doc) & UMB (PhD)
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Peggy Burns, LCADC, MHS
(above, third from left), a counselor with the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), recently received one of four MVP awards from the Baltimore Orioles on February 6, 2020.
Peggy has worked with the EAP for more than 23 years, and provides counseling services to Orioles players and staff from their front office.
On February 6, the Orioles asked Peggy to attend their Town Hall meetings, but the true purpose of the meeting was to honor Peggy with her surprise MVP award for her top-tier level of counseling work and patient care. During her recognition, an employee stood up to provide testimony on his own recovery and Peggy's instrumental role in his treatment -- and she received a standing ovation.
Congratulations Peggy on this well-deserved honor, and thank you for your work in improving the lives of our community members!
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American Society of Addiction Medicine:
Poster Awards
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Sasha Deutsch-Link, MD,
and
Annabelle (Mimi) Belcher, PhD
,
were recently awarded the ASAM Abstract Submission Honorable Mention: Underserved Population by the 2020 Annual Conference Program Planning Committee. The abstract was entitled, "Race-Based Differences in Self-Report Drug Use at an Urban Methadone Treatment Program."
Eric Weintraub, MD
,
Aaron Greenblatt, MD
, and
Thomas Cole, MA
, served as co-authors.
Additionally,
Eric Weintraub, MD
,
Alexander Pappas, MD
,
Jessica Anane, MPH
,
Kelly Coble, MSW
, and
Chamindi Seneviratne, MD
, received the award for the abstract, "A Novel Approach to Increase Accessibility to Medication-Based Treatment for OUD."
Congratulations to all on your poster submissions, and thank you for representing the Department with your winning honors!
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Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Fellowship
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The Department has been excitedly planning for the growth of Behavioral Health services at the Midtown and Downtown campuses.
During this planning process, various challenges have naturally cropped up along the way, including the limited availability of experienced practitioners. Although psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner programs have increased, many are online and have a variable quality of didactic and clinical opportunities, raising serious concern about a graduate’s readiness to practice in a highly acute psychiatric environment.
Our leaders explored a novel approach as the result of these challenges. With the support of
Carmel McComiskey, DNP, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN
, Director of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants; and
Jill RachBeisel, MD
, Interim Chair, Department of Psychiatry; UMMC will pilot a
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program (PMHNP Fellowship)
.
This one-year Fellowship will provide a combination of clinical rotations, educational experiences, and individual/group supervision for board-certified PMHNPs who seek additional learning and experience in providing care for people with acute psychiatric symptoms. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be offered full-time positions in the Department of Psychiatry at either campus for at least two years.
At the conclusion of their Fellowship, our first group of PMHNP Fellows will be employed full-time at one of our sites: Adult Psychiatry at UMMC-Midtown campus, under
Stephanie Knight, MD
, Chief of Psychiatry at UMMC-Midtown; or Child (soon to be Child and Adolescent) Inpatient Psychiatry at the Downtown UMMC campus, under
Sarah Edwards, DO
, Medical Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
The Department would like to thank all who have made this happen!
For additional information, please reach out to
Melissa McBride, MS, CRNP
, Program Director at
mmcbride@umm.edu
(pictured above, upper left);
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The work of the Division of Addiction Research and Treatment is highlighted by way of telehealth appointments, including the transmission of electronic prescriptions for medication, which patients pick up on the way home.
To date, more than 80 patients have received treatment in rural regions where they might have traditionally received care, and peer counselors help to facilitate the compassionate aspect of treatment.
Thanks to the Division of Addiction Research and Treatment, as well as to our telehealth team!
Photo credit: by Terri D'Arrigo
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March 5, 2020
6th Annual Telemental Health Meeting
Telebehavioral 2020: Current and Future Practice (see emailed flyer)
March 12, 2020
Faculty Meeting
12:00-1:30 pm (see emailed calendar invite)
April 2, 2020
Cultural Diversity Day
8:00 am-1:00 pm (see emailed flyer)
April 23, 2020
Tuerk Conference
8:00 am-5:00 pm (see emailed flyer)
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Thanks to all for your contributions, and please email Lisa Cleary at lcleary@som.umaryland.edu with submissions.
Our suggested categories include:
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- Clinical trials and studies
- Community service
- Education
- Events, lectures, panels, & workshops
- Faculty appointments
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- Grants and contracts, and collaborative opportunities
- Honors and awards
- IT news
- Media press
- Publications
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