As we do at the end of every year, we recently compiled a list of our 2025 accomplishments. It was rewarding to reflect on the tremendous collective and individual achievements by our Department faculty, staff, and learners over the last year.
Daily, we work hard to meet our goals, serve our patients, educate our trainees, support each other, and collaborate with community. Minute by minute, we offer our heartfelt efforts. While it may not seem significant in those moments – perhaps even exhausting – when we look back at our combined accomplishments and awards, it is exciting to see how we are supporting our community’s healing through mental healthcare, making waves in research through clinical trials and grant funding, and graduating well-rounded, empathic behavioral healthcare providers. I am so proud of the work we do.
Highlights include (please read the full overview):
Our thriving educational programs: We filled all residency and fellowship positions for the 2025-2026 academic year. Our fellowship graduates in addiction medicine and geriatric psychiatry became board certified in their specialty fields. The Department provided 27 Grand Rounds with nearly 2,000 attendees and hosted two visiting professors, Nev Jones, PhD, and Eric Lenze, MD. Our Arizona Psychiatry Access Lines (APAL) expanded statewide mental health education through more than 50 trainings and continued development of perinatal and pediatric mental health curricula.
We strengthened our mental health services across Banner’s behavioral health clinics by hiring twelve new clinical faculty and providers. We secured major grant funding – totaling over $6 million – to support research initiatives, addiction medicine education, integrative psychiatry curriculum development, and APAL’s statewide operations. The Department also launched a new Trainee Travel Grants Fund through a successful Giving Day effort in collaboration with the U of A Foundation and College of Medicine – Tucson.
As we head into the season of gratitude, I want to express my appreciation to all Department members for their contributions. We do this collectively, as a team, and we couldn’t do it without you. In the spirit of the giving season, please also consider contributing (if you have the capacity to do so) to the Whole Health Clinic’s food, clothing, and toiletries drive as the WHC members – many who are on AHCCCS – are in need of food and self-care items.
With deep appreciation for the thoughtful and determined dedication of our Department's teams,
Joran F. Karp, MD
Professor & Chair