Message From The Chair


Keeping the Baby but not the Bath Water

 

We have been through a difficult few years and hopefully people are feeling better because we have tools to cope with the COVID virus.  Despite the obstacles associated with the virus, we formed and deployed technologies allowing us to better reach our community without exposure to risk.  While we expanded our telehealth efforts to cope with COVID, telehealth has endured.  It increased treatment availability for our patients and it helped us fill some of our clinical staffing gaps through remote participation.  It improved quality of life for some of our faculty and staff by decreasing the risk and burden associated with commuting during this difficult time.  

 

We also deployed telehealth procedures at the Psychiatric Department Rehabilitation Center (PTRC) to lessen the burden of overnight call.  There may be additional opportunities to maximize the power of telehealth and other digital tools.  Many members of our department are exploring such opportunities in clinical and research settings.  Please spread the word that good things are happening in Psychiatry at UMass Chan Medical School / UMass Memorial Health.


Dr. Kimberly Yonkers

Katz Family Chair, Department of Psychiatry

UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health

Education News

The new school year brings new faculty and staff changes. 

After 40 years of service, Dr. Jack Terry has retired as the Psychology Internship Program Director. We thank him for his many years of service and hope he has a wonderful retirement.


Dr. Jeffrey Burl (pictured here) is our new Psychology Internship Program Director.


After completing his graduate studies at Drexel University, Dr. Burl obtained doctoral clinical training at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and a postdoctoral fellowship at Connecticut Valley Hospital. Dr. Burl subsequently assumed staff psychologist positions at Connecticut Valley Hospital and then Bridgewater State Hospital, where he served as a supervisor in the hospital’s psychology practicum program.


Dr. Burl joined UMass Chan in 2017, and rose from an internship supervisor to Co-Assistant Director, and this August to Director of the Doctoral Internship.


His assistant directors are Dr. Meredith Ronan and Dr. Heidi Putney.


The new Forensic Psychology Fellows:


Dr. Jonathan Cohn (University of North Texas)

Dr. Lauren Ryan (Sam Houston State University)

Dr. Mia Ricardo (Sam Houston State University)


The new Clinical Psychology Fellow: 


Dr. Moni Yacihuilca, PsyD (William James College)


The new Psychology Interns:


Amanda Vincent, MA (University of Hawaii)

Emily Crain, MA (William James College)

Faith Scanlon, MA (Texas Tech University)

Read More About The Psychology Department

We also have seven new residents.  

Click the link below for more information.

Read About Our New Residents

News From Worcester Recovery Center And Hospital

Dr. Sanya Virani has joined the WRCH faculty and will work with Dr. Caridad Ponce as the Assistant Director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship program.


Dr. Virani is both an addiction psychiatrist and a forensic psychiatrist.


Welcome! 

Recent Awards 

Congratulations to Dr. Auralyd Padilla Candelario for receiving the Association for Academic Psychiatry (AAP) Early Career Development Award in recognition of her accomplishments in psychiatric education. 


Dr. Padilla is also a graduate of the AAP’s Master Educator Certificate program.

Congratulations to Dr. Karuna Thomas for receiving the American Association of Addiction Psychiatry's John Renner Award.  


The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry states that the review committee for this national award is made up of highly trained Addiction Psychiatrists who select individuals they believe will make a significant contribution to the field of Addiction Psychiatry. 


Dr. Thomas will receive her award at the annual conference in Florida in early December. Way to go!

Research News


PSYCHIATRY DEPARTMENT RESEARCH DAY


April 27, 2023 12pm – 5pm Faculty Conference Room

 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Wilson Compton, MD, MPE

Deputy Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health.

 

Please mark your calendars for the Psychiatry Department Research Day on April 27, 2023 in the Faculty Conference Room from 12pm – 5pm. In addition to the Keynote Speaker, there will be Symposia, Panels, and a Poster Session!

 

NEW PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY JOURNAL CLUB 

 

The Department of Psychiatry has started a new Psychopharmacology Journal Club. The first meeting was on September 28th, and involved a discussion of the newly approved drug Auvelity.


The club meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month over Zoom from 12pm – 1pm. Each month will feature a different topic and different moderators.


If you would like more information about the journal club, please reach out to Anthony.Rothschild@umassmemorial.org

 

News From iSPARC

Follow-up for youths and young adults after receiving acute mental health services is weak according to a new study by Julie Hugunin, B.S.(pictured here), Maryann Davis, Ph.D., Celine Larkin, Ph.D., Jonggyu Baek, Ph.D., Brian Skehan, M.D., Ph.D., and

Kate L. Lapane, Ph.D.


