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Welcome to the Department of Psychiatry

The Department of Psychiatry is a diverse community of staff and faculty dedicated to our mission. It is comprised of over 300 regular, affiliate, and volunteer clinical faculty, working at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, UCHealth/University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Health Medical Center, and the VA Medical Center, as well as at the Department of Corrections and the Colorado Mental Health Institutes at Pueblo & Ft. Logan. Currently, the general adult psychiatry residency is ACGME accredited for 45 positions, the child and adolescent psychiatry residency is ACGME accredited for 14 positions, the addiction psychiatry fellowship is ACGME accredited for 3 positions, the consult-liaison psychiatry fellowship is ACGME accredited for 3 positions and the forensic psychiatry fellowship is ACGME accredited for 4 positions. The department is dedicated to serving a community in which we value all people and have a continued commitment to diversity and inclusion in our clinical, research, treatment and educational activities.

Dr. Neill Epperson

Chair, Department of Psychiatry

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Our Vision

The CU Department of Psychiatry sets the standard for Education and Training of leaders in psychiatry and mental health care, conducts ground-breaking Research that aims to eradicate suffering due to psychiatric and substance use disorders, provides ready access to state of-the-art mental health preventions and interventions across the continuum of care, and collaborates with the community and other key stakeholders to promote well-being among all Coloradans. We accomplish this vision in a manner that respects, values and advocates for the dignity and worth of each individual and family.

Our Mission

Core Mission: We provide a safe, equitable and inclusive environment for trainees, faculty, staff, and patients. We bridge the gaps of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, gender, gender identity, ability status, religion, political beliefs, socioeconomic status and any other factors related to systemic oppression by trusting and honoring each other and our differences. Our Department promotes unbiased recruitment of qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds in all mission areas. We focus on retention, career advancement and promotion through empowering individuals and creating an environment that facilitates continuous growth and success.

Education and Training Mission: Through our educational programs, we train medical students, graduate students, residents, psychology interns, fellows, and practicing health care professionals to be future leaders in mental health and behavioral health disciplines. We train leaders who recognize and work to eradicate health inequities that weaken families and communities.

Research Mission: Our interdisciplinary research programs produce new knowledge regarding the causes of mental illness and substance use disorders as well as the psychosocial, behavioral and sociocultural aspects of physical and mental health conditions. We identify, develop, and implement new, early prevention strategies and novel interventions to improve the lives of all human beings. We seek to be rigorous and inclusive in all of our scientific endeavors.
Clinical Care Mission: Through state-of-the-art clinical services, we deliver a full range of mental health and behavioral health interventions for patients and their families. These include neurobehavioral assessments, psychotherapy, behavioral change and health promotion strategies, neuromodulation and psychopharmacology services that recognize the wealth of cultural knowledge on how social contexts impact physical and psychological well-being.

Community and Advocacy Mission: We work with our local communities, affiliated institutions, and state and federal government agencies to promote strategies for increasing mental health awareness, reducing stigma, identifying and eliminating health disparities, and standing against discrimination and harassment to all members in our community.

Mind the Brain: Resilience Building in Uncertain Times

Dec 16, 2020

Resilience – it’s what we are all searching for during this season of unprecedented uncertainty. In this week’s episode, Dr. Neill Epperson speaks with Dr. Anne Dondapati Allen to gain her insight on connecting with our inner resilience.
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Laura Anthony, PhD, Featured on CBS4 (Denver)Opens in a new window

Nov 16, 2020

Laura Anthony, PhD, Pediatric Mental Health Institute, says we should expect kids to feel more stress, sadness and grief about the things they’re missing and to watch for signs of distress.
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Dr. Sharon Hunter Featured on News4Jax: "Pregnant During COVID? Protect Yourself and Your Baby"Opens in a new window

Dec 10, 2020

Sharon Hunter, a developmental psychologist at CU Anschutz Medical Campus [and associate professor of psychiatry at CU School of Medicine], said choline is “an important, neurotransmitter-like substance that’s really critical for appropriate fetal brain development.”
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Dr. Steven Berkowitz Featured on CU Anschutz 360 Podcast | "Fallout from Mental Health Crisis Spawned by COVID-19 Disruption Will Likely Continue for Years"Opens in a new window

Dec 7, 2020

Dr. Steven Berkowitz is a psychiatrist specializing in trauma in children and adolescents. He says the pandemic has taken a mental health toll on all of us, especially Generation Z, the young people who lived through 9/11, natural disasters and a rapidly changing climate. The impacts, he says, will far outlast the pandemic.
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Scripps National News: Jenna Glover, PhD, Explains How the Pandemic is Changing the Holidays for KidsOpens in a new window

Nov 15, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has ensured that holiday gatherings will look a lot different for many this year, and for some parents, it might be difficult to explain why to their children.
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Mind the Brain: Vaccine Hesitancy in the Time of COVID-19

Dec 8, 2020

In our second episode of the new season, we discuss why some Americans may be hesitant to get COVID-19 vaccines and strategies for effectively addressing concerns related to new vaccines. Dr. Neill Epperson discusses these various barriers to participation in an insightful conversation with Dr. Chad Morris.
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