A gift from the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation will support two child psychiatry fellowships in the Division of Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Programs in Emory University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
The $400,000 gift will support the two-year fellowships and ensure that highly-trained child psychiatrists will be available to work in the field of child and adolescent mental health in the state of Georgia.
“Nationally, there is a severe shortage of psychiatrists at the same time the need for mental health services are continuously highlighted. This workforce shortage is most acute for psychiatrists trained to treat children and adolescents,” says W. Edward Craighead, PhD, vice chair of child, adolescent, and young adult programs and J. Rex Fuqua professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine.
“It’s imperative that we do all we can to attract and train the next generation of mental health providers for children and adolescents in Georgia, and thanks to the Glenn Family Foundation we will be able to do that,” adds Craighead.
This gift will allow fourth and fifth year psychiatry fellows in the Emory program, directed by Jennifer Holton, MD, the opportunity to develop diagnostic, therapeutic and consultation skills to better evaluate and treat Georgia’s children and adolescents.
“We are aware of the mental health crisis in our state and beyond, and we hope our investment in the training of child psychiatrists will help to keep exceptionally trained clinicians in Georgia and to spur others to invest in the field of mental health,” says Rand Glenn Hagen, PhD, Glenn Family Foundation trustee.
“We greatly appreciate the Glenn Family Foundation’s continued support of education and research at Emory University,” says Christian P. Larsen, MD, DPhil, dean of Emory University School of Medicine. “Their generosity will not only provide training for the fellows, but will also benefit the many young people in the community who desperately need mental health services.”
Between 20 to 25 percent of youth suffer from a debilitating mental health problem, even when excluding for substance abuse issues. Most of these problems are life-long, and individuals who receive early diagnosis and treatment from a trained mental health professional will have a higher quality of life and suffer less from the disorder.