The researchers found that having established mental health care resulted in better follow-up than did having established primary care. Improving engagement with outpatient mental health care providers may increase follow-up rates for these youths and young adults.

Read The Study

Welcome To New Faculty and Staff

July 2022 to October 2022

Staff


Kristen Franks

Grant and Contract Specialist

 

Linda Gallagher

Training Administrator

Psychiatry Residency Program

 

Nikolas Martinez

Research Associate

 

Maria Mercado

Executive Assistant

 

Susan Priest

Financial Assistant


Faculty

 

Sanya Varani Brown, MD MPH

Attending Psychiatrist/Dir. Addiction Fellowship

 

Kai DaCosta, MD

Associate Medical Dir CHL


Jennifer James, MA

Clinical Psychologist, Student Counseling 


 



Spencer Lawson, Ph.D

Research Scientist, Law and Psychiatry

iSPARC

 

Taber Lightbourne, MD

Attending Psychiatrist CHL

 

Derek Luzim, MD

Attending Psychiatrist WRCH

 

Nana Yaa A. Marfo, Ph.D

Clinical Psychologist Fellowship

iSPARC

 

Heidi Putney, Ph.D 

Forensic Psychologist WRCH

 

Leah Richler, MD

Attending Psychiatrist Geri/PCF

 

Hannah Seward, Ph.D

Disability and Rehabilitation Fellowship

iSPARC

 

Cathryn Williams, PsyD

Clinical Psychologist, Student Counseling 


Upcoming Events

Grand Rounds


Grand Rounds take place every Thursday from 12 pm to 1 pm in the Lazare Auditorium on the first floor of the Medical School Building (S1-607) 


For more information visit the Grand Rounds Page 


Recent Departmental Events

The First Annual John F Sullivan MD Lecture

Our first annual John Sullivan Lecture took place on Thursday, September 22nd. 


With over 100 people in attendance online and numerous people, including John's family, in the audience, Dr. David Perez spoke about a neuro-psychiatric approach to Functional Neurological Disorder.


Dr. Sheldon Benjamin presenting an award commemorating the lectureship to Dr. Perez (pictured here).

Summer Picnic

Although our doctors and staff are very busy, they still find time for a little fun. 


Dr. Sheldon Benjamin hosted this summer's picnic at his home for about 90 guests. They enjoyed delicious Middle Eastern food along with Middle Eastern music, which was provided by Dr. Jefeebahloul and his band. A fun time was had by all. 





Watch A Music Preview From The Party

Dr. Marie Hobart's Retirement Celebration

After 30 years with the department, Dr. Marie Hobart, Vice Chair Public Sector Psychiatry, retired on September 30th. 


During her tenure, Dr. Hobart led the physicians at Community Health Link as Chief Medical Officer. As Vice Chair for Public Sector Psychiatry, she oversaw the clinical work of the Department of Mental Health adult inpatient and outpatient sites.


Additionally, Dr. Hobart mentored numerous faculty and trainees and provided clinical care for those with Developmental Disabilities, DMH Clients, and many in the community. She was instrumental in developing primary care within the adult clinics at CHL in Worcester and Leominster. 


At her retirement celebration (pictured below), many speakers commemorated Dr. Hobart's outstanding career at the university as well as her guidance. She was an inspiration and a mentor to many. 



Donation Request

Every year the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital (WRCH) partners with the Psychiatric Treatment and Recovery Center (PTRC), and the entire UMass Chan and UMass Memorial Health Department of Psychiatry to help out the needy in the Worcester and North Central areas during the holiday season.


If you can, please consider donating, funds will go towards gift cards from local supermarkets for Thanksgiving meals for those who would otherwise go without. If you have questions or want to contribute, please contact Dr. Jack Terry.


Thank you!

Other Helpful Information

Faculty, do you want to increase visibility and have your writing reach 19 million readers a month? Then check out The Conversation online. 


Many UMass Chan scholars have been published here and you could be next. Articles published in The Conversation  reach every newsroom in the US and have been reposted by The Scientific American, PBS News Hour, and The Washington Post. Read more about it on the link above, and be a part of the national conversation with The Conversation. 

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UMass Chan Psychiatry Dept

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Worcester, Massachusetts 01655

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