Psychiatry C-4 Central
C
OVID
C
risis,
C
ommunication, & Staying
C
onnected
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Dear Faculty, Trainees, and Staff:
It is almost impossible to believe that it is May and we have entered our third month of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the second week of March, school closures were announced and many were encouraged to work from home. Not long after Governor Hogan announced the Stay-at-Home order, masks, social distancing, and business shutdowns followed. The impact of all of this -- we have yet to understand. But one thing I have come to understand and appreciate is the power of team work and the partnerships that have been forged through this unprecedented time. As suggested by the title of this issue, C-4, the Department of Psychiatry is a powerful force in a time when team work, sacrifice, and determination are essential. I have been so impressed by those volunteering to step up and insist they are part of the workforce needed to move forward. Creativity is at an all time high and collaborative efforts couldn’t be stronger!
What is equally impressive is the same phenomenon that has been unfolding across both of our campuses and throughout our system. Experts from all Departments and Schools have come together to problem solve, share resources, and answer questions to which no one really has had the answers. Not only is there a collective effort to hold everyone up within our Schools and the Medical Center, there is a cooperation between all of our sister hospitals and institutions to move forward collectively, thinking through the tough questions and helping each other out. The Goal is to succeed at facing and managing the many challenges that no one anticipated 4 months ago. Our colleagues in Infectious Disease, Facilities Management, Medicine, Surgery, Anesthesia, and Security, just to name a few, have helped Psychiatry configure what safe Behavioral Health care looks like.
Equally impressive was the agility of all of our ambulatory faculty, trainees, and staff who rapidly adapted to a new model of care. Our focus was to maintain access to care in a safe and effective way. Building entry screening, modified staffing schedules, and redistribution of workload are only a few of the adaptive interventions that have kept our programs open and those we serve healthy! Our Department, through the support of our IT team, well known to be ahead of the Tele-movement, rapidly adopted Tele-mental Health to maintain the connectedness with our clients and their families.
So as we continue to move forward and into the next phase of defining our ‘new normal’, I encourage you to keep hold of our new partnerships, cherish the comradery, and continue to work together to face the next set of challenges these times will present to us!
Sincerely,
Jill RachBeisel, MD
Interim Chair, Department of Psychiatry
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Department Warriors in COVID-19 Times
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We are busy caring for & protecting the health & safety of our patients & visitors, medical community, & staff during the COVID outbreak.
This month, we would like to showcase our
notable warriors!
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Chris Marano, MD, &
David Maina, RN
The inpatient psychiatry unit recently partnered with Infectious Control and the Department of Medicine to establish infrastructures and best practices to co-manage patients that are positive or identified as high risk for COVID.
The co-management of the patient includes care among medical and psychiatric attending, behavioral health, and medical nurses in a collaborative bio containment unit.
Thank you Dr. Marano and David!
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Psychiatric Occupational
Therapy
Every occupational therapist (OT) has been providing exceptional care to our patients. Notable contributions include additions to the Employee Wellness Pages and patient AVS instructions, creation of leisure packets used by patients and staff, staff support initiatives such as the “Face Mask Frenzy” sewing competition and unit decorations, and development of “Zen Dens,” where staff can go for a break. Our OTs continue to provide functional, occupation based care to all patients in psychiatry. Happy Occupational Therapy Month and
thank you
to our Psych OT Warriors!
Photo above: Midtown Campus Psych OT Team. From left – Chrissy Costill, Joan Zopp, Jenna Bennett, Jake Millford, Lila Nappi, & Erin Sammarco. Photo below: Downtown Campus Psych OT Team. From left – Sam Kaplan, Pooja Bhatnagar, Taylor Klein, Kendra Jones, Kelsey Nicks, & Kristen Kreimer.
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Dr. Gloria Reeves recently formed the
Research Recovery Team
to identify challenges caused by research restrictions and address problems as we transition back to research activity. The team is working on programs and communication strategies to help faculty identify COVID-19 related funding opportunities and support academic productivity. Thank you, Dr. Reeves!
(Researchers): Drs. Bob Buchanan, Melanie Bennett, Greg Elmer, Richard Goldberg; (Administrators): Nanci Henningsen, Afshan Qureshi, Sarah Bradley (SOM Foundation Office), Stacie Mendoza, & Marey Shriver (Research Career Development Office).
