Thomas McMahon, PhD
Biography
Research & Publications
News
Appointments
Biography
Thomas J. McMahon, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Psychiatry and Child Study. For many years, he was the program director for the West Haven Mental Health Clinic at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. As a clinician, educator, and researcher, he is broadly interested in developmental perspectives on psychopathology and developmentally informed approaches to clinical intervention offered in community settings.
As a clinician, he is interested in the psychological assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults with a history of child abuse or neglect, particularly in the context of parental addiction. As an educator, he previously coordinated training in clinical child, adolescent, and young adult psychology; and he has been actively involved in cross-training on addiction, family process, and child development within the child welfare, child guidance, and addiction treatment systems. As a researcher, he is interested in the impact of drug addiction on family process; and he is involved in the development of family-oriented intervention for men and women affected by drug addiction.
Dr. McMahon has been the recipient of several grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to explore parenting as a treatment issue for men struggling with drug addiction; and he has been invited to participate in national and international initiatives designed to attenuate the impact of alcohol and drug addiction on family process and child development.
Education & Training
- PhDNew York University (1994)
- MANew York University (1986)
- BSWTemple University (1975)
Activities
- Understanding Substance-Abusing Parents in Systems of Care: An Evolutionary PaerspectiveBanff, AB, Canada 2011Recovery from Addiction: A Science in Action Symposium
Honors & Recognition
| Award | Awarding Organization | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Sidney J. Blatt Award for excellence in clinical work, teaching, and research | Psychology Section, Department of Psychiatry | 2013 |
| Stephen Fleck Award for conscientiousness and humanitarianism as a clinician and an educator | Department of Psychiatry | 2012 |
| Gimbel Child and Family Scholars Award for professional efforts bridging the fields of addiction and child welfare. | Gimbel Foundation | 1998 |
Professional Service
| Organization | Role | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Advances in Child and Family Policy and Practice | Editor | 2021 - Present |
| Infant Mental Health Journal | Guest Editor | 2021 - 2022 |
| Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Center of Excellence on Behavioral Health for Pregnant and Postpartum Women at the University of Missouri-Kansas City | Member of a workgroup organized to assist with the development of a training curriculum on a family-centered approach to treatment for federal grantees developing comprehensive programs of addiction treatment for pregnant and parenting women. | 2017 |
| Child Abuse Review | Guest Editor | 2016 - 2018 |
| Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Center of Excellence on Behavioral Health for Pregnant and Postpartum Women at the University of Missouri-Kansas City | Member of an expert panel organized to develop a system of clinical consultation by video conference for federal grantees developing comprehensive programs of addiction treatment for pregnant and parenting women. | 2016 - 2017 |
| U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment | Member of a special advisory group organized to provide consultation concerning the continued development of family-oriented addiction treatment for pregnant and parenting women. | 2016 |
| Advances in Child and Family Policy and Practice | Editorial Board Member | 2015 - 2018 |
| American Psychological Association, Education Directorate, Continuing Education Committee | Member | 2013 - 2015 |
| Child Maltreatment | Guest Editor | 2013 - 2014 |
| U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | Member of an advisory panel to develop a national strategic plan to promote more gender-sensitive behavioral health services for men. | 2013 |
| U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment | Member of an advisory panel to develop a national strategic plan to promote attention to fathering. | 2011 |
| Psychology of Men and Masculinities | Editorial Board Member | 2010 - Present |
| Child Maltreatment | Editorial Board Member | 2010 - Present |
| U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment | Member of a national consensus panel organized to develop best-practice guidelines for responding to men’s issues in addiction treatment. | 2003 |
Departments & Organizations
- Child Study Center
- Connecticut Mental Health Center
- Division of Addictions
- Predoctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Psychology Section
- Substance Abuse Research
- Yale Medicine