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Welcome to the Department of Psychiatry
Mission
The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania is committed to the tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating the future leaders in the field.
Psychiatric and behavioral health disorders range from potentially life-threatening disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression, as well as less debilitating but common conditions, such as anxiety and less severe mood disorders. These conditions take a toll not only on sufferers themselves, but also on families, caregivers, and society as a whole. Prevention, treatment, management, and rehabilitation of these conditions are central to comprehensive health care. The Department of Psychiatry and PENN Behavioral Health strive to provide the highest level of clinical care to all patients, create new knowledge and translate these discoveries from bench to bedside, and educate the future generations who will carry on this work.
The Department is involved at all levels in carrying this mission into the larger world community. The Department takes seriously its role as a spokesperson for the profession and in publicizing the importance of behavioral health for the nation’s and world’s well-being. The Chair and Department faculty have played a national role in psychiatric and behavioral health forums (e.g., focusing on depression, schizophrenia, alcohol and drug additions, tobacco use, obesity eating disorders, national security and bio terrorism, and patient advocacy, among others). As important, the Department maintains active, leading programs in each of these areas.
Vision
Growing research on the etiology of psychiatric illness and the increasing number of treatments available to patients is at last beginning to lift the stigma of mental illness and offering hope to those who suffer from it. These developments are increasing the likelihood of expanded funding for clinical care, research, and philanthropy. In addition, there is a growing national grassroots movement to support parity for mental health care coverage which, if successful, will bring about much-needed improved reimbursement for mental health care.
For questions and comments regarding this website, send an email to psychweb@mail.med.upenn.edu.