Health officials broke ground on the Texas Behavioral Health Center at UT Southwestern, the state's new psychiatric hospital. This 296-bed facility has been long awaited and will finish construction in 2025. The Center will treat patients who are experiencing acute mental health problems. Along with care, the hospital will increase training for mental health students and professionals, with the ultimate goal of aiming to fill the mental health gap in the community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebration of the holiday season December 16. It was a lovely night filled with great food, music by Dr. Cullum, Dr. Denney, Dr. Thornton, and Dr. Van Wright, and the opportunity to mingle with others in the department. May your holidays be joyful and healthy! We look forward to the new year ahead. View photos from the party.

Ahmad Raza, M.D., Ph.D., will be retiring after 17 years of service. He graduated from King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1984, coming to the U.S. shortly after to pursue his Ph.D. The initial part of his career focused on schizophrenia research, as well as residency and fellowship at Columbia University and Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. He joined UTSW faculty as Associate Professor and Medical Director of the Inpatient Psychiatry Unit at Zale Lipshy University Hospital in 2005, continuing in that role for 10 years, a gratifying professional and personal experience. He has been involved in the Treatment Resistant Depression clinic and Interventional Psychiatry program the past few years, working with outstanding staff, residents, and students. He plans to remain involved with practicing psychiatry and possibly teaching, traveling, reading a long list of books, and playing tennis.

Mary B. Turner, Ph.D., will be leaving the Richardson Clinical Center's Behavioral Health Group at the end of this month, where much of her work has focused on helping patients adapt to life following trauma and major illness. She came to UTSW as a graduate student in the Division of Psychology in 1986 and joined the faculty in 1990. Following her retirement, she plans to focus on family, travel, and her passions for writing, gardening, and cooking.

The University Police Department, including the Badging Office, has moved to its new location in the BE building at 6010 Forest Park Road on North Campus.

UPD's lobby is open to the UTSW community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Badging Office is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closing for lunch from 1 to 2 p.m.

Abhisek Khandai, M.D., Consultation-Liaison attending at Parkland, was formally appointed Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee for the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.

Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D., has been invited to serve on the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology's Education and Training Committee for 2023 through 2025.

Madhukar Trivedi, M.D., was named a 2022 Highly Cited Researcher by the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate. This recognition highlights researchers who have demonstrated significant influence in their publication of multiple highly cited papers over the last decade.

Sidarth Wakhlu, M.D., and Dr. Gabriela Velasco, Addiction Fellow, presented a workshop at the 33rd Annual American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Conference in Naples, Florida, with Dr. Arjmand Mufti on Management of Alcohol Use Disorders in Liver Transplant Population.

Laura Howe-Martin, Ph.D., ABPP, and Karie Meltzer, MS, CRC, led an interactive workshop titled Addressing Common Challenges in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy at the Texas Psychological Association's 2022 Convention.

Fourth year psychiatry residents gathered at Stomping Ground Comedy Theater for a workshop in learning how improv techniques and various group exercises can help translate into behavioral management tools and communication strategies for patients with dementia. It was an afternoon filled with laughter and learning.

Thank you, Dr. Molly Camp, for organizing this event!

Inspiring Careers in Mental Health Internship for High School Students applications for 2023 are open until February 6. The internship will run June 5-16, 2023. Email Inspiring Career Internship with questions.

The Fall issue of the OBI's Neurotransmissions newsletter has been published! Inside, find feature pieces on many of our faculty and their accomplishments, including Dr. Munro Cullum's CLEAATS research, Dr. Lina Chalak's 5-year study of treatment for babies suffering mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, Dr. Shawn McClintock's NIMH grant, Dr. Carrie McAdams' Ware Clinical Impact Award, and the election of Dr. Laura Howe-Martin and Dr. Betsy Kennard into the UT Southwestern Academy of Teachers (SWAT).

Faculty promotions are highlighted on page 10.

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