Stroll for Strong Kids Raises Over $3,000 for Youth Mental Health
We are proud to share that the Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness team raised $3,577.48 to support youth mental health services for this year's Stroll for Strong Kids in June. Most of the funds raised came from the team's fundraisers such as the Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Pie Sale, bottle and can drive, and Jeans Day. Whether you donated, walked, or helped coordinate, thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this year's Stroll!

Tickets Now Available for She Kills Monsters Production

Artwork by Grace Crane

Tickets are now available for our Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness Services' production of She Kills Monsters at OFC Creations Theatre Center!

She Kills Monsters is a drama-comedy by Qui Nguyen offering a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.

Directed by Maggie Powell, Registered Drama Therapist, and Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, and supported by other clinical staff, this therapeutic theatre production features teens currently and formerly engaged with our pediatric services. Purchase tickets here.

Kenna's Fight Supports Local Youth Mental Health Resources

A big thank you to Kenna's Fight and the Dadey family for their recent donation to our Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness Services! Their annual “You Are Not Alone” event is a night of music and hope and a reminder to speak up and reach out. We appreciate the opportunity to share about our services and support the Kenna’s Fight mission to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.

Strong Recovery Celebrates 50 Years

Our Strong Recovery services celebrated their 50th anniversary this September. In honor of this anniversary, current and past patients shared their recovery stories.

Laurel Seifert Named Director of Older Adults Service
We are proud to announce that Laurel Seifert, MSW has been recently named Director of our Older Adult Services. In this role, she will oversee the operations of this expanding program and continue to provide supervision for social work leaders and clinicians. Laurel has close to 20 years of experience as a Social Worker, joining our department in 2008, and we are really fortunate to continue to benefit from her expertise and leadership skills. Please join us in congratulating Laurel on her promotion!

Evelyn Santos is Breaking Barriers in Mental Health Care

Evelyn Santos, MS, lead nurse at our Lazos Fuertes Clinic, was highlighted by the University of Rochester School of Nursing for her work in breaking barriers to mental health care for local Latino and Hispanic patients. Evelyn recently completed her capstone in the Leadership in Health Care Systems Master's Program with a project aimed at optimizing electronic depression screenings for Latino patients. READ MORE>>>

Catherine Cerulli Recognized by Houses on the Moon Theatre Company

The New York City–based Houses on the Moon theater company recently recognized Catherine Cerulli, JD, PhD at their AMPLIFY 2023 Gala for “her groundbreaking work in mental health and her commitment to the arts,” which have brought “immense healing and awareness to countless lives.” READ MORE>>>

Reducing Stigma in Rural EDs and Other Care Settings

An emergency room visit provides a unique opportunity to engage with patients with substance use disorder and offer help to begin recovery. The UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence has created a series of posters for display in emergency departments linking to videos of individuals in recovery and those who care for people with substance use disorder. READ MORE>>>

In addition, the Center has released a new free training module for providers on navigating the changing landscape of opioid use disorder treatment as well as the rise of synthetic opioids. READ MORE>>>

SUMMITS at the Research in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Healthcare Equity Symposium

The Substance Use, Infection Treatment and Support (SUMMITS) team presented at UR Medicine's Research in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Healthcare Equity Symposium in September, sharing their work in de-stigmatizing care for patients with substance use disorders. 

Psychiatry in the News

Dungeons and Dragons: How Youth Use their Love of the Arts to Drive Therapeutic Outcomes

UR Medicine recently featured Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness's upcoming production of She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition by Qui Nguyen. Margaret Powell, senior staff clinician, licensed creative arts therapist, and registered drama therapist, and Robyn Broomfield, licensed mental health counselor, spoke on how the performing arts help foster community connection and empowerment. READ MORE>>>

Lessons from a Med-Psych Unit

Erik Bobeda, MD spoke with The Hospitalist about his professional growth and working with patients with serious and persistent mental illness. READ MORE>>>

Understanding and Preventing Youth Suicide

Arielle Sheftall, PhD appeared in the latest issues of the National Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Matters podcast to discuss who is at increased risk for suicide, how it's impacting the nation's youth, and what research is out there on preventing suicides.

How to Prevent the Next Opioid Tragedy
Leah Hill, M.Ed, CASAC-T, senior chemical dependency counselor, spoke with UR Medicine on the role parents can play in preventing tragedies related to opioids and the importance of talking about opioids with empathy. READ MORE>>>

Racism and Inequities in Addiction Medicine with Dr. Myra Mathis

Myra Mathis, MD, Medical Director for our Strong Recovery services, joined The Curbsiders for their latest episode of the Addiction Medicine podcast to discuss how racialized US drug policies, the War on Drugs, and media portrayals of substance use impact patients seeking care for substance use disorders.

