The Yale Department of Psychiatry is creating a new track for residents who are interested in the field of Public/Community Psychiatry, broadly defined as the treatment of individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders who receive services supported by public funds.
Other key topics related to or included in this field are: population health, social determinants of mental health, recovery oriented practice, person-centered planning and shared decision making, cultural competence, integrated and collaborative care models, public policy, professional roles and interdisciplinary teams in public sector work, street medicine (working with individuals who are homeless), and citizenship.
The track is designed to foster the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and experience in order to enhance the development of expertise within this arena and to prepare interested residents for academic or other leadership roles within the public sector. Residents may choose to be affiliated with the track at any point during the residency.
Residents will identify their educational and potential career goals and receive mentorship to facilitate the achievement of these goals. Mentorship will include periodic individual meetings with Jeanne Steiner, DO, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Public Psychiatry Track, and monthly group meetings of all track participants led by Steiner and other faculty.
Residents and faculty affiliated with the track will use the “Public Psychiatry Roadmap Through the Yale Residency” as a blueprint for potential clinical and academic opportunities that will enhance the educational experience in this field.