‘Trailblazer’: Becker’s honors UC Davis for ‘great psychiatry and mental health programs’

UC Davis Health is one of 36 hospitals and health systems in the U.S. honored by Becker's Hospital Review in its list of "hospitals and health systems with great psychiatry and mental health programs."

Becker's announced the list on Jan. 17, and highlighted the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences as "diverse, profitable, and a trailblazer within the field."

“We are proud to be recognized for our dedication and commitment to providing top-quality mental health care,” said Helen Kales, the Joe P. Tupin Professor of Psychiatry and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “Thank you to our hardworking teams for making this possible.”

To compile this list, Becker’s editorial team accepted nominations and completed editorial research.

In its announcement, Becker’s noted: “The hospitals and health systems included on this list are lauded for their dedication to improving patients' mental and behavioral health. They have implemented programs, initiatives and service lines that will enhance quality of life for their patients. Becker's is honored to feature these robust psychiatry and mental health programs, which are devoted to restoring emotional balance to patients while advancing research and discovery within the field.”

In 2022-23, the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences was ranked as one of the nation's top 15 best programs in psychiatry by U.S. News & World Report.

The department is No. 15 in the nation in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding, receiving $24.5 million in grants. It holds over $22.5 million in endowments and gifts and has an annual operating budget of over $42.5 million.

We are proud to be recognized for our dedication and commitment to providing top-quality mental health care.”—Helen Kales, chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

With over 120 physicians and doctors, and several hundred staff, the department offers a broad array of clinical services for patients. The department is also dedicated to training the next generation of mental health professionals, with fellowships and three residency programs.

Faculty are engaged in a wide range of research on early psychosis, telepsychiatry and geriatrics. The department is also home to many faculty members at the renowned UC Davis MIND Institute, which conducts groundbreaking research into autism and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Within recent years, the department has opened a behavioral health unit to stabilize a mental health crisis in the emergency department. It also obtained funding to expand a program that addresses revolving door visits — patients with chronic mental illness who are frequently readmitted.

This winter, the department is opening a new clinic in Sacramento dedicated to treating patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. The Advanced Psychiatric Therapeutics Clinic will provide novel treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and esketamine nasal spray. Electro-convulsive therapy will also be offered through the new clinic in the near future.

View the complete list of 36 hospitals and healthcare systems on the Becker’s website.