Month: February 2019

Dr. Melissa O’Dell set to join UNMC faculty in July

Dr. Melissa O’Dell will join the UNMC Department of Psychiatry faculty this summer. Dr. O’Dell, who graduated from Omaha Central High School in 2003, said she’s thrilled that an opportunity arose for her and her young family to stay in her hometown. “It’s home, and I love it. I had no desire to leave Omaha,” […]

Feb 21, 2019

Dr. Balasanova awarded scholarship to attend National Leadership Forum alongside country’s healthcare giants

For her extensive contributions to advocacy for patients with substance use and mental illness, Dr. Balasanova was recently awarded a scholarship to attend the CADCA’s 29th Annual National Leadership Forum and SAMHSA’s Prevention Day from Feb 4-7, 2019, in Washington, D.C. Dr. Balasanova was joined by approximately 2,900 substance use advocates from throughout the country as […]

Feb 21, 2019

Social workers plan Personal Hygiene Drive

In March, UNMC Department of Psychiatry social workers are collecting hygiene items as a way to help their patients and celebrate National Professional Social Work Month. As part of the Personal Hygiene Drive, people can leave hygiene products in drop boxes on the third and fifth floor of Poynter Hall (corner of Dewey Street and […]

Feb 21, 2019

UNMC psychiatrist wants to make getting prescriptions a lot easier

UNMC Department of Psychiatry Assistant Professor Dr. Stephen Salzbrenner wants to make getting prescriptions a lot easier and a lot quicker. Dr. Salzbrenner, with help from health software company H4 Technology, created Breezmed, a program which solves many of the problems patients deal with when it comes to prior authorizations.  For those who aren’t familiar […]

Feb 21, 2019

ACGME approves new psychiatry residency program at UNMC

On February 18, 2019, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approved the UNMC Department of Psychiatry’s application to start a psychiatry residency program. The psychiatry residents will join the department in July 2020. A resident is a physician – usually a recent medical school graduate – who spends three to six years gaining […]

Feb 21, 2019

Spotlight: Mark Aksamit

Mark Aksamit joined the Department of Psychiatry last fall, and starting on Feb. 14, he will join the faculty at the College of Allied Health Professions as an assistant professor in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. Why did you choose psychiatry? My passion for psychiatry started when I was in undergrad and majored […]

Feb 6, 2019

1st Roccaforte Citizenship Awards handed out at holiday party

On Jan. 19, the Department of Psychiatry honored five employees with the William H. Roccaforte Citizenship Award. The award, which was handed out during the department’s holiday party, was named after the longtime UNMC Professor, whom Chair Howard Liu said embodied both humility and daily service. The Citizenship Award goes to a faculty member, staff […]

Feb 6, 2019

New program connects community with behavioral health services

Nebraska Medicine Behavioral Health and the UNMC Department of Psychiatry have started a new program, Behavioral Health Connection. The new program is up and running and is designed to help medical center patients and other members of the Omaha-Council Bluffs community connect with necessary behavioral health and substance use disorder services. Behavioral Health Connection offers […]

Feb 6, 2019