Mission Statement
The University of Hawaiʻi, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry’s mission is to provide leadership in psychiatric education and training, research, faculty development and clinical services in Hawai‘i and the Pacific. The Department is committed to expanding knowledge within a cultural, biological psychological and social framework.
Vision
The vision of the Department of Psychiatry is to be an excellent provider, employer, training program, and research center in Hawai‘i and the Pacific and to contribute to the overall UH JABSOM vision as an integrated, academic mental health care model comprised of:
- Education, training, and workforce development;
- Quality, accessible, and sustainable psychiatric care;
- Development of mental health policy;
- Mental health research and program evaluation that informs and improves all of the other components;
- Professional development, engagement, and mentorship of faculty, residents, and staff; and
- Administration and business management.
Dr. Walter Chair (Chair from 1965-1969; front row, center); Dr. John F. McDermott, Jr. (Chair from 1969-1995; back row, center); Dr. Naleen N. Andrade (Chair from 1995-2012, back row, left); and Dr. Anthony Guerrero, Chair from 2013-present)
A Message from the Department Chair
Over the past 50 years, Department leaders, chairs, faculty, and residents have augmented modest University resources with their individual and collective innovations and talents, to build nationally recognized programs in education and training, clinical care, and research. Through these programs the Department strives to eliminate health disparities among Indigenous Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Island nations populations, as well as address the public mental health needs of severely mentally ill, rural and remote populations within our Pacific Island home. We continue to build a framework of rigorous multidisciplinary investigation that will continue to sharpen our clinical and training programs. Hawai‘i creates a unique training and research opportunity for those interested in the cultural aspects of human behavior, psychopathology and psychiatric practice.
Our Core Values
The University of Hawai‘i, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry (UH Department of Psychiatry) is Hawaii’s leading academic unit in mental health services, education/training, and research.
High Quality Mental Health and Substance Use Clinical and Community Services
Our department is the largest provider of psychiatric services in Hawai‘i. We provide the majority of psychiatric team care coverage and service line leadership for The Queen’s Medical Center, as well as key psychiatric services for the other major healthcare systems in the State including Kapi‘olani Medical Center/Hawai‘i Pacific Health, the Hawai‘i Department of Health, and the Veteran’s Administration. Our spectrum of services also extends into the community. In this role, our faculty and residents often care for the most vulnerable patients and populations in Hawaiʻi.
Excellent and Innovative Psychiatric Education and Training
The majority of psychiatrists in Hawaiʻi have some affiliation with our Department. Our trainees are diverse, and through successful collaborations, are able to rotate through a wide variety of placements and experiences.
Diverse, Community-Focused Research and Quality Improvement
As one of the medical school’s most robust research units, our faculty and staff conduct research and quality improvement to evaluate evidence- and practice-based treatment modalities and frameworks in local settings, cultural psychiatry/mental health, and suicide prevention. Research and quality improvement approaches are accomplished through a lens of healing systems of care and wellness using relational design.
Operational Excellence
The Department creates opportunities for workforce development, employee involvement, leadership engagement, and strategy deployment. It also pursues ways to enhance performance management and organizational structure.