Center for Public Service Psychiatry

Fellowship in Public Service Psychiatry

We are offering this fellowship in Public Service Psychiatry Psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic to qualified candidates who have completed an ACGME approved residency in psychiatry and have passed USMLE STEP 3.  This one year fellowship is available as a (PGY5) residency position through the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, or as an advanced training option for psychiatrists who are employed full time in community settings.  It is a clinical/administrative fellowship embedded in an environment that is rich in clinical, research and teaching opportunities. With a broad base and multiple levels of care, this program offers a comprehensive educational experience.

Full Fellowship Description

Application for Psychiatric Postgraduate Education

Curriculum Content

Each week the CPSP fellow participates in a 4 hour seminar program.  The seminar meets on Thursday mornings from 9 am - 1pm.  The Fellow collaborates with CPSP faculty in leading the discussions each week.  Three topics are covered each week.   

Curriculum Schedule 2012-2013

Syllabus/Bibliography

Brochure

Living and Working in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh was recently voted “America’s most livable city” by "Places Rated Almanac" and is a city of great vitality and variety.

The renaissance in recent times has made it safe, clean and fun. With a wealth of affordable housing options it is one of the nation's most diverse architectural communities.

The city is the site of many major corporate headquarters, yet retains its small-town friendliness.

Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains at the confluence of three major rivers, the "City of Bridges" abounds in natural beauty, with many parks and recreational sites.

Pittsburgh is a city where all young professionals can find a lifestyle that best fits their needs. Within walking or short driving distances, there are many parks, hiking trails, water sports, microbreweries, restaurants, clubs and quaint stores.

As a center for culture and the arts, Pittsburgh is second-to-none for a city its size. For sports fans, the city offers the major league thrills of Steelers football, Penguins hockey, and Pirates baseball.

An ethnically rich city, Pittsburgh has retained its neighborhoods and small communities with surprises everywhere.

Community Psychiatry in Western Pennsylvania

The rich tradition of community psychiatry in the City of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania dates back to the Community Mental Health Centers Act of 1963. At that time our Department was led by the late Jack Wolford, MD, one of the icons of community psychiatry in this country. He served as the voice of public psychiatry throughout the latter part of the 20th century.

That tradition continues. The core faculty of the Center has a wealth of experience providing care to diverse populations in a variety of community and public sector settings. Several faculty members have had prominent roles in planning system transformation efforts at the County, State, and Federal levels of administration. There are also strong ties to professional and advocacy organizations such as the American Association of Community Psychiatrists and the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council.

The reduction in the use of segregated and restrictive residential settings has been part of the region’s culture for some time, and will culminate over the next two years with the closing of the state hospital that has served this region. This event will offer a unique opportunity for fellows to participate in planning comprehensive community based mental health and substance use services. This will be accomplished in collaboration with leaders of the Office of Mental Health Services and Substance Abuse Services and several county MHMR programs.

The Training Environment

The University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychiatry offers an extremely rich academic and clinical environment to the Center for Public Service Psychiatry. For more than 40 years, the Department of Psychiatry has been a national leader in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of mental health and addictive disorders.

Over the past 15 years, the Department of Psychiatry and its community partners have contributed to the growth of Public Psychiatry and the vision of a recovery- based approach to mental health.

For many years Allegheny County has benefited from innovations in community based behavioral health services. A rich network of both rural and urban providers, together with the Department of Psychiatry, has created nationally recognized services to provide care for homeless, forensic, and substance using populations.

The region’s tradition of consumer provider collaboration has been strengthened in recent years with the establishment of the Allegheny County Coalition for Recovery (ACCR), a grassroots organization of stakeholders in behavioral health services that is focused on system transformation. ACCR is recognized across the state and the Nation and receives substantial credit for the recognition that Allegheny County has received as a national leader in progressive thinking about recovery-oriented care.


Application for Psychiatric Postgraduate Education