EMPWR Program and DPBH Clinicians Highlighted Among UCLA LGBTQ+ Champions

The UCLA DPBH Clinical Program, EMPWR was listed among other UCLA Health LGBTQ+ Champion programs. At UCLA Health, there are more than 50 LGBTQ+ Champions, or primary and specialty care providers that participate in ongoing education and professional development in LGBTQ+ health topics. These Champions include DPBH clinicians Dr. Natalia Ramos, Dr. Liz Ollen, and Dr. Nicole Hisaka.

Read the full article here: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/what-lgbtq-champion

Dr. Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi Co-Authors Detained Immigrant Youth Op-Ed for The Hill

Division Faculty Member Dr. Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi was part of a team to author a recent Op-Ed in The Hill. The authors describe that the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) grants very little time for the immigrant youth to speak to their caregivers. The authors explore the ways this federal restriction is harmful to the health and wellbeing of children and contributes to the long-term trauma and lasting harms of family separation.  

Read the full article here:  https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/3821581-detained-immigrant-minors-deserve-more-than-two-calls-per-week/

UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence Recognized with 2022 Cultural North Star Award

The Prevention Center of Excellence (COE) has been recognized by the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine as a Cultural North Star Award Recipient. This is the first program in the Department of Psychiatry to be recognized for this honor. The Cultural North Star Award recognizes the teamwork that serves as the cornerstone of the DGSOM collaborative environment. Programs receiving this award exemplify the values that help build and maintain a positive, team-oriented culture, which is critical to achieving the DGSOM mission.

The COE’s unique approach to community work exemplifies kindness, empathy, and curiosity both internally and with external partners. These values are present in everything the COE does to promote stigma-free environments, enhance employee skill sets, and promote the wellbeing of Los Angeles County’s workforce through trauma and resilience informed practices. The team is committed to understanding and addressing the ways in which racial inequities have impacted communities and services through evidence-based prevention approaches.

During a virtual event, Lauren Marlotte, PsyD, Director of Learning and Development, introduced the COE while Maegan Sinclair, MPH, Director of Research and Evaluation; Clare Gorospe, Clinical Training Manager, Early Childhood Core; and Sophie de Figueiredo, PsyD, Senior Clinical Training Manager accepted the award on behalf of the Center of Excellence Team.

A $5000 award from Cultural North Star will fund additional development opportunities to fulfill the COE’s commitment to racial equity and an on-going effort to be more anti-racist and culturally responsive.

Learn more about the Prevention Center of Excellence by visiting www.wellbeing4la.org.