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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Amy Johnson, AA
Amy has been an administrative assistant with EAP for more than 25 years.
Currently, she serves as the critical backbone of coordinating appointments, informing staff about urgent cases, and easing EAP into our new online world.
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Wanda Binns, LCSW-C
Wanda is one of our warriors who is quickly adapting to provide virtual support groups, online education sessions to West Baltimore, and weekly messages of hope. She has 30 years of experience as a Clinical Social Worker offering expertise with relationship, addiction, stress, and depression. Wanda also offers Christian Counseling.
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We would like to acknowledge the dedication and
commitment of our screeners in Ambulatory Psychiatry at 701 W. Pratt Street
. Our team shares their time to screen patients and visitors without hesitation, and our screeners show compassion and support during the COVID 19 crisis. We are Psychiatry Strong!
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Dr. DiRocco
, our executive chief resident, developed the COVID peer-to-peer support line for all residents and fellows in the hospital.
Dr. DiRocco set it up, received hospital buy-in and approval, as well as legal approval. She also arranged for training for the residents (from faculty) and arranged for faculty supervision. Dr. DiRocco was highlighted by Dr. Mark Ehrenreich, and we thank you for your work!
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Psychiatric Rehab Program at Harbor City
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Occupational Therapist Matt Burger
runs a virtual group for clients with co-occurring disorders. Regular on-site programming is being converted to counselor-led virtual groups such as Stress Management, Women’s Support Group, and Anger Management.
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Psych Rehab Counselor Kenny Kosh
works with a client via telehealth. Each of our 14 counselors maintains frequent contact with their clients to assist with their rehabilitation goals, as well as help them adjust to life in lockdown.
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In lieu of on-site meals for HCU clients,
culinary assistant Mr. John Hopkins
prepares bags of food provided by the Federal Food Program. Our counselors deliver these pre-packaged meals to the homes of clients in need. We also collect goods from a food pantry for clients.
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Spreading Love, Not Germs!
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The Department of Psychiatry has been moved by the mask donations sewed by our own community members. Brandy Webster, above, sewed more than 150 masks for our Department and more than 1,000 in total to our overall Baltimore Community. Other sewists are Cindy Hills, Alicia Wink, Geeta Raj, and Victoria Gray.
Stephanie Knight, MD (left), Chief of Psychiatry, Midtown
, organized the call for masks and came up with the theme, “Spread love, not germs,” because many of the masks are made from heart patterns.
The much-needed masks have been disbursed to community and non-community programs, as well as to our inpatient psychiatry unit at the Midtown Campus. Thank you to our fellow community members!
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RESEARCH RECOGNITION DURING
COVID TIMES
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We're proud to support a collaborative team of researchers who are submitting COVID-related research & service grants to help us mitigate the effects of the pandemic.
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Melanie Bennett, PhD,
is currently following clinical trial participants with PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorders to gauge how drinking, drug use, and mood are impacted by the pandemic.
Dr. Bennett is applying for an NIAAA administrative supplement to her current grant, and we look forward to updates.
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Teo Postolache, MD
, is currently working on a grant submission to explore Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for a severe outcome of COVID-19; the new onset, exacerbation, or reactivation of mental illness in Veterans; and if a neutrophil to lymphocite ratio is a marker of inflammation predicting or mediating the above. This is a rapid response grant to VA CSR&D.
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Annabelle (Mimi) Belcher, PhD, and Aaron Greenblatt, MD
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Together with Dr. Jessica Magidson in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland College Park, members of the Division of Addiction Research and Treatment (Drs. Annabelle (Mimi) Belcher and Aaron Greenblatt, right) are embarking on a project that will study the COVID-19 impact on retention in methadone treatment.
The aim of the study is to understand the impact of relaxed DEA/SAMHSA regulations surrounding methadone dispensing. Other collaborators include Eric Wish, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Research, also at the University of Maryland College Park.
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Alicia Lucksted, PhD
, is the Co-PI on a University of Maryland, Baltimore; Institute for Clinical and Translational Research Accelerated Translational Incubator Pilot (ATIP) grant that was recently submitted with Sally Adebamowo, MBBS, MSc, ScD, of the Department of Epidemiology.
The project will evaluate the psychosocial and psychological effects on healthcare workers who treat patients with COVID-19. The plan includes a local sample & national sample with the total goal of n=1,000.
