New Medicine in Psychiatry Division Delivers Medical Care to Vulnerable Psychiatric Patients
The Department of Psychiatry enthusiastically announces the creation of a new division of Medicine in Psychiatry, charged with delivering comprehensive medical care to vulnerable psychiatric patients. This new division is the result of recent growth and and development of our Medicine in Psychiatry clinical services.

Telva Olivares, MD will serve as the clinical chief for the Medicine in Psychiatry Division. Marsha Wittink, MD, MBE will serve as the academic chief for the division. Kevin Brazill, DO will take over as the medical director of the MIPS primary care clinic and Dr. Kirk Harris and Dr. Wittink will continue as medical directors of units G9200 and 19200, respectively. READ MORE>>>

Hochang (Ben) Lee to be Installed as President at ICPM World Conference in Rochester

This Fall, Hochang Ben Lee, MD, the John Romano Professor of Psychiatry and chair of our Department of Psychiatry, will be installed as president of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ICPM). Lee’s two-year tenure begins in September, when we will host the 26th World Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine. As the birthplace of the biopsychosocial model, we are proud to bring providers together from across the globe to Rochester to discuss its history and impact on patient care today and into the future. READ MORE>>>

Coming Soon! The 26th World Congress of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine

From the 7th to the 9th, the 26th World Congress of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine will explore the past, present, and future of the biopsychosocial model in practice around the world, as well as cutting-edge research on brain-behavior-health-disease relationships. This three-day conference will feature over 100 speakers, including: 

To learn about our other 75th Anniversary events, visit our 75th Anniversary website. 

Myra Mathis Named Medical Director of Strong Recovery

We are excited to announce that Myra Mathis, MD has been appointed the Medical Director of our Strong Recovery clinic. Dr. Mathis joined our department in August 2020 as an Addiction Psychiatrist after getting her medical degree from University of Rochester and completing her post-doctoral training and residency at Yale University. Dr. Mathis is the recipient of several awards while in medical school and throughout her residency and fellowship. READ MORE>>>

Celebrating Telva Olivares's 28th Year at MIPS

On June 30th, we celebrated Telva Olivares, MD's 28th and last year as the director of our Medicine in Psychiatric Services (MIPS) program. Those who have been in the area for a while will be familiar with Dr. Olivares work with Rochester's Latine community as director of Lazos Fuertes, a one-of-a-kind clinic that provides bilingual medical and psychiatric services, as well as her work with patients severe and/or persistent mental illness. While Dr. Olivares will be retiring from her role in MIPS, she will continue to oversee other programs throughout UR Medicine such as Lazos Fuertes as well as our Office of Diversity, Inclusion, Culture and Equity (DICE). READ MORE>>>

Fatima Rumesa Joins CPEP

In July, we welcomed our newest psychiatrist to the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) team, Fatima Rumesa, MD. Dr. Rumesa completed her medical training at King Edward Medical University and recently finished her residency training at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst Hospital. She comes to us with experience working working within a high acuity CPEP setting. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Rumesa to our department! 

Celebrating Our Recent Grads at Key Day

On June 14th, we celebrated our 74th Annual Key Day Ceremony. This yearly tradition celebrates the graduating class from our educational programs. A big congratulations to all our graduates again! We can't wait to see all the great things you do in the future! Click the link above to watch the ceremony. READ MORE>>>

NIH-NIMH Grant Funds Research on the Microbiome and Infant Neurodevelopment

Prenatal psychological stress among mothers has been increasingly linked with child neurodevelopment and other health conditions. Our very own Thomas O'Connor, PhD will be among the investigators on a multidisciplinary project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health to study the effect of prenatal maternal anxiety on infant gut microbiome developmental milestones that align with postnatal brain development. READ MORE>>>

Taking Action Summit Session Recordings Now Online
If you missed any of our UR Medicine Center for Recovery's Taking Action Summit in May, check out the summit website for recordings of the sessions. READ MORE>>>

Project TEACH Connects Primary Care Physicians to Psychiatrists

Primary care doctors are often the first place people go to when facing health concerns, including questions about mental health. Many primary care doctors, however, receive only minimal training in dealing with mental health needs. A number of our psychiatrists at UR Medicine are involved with Project TEACH, a project out of University at Buffalo and the NYS Office of Mental Health connecting primary care doctors with psychiatrists for consultation, referrals, and continuing education. New funding for the project will expand and strengthen consultation, training and support services for OBGYNs, family physicians and other primary care providers who work with pregnant and postpartum patients in order to address maternal mental health. Above is a photo of a recent retreat with Project TEACH participants! READ MORE>>>

Artwork by Nurse Practitioner Cathy Peters to be Included in NYC 9/11 Memorial and Museum Collection

Cathy Peters MS, NP, Advanced Practice Nurse in the Department of Psychiatry, was a Red Cross volunteer following the September 11th tragedy. She subsequently created a memorial collage, Homage to New York, which won a 2003 international media award. Homage was recently accepted for inclusion in the permanent collection of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. The experience is featured in a YouTube video "HerHomage," which underscores Cathy's affiliation the URMC and the School of Nursing.

