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CDC Adds Mood Disorders to List of Conditions Putting Individuals at Higher Risk of Developing Severe Illness from COVID-19

Dec 13, 2021
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In early October the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added mood disorders to the list of conditions that put individuals at higher risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19. Individuals with mood disorders became immediately eligible for booster vaccine doses. 

To those in the mental health arena and healthcare at large, this development comes as no surprise; it has been long-settled by research that mental and physical health are two sides of the same coin.  

The stress caused by the pandemic—exasperated by mandated isolation and major disruptions to every day life—has had hugely detrimental impacts on the mental health of many, which in turn increases the risk of severe disease. The need for effective and accessible mental health care is more important now than ever.  

The Department of Psychiatry has been committed to meeting that need from the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, and our faculty and staff have developed dozens of resources to support our communities.  

Click here to see a full list of our COVID-19 support offerings.  

Click here for information on scheduling outpatient psychiatric services at UCHealth 


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

FULL STORY & VIDEO

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. 

 

 

Psychiatry (SOM)

CU Anschutz

Anschutz Health Sciences Building

1890 N Revere Ct

Suite 4003

Mail Stop F546

Aurora, CO 80045

303-724-4940

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