Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health (PRCH)

02/24/2026

Congratulations!
February 23, 2026

Fabiola Arbelo Cruz, MD, has been appointed medical director of the Substance use and Addiction Treatment Unit (SATU) at the Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC) effective July 1.

Dr. Arbelo Cruz is an assistant professor of psychiatry, director of the Health Equity Curriculum of the Yale Psychiatry Residency Program, and serves as an attending psychiatrist on CMHC’s Team D and Street Psychiatry outpatient teams. She brings extensive frontline clinical experience in co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders (SUD), having worked in community health centers and addiction programs in Boston and New Haven.

Dr. Arbelo Cruz has received multiple awards in recognition of her leadership, clinical excellence, and commitment to advancing the field of addiction and guiding the next generation of addiction medicine leaders. She has been recognized by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) with its John Renner Award, the Boston University Department of Psychiatry with its Chairman’s Award, and has been selected as a Scholar (2020) and Near Peer (2025) in the Recognizing and Eliminating Disparities in Addiction Through Culturally-informed Healthcare (REACH) Program.

Dr. Arbelo Cruz’s clinical and research interests focus on critically evaluating and disseminating knowledge on evidence-based practices for SUD, stigma related to SUD and its treatments, and addressing racial and ethnic inequities in addiction treatment. She serves as a study physician for the IMANI U randomized controlled trial. The trial examines whether adding a church-based telehealth medication for addiction treatment option to the IMANI Breakthrough program improves outcomes for individuals residing in geographic areas with high overdose rates who have alcohol use disorder or opioid use disorder, compared to IMANI Breakthrough plus traditional community-based MAT referral and linkage.

Dr. Arbelo Cruz also serves as an active member of several national and institutional committees, including the AAAP Health Access Committee, CMHC’s Health Equity Workgroup, and the Yale Psychiatry Residency Realignment Working Group – Faculty Development Subcommittee.

Sincerely,
Jeanne

Jeanne Steiner, DO
Professor of Psychiatry
Medical Director, CMHC
Director, Fellowship in Public Psychiatry

02/04/2026

12/04/2025

Individual Advocacy Award
Recipients: Pastor Evelyn & Pastor Dana
Overview:
This award honors individuals who have shown extraordinary dedication to mental health advocacy through personal and community engagement.



Biography – Pastor Evelyn:
Pastor Evelyn has been an unwavering advocate for mental health awareness within the faith-based community, using her position to provide education, support, and guidance to individuals and families affected by mental health issues. Through her church and outreach programs, she has worked diligently to break the stigma surrounding mental health, offering spiritual care alongside practical resources for mental health support. Her initiatives focus on helping people understand that mental health is as important as physical health, and her advocacy has been vital in opening conversations on mental wellness within the religious community.

Biography – Pastor Dana:
Pastor Dana is committed to supporting individuals facing mental health challenges through both spiritual and emotional counseling. Recognizing the power of faith and community support in the recovery process, Pastor Dana has initiated programs aimed at providing relief and hope to those suffering from mental illness. Dana has been a staunch advocate for mental health access, especially for marginalized groups, and works closely with local organizations to connect individuals with essential mental health services.

Presented by

12/04/2025

Cheri Bragg Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented by: Kathy Flaherty
Recipient: Cheri Bragg

Overview:
This prestigious award recognizes an individual for a lifetime of exceptional service and commitment to mental health reform.



Cheri Bragg has been a steadfast advocate for mental health reform and individual rights in Connecticut for decades. She has been instrumental in advancing the cause of mental health advocacy at both the state and national levels. Throughout her career, she has fought tirelessly to ensure equitable access to care, protection against discrimination, and a better quality of life for individuals living with mental health conditions. Cheri’s advocacy work spans from grassroots community organizing to influencing significant policy changes, particularly regarding mental health services and the rights of individuals in care. She has contributed extensively to public awareness campaigns, legislative advocacy, and systemic reforms that align with the mission of Keep the Promise Coalition, focusing on promoting a more compassionate and inclusive mental health system.

