University of Louisville Depression Center Grand Opening
New Center Offers Hope for People with Depression.
LOUISVILLE, KY -- April 21, 2009. More than one in five Americans will experience a significant episode of depression or other mood disorder in their lifetimes. To address this need, the University of Louisville (UofL) today opened a dedicated, multidisciplinary Depression Center.
The UofL Depression Center provides an interdisciplinary, multifaceted approach to depression treatment through clinical services, research, and community and professional education. A particular emphasis is research into the root causes of mood disorders and designing new or enhanced treatments that can fundamentally alter the pathology that causes these conditions.
“This center is an important step in bringing depression and mood disorders to the forefront of health care,” said Allan Tasman, M.D., chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at UofL. “Depression is among the most common and troubling of human illnesses, and requires all of our finest resources.”
The UofL psychiatry department has long been a recognized leader in advancing the diagnosis and treatment of depression. One of the first university-wide multidisciplinary depression centers in the United States, UofL was invited to be a charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) in 2008. “It is a great achievement for Louisville to open the doors of a Depression Center today. They are contributing to the momentum of the NNDC and a growing excitement for progress of depression and mental health.” said Rabindar Subbian, M.S.W., M.B.A., NNDC President and CEO.
The NNDC is a network of 16 of the nation’s leading depression centers and academic medical centers in the field of mood disorders. According to John Greden, M.D., Founding Chair of the NNDC Governing Board attended the opening, there is power in networking, in learning from each other, and the UofL Depression Center integrates excellence in clinical care, research, education, and public policy. They are a tremendous asset to Kentucky and the people of the region, and the other NNDC Centers look forward to collaborating with them.
The center will be directed by Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D. The Depression Center offers a wide range of clinical services including, comprehensive evaluation and treatment, bipolar disorder treatment program, Women’s Mental Health Program, children and adolescent treatment program, geriatric treatment program, and chemical dependency treatment program. “The Depression Center uses a ‘best-practice’, multidisciplinary treatment model that integrates biological, psychological, and social interventions,” Wright says. “State-of-the-art pharmacotherapy, cognitive-behavior therapy, and other evidence-based therapies are provided in addition to newer forms of treatment derived from clinical trials.”
For more information: Niki Serras 734.232.0174 | mserras@umich.edu
