News

Pitt School of Medicine Promotes Kenneth Nash, MD, MMM to the Rank of Professor of Psychiatry

 

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has promoted Kenneth C. Nash, MD, MMM, to the rank of Professor of Psychiatry.   He also serves as the Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs for the Department of Psychiatry, and as the Chief of Clinical Services at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC. Most recently, Dr. Nash was formally appointed the permanent Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he is responsible for overseeing all behavioral health clinical services and training experiences within that hospital.  

Dr. Nash is a leader in transforming the way behavioral health services are provided to youth with complex mental health needs and their families.  

In addition to being an accomplished clinician, clinical administrator, and educator, he conducts innovative research and programming related to the delivery of behavioral health services to children. With support from the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) and the Community Care Behavioral Health Organization (CCBH), he has led the development and implementation of the Youth and Family Training Institute.  This initiative provides support to evaluate high fidelity wrap around services for behavioral health treatment of children on a large scale and will evaluate whether this treatment strategy should serve as the best practice standard for treatment in this age group.  Dr. Nash also serves as the Co-Principal Investigator of a program funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to develop a Pennsylvania System of Care (PA SOC) Partnership. Working at the state, county and individual levels in Pennsylvania, the PA SOC brings youth, families, systems and supports together to find effective and efficient strategies that improve outcomes for youth and their families who have complex behavioral health challenges along with involvement in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare system(s). These complementary efforts are cutting-edge blueprints for integrated service delivery for the future of children?s services.  Dr. Nash also co-leads the Healthy Transitions initiative, a project funded by SAMHSA to develop a model to improve access to treatment and support services for youth and young adults ages 16-25 that either have, or are at risk of developing a serious mental health condition.