Chestnut Street Lawn Lunch

In July, staff at our Chestnut Street location had a barbeque lawn lunch! This event gave staff a chance to decompress and catch up with each other on what work they have been doing over the summer!

Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Receives Kiwanis Club Donation

A special thanks to the Honeoye Falls-Lima, Mendon Kiwanis Club for choosing our Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness services and Golisano Children’s Hospital to be one of the recipients of their Christmas in July annual celebration. A big thank you to Honeoye Falls-Lima, Mendon Kiwanis Club for their support of youth mental health in our community!

Celebrating Psychiatric Technicians

August 10th was National Psychiatric Technician Appreciation Day. Psychiatric technicians (also known as mental health technicians) provide hands-on care to patients, including monitoring and evaluating progress and helping patients with their day-to-day activities. We asked our employees to share a few words of gratitude for the psychiatric technicians in their lives. READ MORE>>>

Psychiatry in the News

Dementia And Sleep: What Do We Know About This Link?
Could sleep answer questions about decreasing our risk of dementia? Anton Porsteinsson, MD, Director of our Alzheimer's Disease Care, Research, and Education Program, spoke with Medical News Today on the connection between sleep and dementia. READ MORE>>>

Addressing the Mental Health Crisis in Children and Teen

Youth Mental Health First Aid helps those that work with children and teens respond to mental health challenges and crises. We're excited to be working with YMCA of Greater Rochester through our Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness services to bring this training to camp staff at the Y. READ MORE>>>

Mark Your Calendars

Summer Brown Bag Series Starts July 13th

Our Department of Psychiatry 10th Annual Brown Bag Series, "Using the Biopsychosocial Model to Promote Equitable Care at UR Medicine," continues in August. Join us in a conversation every Wednesday from July 13th to August 24th from noon to 1 PM on how the biopsychosocial model is being integrated into care at UR Medicine, particularly in relation to working with diverse communities and vulnerable populations. An optional Q&A will take place from 1 PM to 1:30 PM. Register for the series here. 

Bridge Art Gallery Now Accepting Artwork Submissions

Are you a local artist? Our Bridge Art Gallery is now accepting submissions of artwork for their next exhibition, Mind, Body, and World, which focuses on how our bodies, our psychology and our social contexts connect to impact health. Submissions are due August 25th! Check out their website for information on how to submit artwork! READ MORE>>>

Join Us for our Final 75th Anniversary Webinar
The Department of Psychiatry’s final 75th Anniversary Webinar, "The Future of Biopsychosocial Caring, Discovering, Learning, and Community Partnering," takes place on August 30th from 6 PM to 7:15 PM! This webinar will include voices from the department and a vision laid out by Hochang Ben Lee, MD, chair of the Department of Psychiatry. Register here. 

July Psychiatry Publications 

• Mark Oldham, MD published a reappraisal of Delirium alongside Utretch University, Vanderbilt University, Inova Health Systems, Stanford University, and Northwestern University faculty calling for future delirium classification to characterize the pathophysiological disturbances that underlie it.

• Wilfred Pigeon, PhD was a coauthor on a study using machine learning to predict antidepressant treatment response for veterans with MDD.

• Caroline Silva, PhD was a coauthor on a call-to-action on the need for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers acknowledge the realities of racism and discrimination as leading causes of mental healthcare disparities. 

• Kim van Orden, PhD was a coauthor on a paper testing the safety and effectiveness of a digital mental health intervention in the form of a smartphone app for those with and without suicidal ideation.

• Thomas O'Connor, PhD was a coauthor on this paper in Health & Place measuring the effect of environmental hazards and social stressors in neighborhoods on pregnancy and perinatal outcomes across racial groups.
• Among African Americans with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), PTSD is frequently underdiagnosed and untreated. Steven Silverstein, PhD was a coauthor on a paper investigating trauma exposure and rates of undocumented PTSD among African Americans with SMI.
• Marc Swogger, PhD coauthored a study finding multiple factors and motivations describe for use among people who consume kratom. 
• Thomas O'Connor, PhD is a coauthor on a new paper that tests the hypothesis that maternal free fatty acid concentration during pregnancy is associated with newborn hypothalamic microstructure in humans.
• Thomas Caprio, MD was a coauthor on a paper in Prehospital Emergency Care evaluating a community paramedic coach-led Care Transitions Intervention program adapted for patients transitioning from an emergency room visit to discharge.

Upcoming Events

• Aug. 17: DICE Summer Series- Biopsychosocial Care for Trans Youth
• Aug. 24: DICE Summer Series- The Future of Biopsychosocial Equitable Care: The Patient Perspective
• Aug. 25: Opioid Overdose Prevention Training
• Aug. 30: The Future of Biopsychosocial Caring, Discovering, Learning, and Community Partnering
• Sept. 7-9: 26th World Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine