Note from Editor: The previous version of December's Psychiatry e-Newsletter incorrectly listed the date for A Conversation on Dr. King's "The Letter from Birmingham Jail" as January 14th. The date has since been corrected to January 21st. 

This year, the University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Psychiatry is celebrating its 75th Anniversary! Our 75th anniversary activities will be an opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate past accomplishments, reflect on missed opportunities, and imagine what is possible for the department’s next 25 years. We are excited to let you know that the 75th anniversary webpage is live. You are invited to register for some amazing events we have planned throughout the year! 

Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide Names New Co-Directors
We're excited to share that Kimberly van Orden, PhD and Peter Wyman, PhD will be stepping up as co-directors of our Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide (CSPS). As co-directors, they will help oversee the center's programs in suicide research and education on suicide prevention. Dr. van Orden brings to this role her vast expertise in suicide prevention for later life. Dr. Wyman develops and tests interventions that prevent mental, emotional and behavioral problems, with a focus on underserved youth populations. Please join us in congratulating Drs. van Orden and Wyman on their new roles in CSPS! 

Leadership Changes at HEAL
We are excited to share that Kristen Holderle, PhD will be taking over as the director of the Healing through Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law (HEAL) Collaborative, effective January 1st, 2022. Dr. Holderle will bring to this role her expertise in team-based trauma-informed care, and treatment for patients and families with chronic health conditions.

Dr. Holderle will be assuming this position from Ellen Poleshuck, PhD who has held the position since 2017. Under Dr. Poleshuck's leadership, HEAL became a valuable resource to patients and families experiencing interpersonal violence in our community, as well as for the clinicians who care for them.

Welcome, Dr. Holderle, to this new role and thank you, Dr. Poleshuck, for all your years of dedication to helping those facing trauma and safety issues. 

A Conversation on Dr. King's "The Letter from Birmingham Jail"
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January, Rev. John Walker, PhD, Javauni Forrest, MHC, RN, and Caroline Nestro, PhD, MS will discuss Dr. Martin Luther King's powerful "Letter from Birmingham Jail," its relevance when it was written and it's relevance today. This talk will take place on January 21st at noon. To register, click here. 

Harriet A. Washington Speaks at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Grand Rounds

Our 14th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Grand Rounds will take place January 19th, 2021 from 12 PM to 1 PM. Join us for a guided conversation with Harriet A. Washington '76 ranging from topics including the relevance of her work, Medical Apartheid, and environmental racism to the overall care we provide at the URMC. This event is held in partnership with the URMC Office of Equity & Inclusion, The Wilmot Cancer Institute, the School of Nursing, and the Departments of Medicine, Neurology, and Pediatrics. Register for the event here. READ MORE>>>

The Bridge Art Gallery Celebrates 10 Years

2021 marked the ten year anniversary of the Bridge Art Gallery. Over this past decade, our community art gallery has shown nearly 670 works of art from 363 artists from around the world. To celebrate this milestone, the gallery is holding an exhibition, The Bridge Art Gallery Celebrates 10 Years of Bridging Art and Mental Health featuring artists who have played a critical role in the Bridge Art Gallery's development.

In addition, to celebrate our department's 75th anniversary, we are excited to premiere an Inaugural exhibition of doodles by one of the Department of Psychiatry's founders, George L. Engel, MD. We will be holding a virtual reception for this show on January 27th at 6 PM. Register for the event here or watch the event live on Facebook here. 

Deadline to Submit Abstracts to ICPM 26th World Congress
After postponing last year, we are thrilled to announce the 2022 International College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ICPM) Meeting entitled “The Biopsychosocial Model: Past, Present and Future” will take from September 7th to September 9th in Rochester, New York. The ICPM Meeting will offer diverse keynote addresses, workshops, symposia, and presentations that highlight the biopsychosocial model developed by George L. Engel, MD. The deadline to submit abstracts to be a presenter is January 31st! READ MORE>>>

Rebecca Barry-Kent to Retire
After over 15 years with the Department of Psychiatry, Rebecca Barry-Kent will be retiring from her role as secretary in our Compliance & Quality Assurance Team. Please join us in thanking Rebecca for all her years of work and congratulating her on her retirement! 

Welcome to our Incoming Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows!
Our Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program will be welcoming four incoming fellows for 2022! Carla Velarde, MD and Elizabeth Wieglus, MD will be transitioning from our General Psychiatry Residency while Mustafa Ghouse, MD from Medical University of the Americas, and Colleen Lynd, MD from University of North Carolina School of Medicine will be joining us from our 2022 Fellowship Match! Please join us in welcoming the 2022 incoming class of Fellows! 

The Past, Present & Future of Biopsychosocial Education, Care, Research, and Community Partnerships
As part of our anniversary this year, the 75th Anniversary Webinar Series will examine our history and attempt to understand the staying power of the biopsychosocial approach which remains the cornerstone of our practice.​ These webinars will be held throughout the year and will discuss the many ways in which UR Psychiatry has been an innovator in clinical care, education, research, and relationships with the communities in which we live and work. READ MORE>>>

The Future of the Surgeon-Scientist
Clinical psychologist Lauren DeCaporale-Ryan, PhD was interviewed by Rochester Medicine alongside Department of Surgery peers. She discussed promoting wellness among interns in surgical training and the importance of family relationships as a protective factor against stress that trainees face. READ MORE>>>

Advice from Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Service Patients

Patients from our Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program recently shared their reflections about the program and advice for other youth who may be experiencing mental health challenges.

Beyond Crisis Care: Supporting Youth and Helping them Thrive
In the latest episode of the Transform Research Center's Promoting Resilience podcast, Catherine Cerulli, JD, PhD joined Elain Spaull of The Center for Youth to discuss how early trauma can affect people into adulthood as well as how the Center supports youth and families experiencing difficult situations such as abuse, neglect, and homelessness. READ MORE>>>

Beyond the Basics of Depression in Adults
Unsure if what you're experiencing is depression? Our very own Jeffrey Lyness, MD recently wrote this article in UpToDate on the beyond-the-basics of depression in adults. READ MORE>>>

Partnering with the Community to Improve Health

In December, Catherine Cerulli, JD, PhD moderated a discussion with Latoya Young-Nowlin, Community Liaison and Research Assistant for the TRANSFORM research study, John Cullen, PhD, Professor of Clinical & Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the University of Rochester Clinical Translational Science Institute, and Maria Wehrle, founder of Mothers In Need of Others ministry (MINO). They spoke about how community leaders can partner to inform academic research agendas and scientific inquiry, focusing on maternal health partnerships between the University of Rochester and the Rochester community. 

Healing Through the Arts & Humanities: Psychiatry's Bridge Art Gallery
Eric Caine, MD, Caroline Nestro, PhD, MS, RN, and Amanda Lai, BA were joined by artist Getachew Taye in a Health Humanities and Bioethics Noon Conference to talk about the Bridge Art Gallery and how the creation of an art space in the Department of Psychiatry helped tackle the stigma and hesitance associated with entering our part of the Medical Center. READ MORE>>>

December Psychiatry Publications 

• A new study by Shane Kuhlman, MS, Todd Bishop, PhD, Patrick Walsh, PhD, MPH and Wilfred Pigeon, PhD analyzed the relationship between service-related injuries, utilization of mental health services, and suicide attempts among veterans.

• Thomas Caprio, MD, MPH was a coauthor on this paper with University of Texas Medical Branch, Miami University, and UR Medicine faculty looking at how facility and market differences between nursing homes in urban and micropolitan areas affect emergency department visits.

• Judy Thompson, PhD and Megan Serody, BS published an article reviewing studies on whether vocational interventions for youth with psychiatric conditions helped improve postsecondary education and employment outcomes.

• Caroline Silva, PhD was a coauthor on this paper assessing whether a European Spanish version of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire can adequately evaluate suicidal ideation among Spanish patients.

Upcoming Events

• Jan. 17, 11AM: The 41st Annual 1199SEIU Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
• Jan. 19: 14th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Grand Rounds
• Jan. 20: Towards a Quantifiable Science of Research Equity
• Jan. 21: A Conversation on Dr. King's, "The Letter from Birmingham Jail"
• Jan. 26: Suicide Prevention in Health Systems: Data-Driven Innovation In Workforce Education
• Jan. 27: Opioid Overdose Prevention Training
• Jan. 27: The Bridge Art Gallery Celebrates 10 Years Virtual Reception
• Feb. 8: How the World Changed UR Psychiatry and UR Psychiatry Changed the World
• Feb. 9th: Opioid Overdose Prevention Training