03/17/2025

Please join Dr. Annie Harper and others t this great event.
8th Annual Yale Refugee Health Conference
THURSDAY, MARCH 27
5:30 - 8:15 PM
This event will be held in the Hope Memorial Building, Room 110, 315 Cedar St. To view a poster for this event with more information and a link to register please click here. Everyone is invited.

"Physical and Mental Health of Refugees: From Surviving to Thriving"

Speakers:

Oballa Oballa, BSW, Senior Team Leader, Hormel Foods; City Councilman, Austin, MN; Former Ethiopian refugee

Maya Prabhu, MD, LLB, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine; Associate Professor Adjunct of Law, Yale Law School

Sarah Mervine, JD, Director, Yale New Haven Health Medical-Legal Partnership for the Center for Children's Advocacy

Annie Harper, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Yale School of Medicine

The conference will feature an update on national refugee policy and discussions of key resources and advocacy strategies to promote resilience and thriving amongst refugee communities in Connecticut. It is sponsored by the the Edward J. and Dorothy Clarke Kempf Memorial Fund and The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale.

03/17/2025

Please join us...

Public Psychiatry Division
FRIDAY, MARCH 21
12:00 - 1:00 PM
This meeting will be held via Zoom. Please click here to log in. Everyone isi invited.

"Attending to Racial Stress and Trauma"

Angela Haeny, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine; Director, The Racial Equity & Addiction Lab (REAL) at Yale

02/06/2025

THE PERCH announces an open call for submissions for its new issue, SOCIAL, to be published in September 2025!
The PERCH is a creative arts journal with mental health themes focused on original voices.
What does being “social” look and feel like in today’s society? How do you experience your own social life? What do your social support networks look like? What does the lack or loss of social support feel like? How have your social networks changed? What does it mean to be in connection with others, in person or virtually? What are you doing or planning to do to stay connected to counteract loneliness and isolation?

Many studies have shown the significance of socializing and social support networks in promoting wellness and recovery from mental health issues, substance use, and physical health challenges. THE PERCH’s new SOCIAL Issue will explore the relationship between our social lives and health through artistic contributions in 2025!

We seek poetry, creative nonfiction, fiction, artwork, virtual [visual] art, and scholarly pieces that illustrate the many aspects of social support and its relationship to wellness and recovery. Narratives may include personal stories about seeking social support, the loss of social support and its consequences, and the complex range of thoughts and feelings you experience about your support systems. Submissions should reflect social support’s many forms, including but not limited to friendships, relationships, mentorship, peer support and support groups, community, and social media. We are looking for specific and, in some cases, unusual or unexpected stories and images.

This is an open call—all are welcome to submit pieces for consideration!
Please submit your stories or artwork by March 30, 2025, at 11:59 pm. We anticipate a publication date in September 2025. Email Graziela Reis at graziela.reis@yale.edu with questions or concerns.
Link for Submission:

The PERCH announces an open call for submissions for its new issue, SOCIAL, to be published in September 2025! The PERCH is a creative arts journal with mental health themes focused on original voices. Many studies have shown the significance of being social and that of social support networks in pr...

02/03/2025

Grand Rounds
Grand Rounds will be in person unless otherwise noted and on Zoom this academic year. Please click this link to sign into the virtual presentations. The passcode is 793432.

All presentations begin at 10:15 and end at 11:30 am.

All in-person talks will be at Fitkin Auditorium. To reach the auditorium, enter the main entrance of the Boardman Building, 330 Cedar St. Proceed down the hallway to a "T" intersection. Go right, pass the elevators, and proceed through an arch and doors. Access a stairwell through the doors on the right and ascend the stairs to Fitkin.

Please visit the department's Grand Rounds website to view videos of past presentations.

MARCH 7, 2025
Honoring Dr. Larry Davidson: A Global Legacy - "Advancing Recovery-Oriented, Rights-Based Care, Systems Transformation, Peer Support, and Community Inclusion Worldwide"

A tribute to Larry Davidson, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine. Speakers will be announced soon.