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COVID COLLABORATIONS & RESOURCES
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Telebehavioral Health Services in Maryland during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a rapidly evolving process for the Department of Psychiatry and beyond. On April 9,
Christopher Welsh, MD
, Associate Professor;
Kim Erskine, MS
, Director of Patient Financial Services, Psychiatry Associates; and
David Flax, MBA
,
MHA
, Director of Information Services presented a webinar to provide clarity to behavioral health providers on best practices for tele-services, billing, and tech platforms; close to 150 attended.
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Join the
BHIPP Team
for a series of interactive virtual learning sessions on practices, strategies, and resources to support patient, family, and provider resilience during COVID-19.
Upcoming sessions will be held on May 14 and June 11, 2020.
Please see the link to register!
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Dr. Gloria Reeves' team of family navigators & social workers
compiled this resource kit
to support our colleagues on the frontline of providing behavioral health services during COVID-19.
Share this resource kit with teams who could use it!
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School Mental Health COVID-19 Resources
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The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) has compiled a variety of resources to support schools, mental health providers, educators, students, and families during this unprecedented outbreak. In addition, the NCSMH collaborated with the UMB School Mental Health Program to develop a training webinar, Telemental health 101, which provides guidance and best practices for mental health providers who are new to telehealth. These resources are available on the COVID-19 page of
www.schoolmentalhealth.org
and are updated regularly.
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Deanna Kelly, PharmD
, recently published recommendations for clozapine use during COVID-19 with an international consortium in
The Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
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Interested in joining the Department COVID planning meetings?
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The Department holds weekly COVID planning meetings to discuss concerns, updated processes, and enhanced communication and teamwork. The meetings occur on Thursdays at 11 am.
Staff are welcome to attend!
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INFORMATION SERVICES &
TECHNOLOGY COVID UPDATES
Confused by the new remote processes?
We're here to help!
Check out a list of consolidated processes and documents
here
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Gregory Elmer, PhD &
Brittany Patterson, PhD
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Greg Elmer, PhD,
obtained his PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Maryland, pursued postdoctoral research in drug abuse at NIDA’s Intramural Research Program, and then began a research career at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC), UMSOM.
Dr. Elmer is currently a Professor at the MPRC, where he is investigating the neurocircuitry underlying the adult psychiatric consequences of adolescent trauma. In addition, he continues to pursue his interests in the comorbidity triad of opioid abuse, pain, and depression.
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Brittany Patterson, PhD,
obtained her PhD in School and Counseling Psychology from the University of Buffalo, State University of New York in 2015. She pursued a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Center for School Mental Health and joined our faculty in 2016.
Dr. Patterson is currently an assistant professor with the UMSOM, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She has clinical and research interests in providing high quality mental health supports and services to traditionally underserved communities with specific emphasis on trauma-informed and culturally responsive care delivered within school settings.
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Britta Hahn, PhD,
was recently awarded an R21 by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) for her grant, "Nicotine Insensitivity and Cue-Controlled Smoking Behavior in People with Schizophrenia." High rates and severity of tobacco dependence in people with schizophrenia contribute to lower life expectancy. The project will test whether people with schizophrenia are less sensitive to the subjective effects of nicotine and prone to stimulus-controlled habitual tobacco smoking. If confirmed, this would have implications for tailoring successful treatment interventions for smoking cessation in schizophrenia.
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Dr. Sharon Hoover and her team were awarded a 5-year SAMHSA grant to operate a National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Category II Center, titled the "Center for Safe Supportive Schools (CS3)." This is a $3 million award over 5 years, and UMB will be leading the effort in partnership with colleagues from Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. Only 7 Cat II grants were awarded nationally.
Also notable is that UMB was the only institution awarded 2 NCTSN grants this round. Dr. Sarah Edwards and Kay Connors also received a Cat III award. Special thanks to Ellie Davis and Nanci Henningsen, who worked hard to support this grant submission shortly before the December holidays.
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Chamindi Seneviratne, MD
, was recently awarded an R13 grant as co-PI on the project entitled, "3rd International conference of The Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies- SIPS - Harnessing placebo mechanisms for optimal pain management and treatment of alcohol and other drug use disorder." The collaborative effort involves investigators from three Schools (SON, SOM, and SOP).
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Thanks for your patience as most of our events are now cancelled or postponed.
We will continue to keep you updated!
Rescheduled to September 10, 2020
Tuerk Conference
8:00 am-5:00 pm
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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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