Issue 29 | October 6, 2021 |
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Dear Faculty, Trainees, and Staff:
This month, I dedicate my letter to the memory of Silas Nickson Mwaura Wandui. Silas was a beloved member of our IT team and had a reputation for his infectious smile, willingness to be a part of any solution, and diligent work ethic. He was also a wonderful father to his son Luke and was involved in every aspect of his life, like from making breakfast every morning before school to attending every school function. Silas was always there -- and then some. He was also a loving, doting husband who anticipated our dear Winny’s every whim. Silas’s spirit, energy, and smile will sadly leave an unfillable void in our hearts and minds.
Silas Wandui was the son of Mr. Simon Wandui and Mrs. Margaret Ndego. He leaves behind his loving wife, Mrs. Winny Mwaura, children, and a host of family and friends, and he will be missed dearly.
Sincerely,
Jill A. RachBeisel, MD
Dr. Irving J. Taylor Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry
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The Department of Psychiatry Diversity Committee
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This month marks our Champion kickoff!
Every Division now has a Champion facilitator to help implement and facilitate plans of actions. Anyone interested in becoming a DEI Champion should contact their Division Director or supervisor.
Our Implementation Team has also been busy at work, and we would like to remind everyone of our focus:
1) To assist individual workgroups/Divisions with identifying DEI Champions.
2) To identify existing or convenient new meeting times to discuss DEI efforts and create action plans for existing DEI goals.
3) To encourage ongoing safe space/courageous conversations.
Please remember to visit our Hub!
The next Diversity Committee meeting will occur on Thurs., October 28 at 4 pm. All are invited to attend via this Zoom link.
In November, we will not have a meeting due to the Thanksgiving holiday. We continue to encourage everyone to contact Dr. Forrester at aforrest@som.umaryland.edu to share success stories regarding their DEI efforts or personal stories about individual engagement around DEI.
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REMEMBER TO GET YOUR FLU SHOT! |
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Starting now through December, employees can sign up for their flu shots!
All UMMS team members, partners, and medical staff must receive the flu vaccination or have an approved exemption or temporary deferral by Tuesday, December 7, 2021, at 4 pm.
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Conte Seminar Series - Today!
Join speaker Mikhail Pletnikov, MD, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo
Title: "Astrocyte Pathophysiology and Cognitive Dysfunction: Focus on Bioenergetics"
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State of the Department is tomorrow, Oct. 7
Remember to join us for the State of the Department!
Time: 12-1:30pm
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The 2021 Annual Conference on Advancing
School Mental Health: October 14-15
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This year, Dr. Jill Bohnenkamp will be speaking as a keynote speaker at this year's conference, "School Mental Health: Moving Forward Together."
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Upcoming TeleECHO™ Clinics |
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Save the dates for upcoming TeleECHO™ Clinics! Clinicians and specialists provide education and guidance via a telementoring practice model to primary care physicians who manage their own patients.
BHIPP
Audience: pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, social workers, and office staff
Oct. 28, 12:30-1:30: "Suicide Prevention Part 2: Safety and Crisis Planning"
MACS TeleECHO™ Clinic
Audience within the OTP setting: physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses/physician assistants, clinical directors, counselors, and clinical staff
Oct. 20, 12:30-1:30: "Microdosing for Switching to Buprenorphine from Long-Acting Opioids," presented by Dr. Devang Gandhi
MACS for MOMS TeleECHO™ Clinic
Audience within maternal healthcare: OB/GYNs, certified nurse midwives, physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses/physician assistants, clinical directors, counselors, and staff
Oct. 11, 12-1: "Introduction to Opiates and Pregnancy," presented by Dr. Lorraine Milio
Nov. 8, 12-1: Urine Drug Screening (Ethics, When Appropriate, etc.), presented by Dr. Christopher Welsh
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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently awarded Dr. Gloria Reeves and team members for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program for $977,066.
Co-applicants on this award include Dr. Jill RachBeisel, David Flax, and Nanci Henningsen, along with special recognition to the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Division Director Dr. Sarah Edwards.
The award will enable the provision of health services during the pandemic, and will allow for the purchase of laptops, Internet services, mobile telehealth carts, vaccine outreach equipment, and remote patient monitoring equipment. Thanks for your ongoing work!
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Dr. Christopher Welsh, along with Dr. Sarah Kattakuzhy of the Department of Medicine, were recently awarded the SAMHSA grant, "Addiction Workforce Expansion Through Buprenorphine Waiver Training and Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Education in Opioid Use Disorder."
The grant award totals to $150,000 for three years, and will expand Opioid Use Disorder education among health professional trainees at UMB. Congratulations to all!
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On September 13-14, the Department of Psychiatry co-hosted a two-day virtual conference to help educate and guide physicians and healthcare specialists who care for pregnant and parenting women with opioid use disorders. The training focused on counseling and medication options, symptoms of neonatal withdrawal, and more.
Special thanks to: Robin Rickard and the Opioid Operational Command Center (OOCC), Dr. Aliya Jones and the Maryland Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA). We would like to further thank Dr. Jean Bennett, Dr. Katrina Mark (OB/GYN UMSOM), Dr. Sarah Edwards, Kay Connors, Dr. Sylvia McCree-Huntley, the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as well as our MACS team and collaborator Kelly Coble.
A press release from the State of Maryland can be found here.
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This summer, Kay Connors, MSW, LCSW-C, was an invited speaker at The National Child Network Traumatic Stress Network event, Child Trauma and COVID19.
Her presentation was entitled, "Maltreatment and Interpersonal Violence at the NCTSN Covid-19 Summit," and participants learned strategies for supporting young children and child serving systems, as well as strengthening families impacted by violence in the family to support safety and healing.
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Drs. Seshagiri Doddi and Danae DiRocco recently published a case report in American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience.
The report, "A Case Study of Prazosin-Induced Hypothermia," discussed the only second-known case of hypothermia within a patient who was given the medication Prazosin to help ease her symptoms of bipolar disorder and nightmares. Read the full article here.
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Dr. Sharon Hoover recently published two articles in the Editor’s Choice Edition of Psychiatric Services:
Please click on the links to read more!
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Jyoti Kanwar, MBBS, is joining Department as full-time faculty member and will be working in Inpatient services. Dr Kanwar graduated Residency in 2013 from Saint Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., and continued on to work in the Maryland General Hospital (now University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus) for 2.5 years. She then worked in private practice Psychiatry in Howard County from 2016-2021. She has also worked in Correction Psychiatry for one year. After working in various settings, Dr. Kanwar is looking forward to the opportunity to share knowledge and work with Residents and medical students. She is excited to be a part of the Department. She lives in Howard County with her husband and two daughters.
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Mary Ann Booth, MD, is a 2005 graduate of the University of Maryland Medical School, and completed her psychiatry residency and child and adolescent fellowship at the University of Maryland/SEPH combined program. Dr. Booth has clinical expertise in a number of settings, including school based mental-health, telepsychiatry, residential treatment centers, outpatient mental health clinics, and federally qualified health centers. Her areas of interest in child and adolescent psychiatry include autism, post traumatic stress disorder, and mood disorders. She will be joining the BHIPP team as a telepsychiatrist.
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INCOMING POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS |
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Postdoctoral Fellows at the National Center for
School Mental Health
The National Center for School Mental Health is excited to welcome four postdoctoral fellows for the 2021-2022 year. From left to right, our postdocs include Drs. Jackie Atunrase, Aijah K. B. Goodwin, Sami Hartley, and Katie Trainor. Welcome to the team!
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