Addiction Specialist: "Recovery is All About the Story"

Charles Brown, long-time chemical dependency counselor and group specialist at Strong Recovery, spoke with UR Medicine about how he uses his experiences to help others live better, healthier lives. READ MORE>>>

The Secret to Loving Every Sports Game—No Matter the Outcome
With sports season underway, many of us may feel stressed or sad when our favorite teams lose. Sports psychologist Craig Cypher, PsyD discussed why we feel so strongly about our teams and how to enjoy sports healthily. READ MORE>>>

Mark Your Calendars

Join Geriatric Psychiatry and Memory Care at the Walk to End Alzheimer's

Our Geriatric Psychiatry and Memory Care Division will once again be walking in this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's! This year's walk takes place on October 7th at Innovative Field and will support the work of the Alzheimer's Association of Rochester. We invite you to join the team or donate to the team's fundraising efforts for the Alzheimer's Association here. READ MORE>>>

How Do You Manage the Monsters (Challenges) in Your Own Life Call for Art

Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Services is seeking artwork from youth artists. Artwork should respond to the theme of "How Do You Manage the Monsters (Challenges) in Your Own Life?" and will be shown during performances of She Kills Monsters with a selection of pieces to be shown in our Bridge Art Gallery afterward. Interested in learning more? Reach out to Caitlyn Camp. 

Reel Minds Film Festival 2023

We are excited to once again partner to present the Reel Minds Film Festival, an annual series of films, performances, and discussions addressing the social stigma of mental illness and behavioral disorders. This year's series begins on October 18th with a screening of Get to Eleven, a conversation about suicide, addiction, and the importance of sharing stories in our darkest moments. Learn more and purchase tickets here. 

September Psychiatry Publications 

• Dukjae Daniel Maeng, PhD, Kenneth Connor, PsyD, MPH, Michele Lawrence, MBA, MPH, Wendi Cross, PhD, and Hochang Ben Lee, MD published an analysis of poison center calls related to controlled substances in rural and urban areas, finding ongoing vulnerability among rural communities.

• Ellen Poleshuck, PhD, Keisha Bell, PhD, Tziporah Rosenberg, PhD, and Daniel Dukjae Maeng, PhD, alongside colleagues from the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and the Maternal-Fetal Care Program, published an evaluation of predictors of referrals and outcomes among OBGYN patients with depression.

• Joy Jiwon Choi, MD, Patrick Walsh, PhD, MPH, Mark Oldham, MD,

  and Hochang Ben Lee, MD, alongside Bennett Kukla of Canandaigua Veterans Affairs Medical Center, published an assessment of vascular depression in those undergoing coronary artery graft bypass.

• Yeates Conwell, MD, Kathi Heffner, PhD, and Thomas Caprio, MD were coauthors on a study out of the University of Rochester School of Nursing examining the prevalence, predictors, and health outcomes of antipsychotic use among older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in home health care.

• Brian Keane, PhD, Yonatan Abrham, and Steve Silverstein, PhD published an analysis of visual dysconnectivity in the secondary visual network among those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
• Wendi Cross, PhD and Michael Hasselberg, NP, MS, PhD were among the authors of a study examining the feasibility and acceptability of using virtual reality to reduce anxiety in those about to undergo dental surgery.
• Wilfred Pigeon, PhD was a coauthor of a paper examining the risk of death by suicide and medications used to treat insomnia.
• Tziporah Rosenberg, PhD was a coauthor on a study out of Highland Hospital on a trial developing strategies for implementing Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, an evidence-based intervention for high blood pressure.
• Steve Silverstein, PhD was a coauthor on a paper out of Northwestern University examining the prevalence of closed-eye visual hallucinations experienced in psychotic disorders. 

In the Community

Rochester Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration

The University of Rochester Office of Equity and Inclusion is a cosponsor of the Rochester Indigenous Peoples Day celebration on October 9. The event will celebrate the heritage of the original peoples of Turtle Island, specifically the Seneca and other Haudenosaunee nations. READ MORE>>>

Invisible No More

On October 23rd at 10 AM, a memorial will be installed at Mount Hope Cemetery to honor former Rochester State Hospital and Monroe County Insane Asylum patients who were buried in unmarked graves. This project is led by Ryan Thibodeau, PhD, psychology professor at St. John Fisher. 

Upcoming Events

• Oct. 7: 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer's 
• Oct. 9: Rochester Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration
• Oct. 10: Opioid Overdose Prevention Training
• Oct. 11: Opioid Overdose Prevention Training
• Oct. 18: Reel Minds Film Festival: Get to Eleven
• Oct. 20: Assessing Gaps in Services for Violence Victims and How We Can Fix Them
• Oct. 23: Invisible No More: Honoring the Deceased Buried in the Public Section of Mount Hope Cemetery 
• Oct. 25: Reel Minds Film Festival: Daughters
• Oct. 27: She Kills Monsters Screening
• Oct. 28: She Kills Monsters Screening
• Oct. 29: She Kills Monsters Screening