In 1989 the Southern California Psychiatric Society voted to provide the seed money to establish The Psychiatric Education and Research Foundation in an effort to foster the active participation of psychiatrists in the struggle against the destructive effects of mental illness, stigma and discrimination of psychiatric patients and work for improved care and access for all in our community through education and research. Current PER Projects
This PER award recognizes outstanding achievements by psychiatric residents in any of the following areas: Research, Teaching and Education, Community Involvement, or Patient Care during their training. The award honors exceptional work by a resident in each of the six residency training programs of the SCPS region. The award aims to recognize both the mentors and their trainees in each program.
The applications for the nomination must be submitted by the Director of each residency training program by March 1st.
Click here for Application
Previous Awards
PER Past Projects and Awards
PER Excellence in Psychiatric Education Award
Established in 2008 this award annually recognizes outstanding achievements by psychiatric residents from any of the training programs of the SCPS region. The award honors both the mentoring training program and the resident for his/her exceptional work in any of the following areas: research, teaching and education, community involvement, or patient care during residency.
The 2nd Annual PER Excellence in Psychiatric Education Award was presented at SCPS Installation & Awards Ceremony, April 16, 2011 to Katrina DeBonis, M.D.
L to R, Maria Lymberis, M.D. and Kathleen Moreno, M.D.;, Katrina DeBonis, M.D.; Drs. Lymberis and DeBonis with Lawrence Gross, M.D.
The first annual PER Excellent in Psychiatric Education Award was presented at SCPS Annual Awards meeting in 2010 to Lara Kierlin, M.D. a third year psychiatric resident from UCLA for her research paper on: “Aging: Cytokine Mechanisms and Treatment of Insomnia” and her mentors and principle research team investigators, Michael Irwin, M.D. and Richard Olmstead, Ph.D.
Lara Kierlin, M.D. Lara Kierlin, M.D. with Doctor Lymberis, and John Luo, M.D.
Dr. Kierlin is an outstanding resident. She has distinguished herself as the recipient of several other awards including: the Shirley Hatos 20th Century Prize for her research paper on “The Science of Sleep: Psychiatry’s Role in the 21st Century” in October 2007. She was also the Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology scholarship recipient in October 2004. PER congratulates both her and her UCLA residency program mentors for fostering such a sustained pattern of excellence during her psychiatric training.
Past PER Projects and Educational Events
PER Funding for the UCLA Research on L.A. Juvenile Justice System
As the 21st century rolled in, PER funded the data processing for the research conducted by the UCLA Child Psychiatry Department in the Juvenile Justice Program of L.A. County. Professor Bonnie Zima, M.D. was the leading researcher. She involved in this research the participation of two UCLA child psychiatry fellows. PER sponsored a special educational program featuring the results of this research during one of the SCPS Annual meetings in Santa Barbara. That program was a very well received by the SCPS members. Data from this research is now being used to guide and improve the treatment of juveniles in the LA Juvenile Justice system.
PER News in 2010
In July 2010 the PER Foundation was the recipient of a donation of $50,000 from a thankful psychiatric patient. The PER Foundation was named in the will of this patient who was cared for by the distinguished PER Board member and officer: Timothy Hayes, MD. Donating to PER is the ethical way for psychiatric patients and their families, to express their gratitude for the care and help they received for their psychiatric problems. PER commends Dr. Hayes for his care of his patient and urges all, psychiatrists, families, friends and members of our community, to think of contributing to the PER Foundation as a way to express appreciation for care received. Working to fight mental illness should be everyone’s concern. We all need a “healthy mind in a healthy body” for a full life.
PER Education Presentation at SCPS Annual Meeting 2008
During the 2008 SCPS Annual meeting, PER sponsored a special educational program on Schizophrenia featuring the movie CANVAS and a panel discussion with UCLA Professor and leading schizophrenia expert Steven Marder, M.D. and the writer producer of the movie, Mr. Joseph Greco. Mr. Greco noted that the movie was based in part on his own experiences growing up with his schizophrenic mother. NAMI members were also in attendance by a special invitation for this part of the SCPS meeting. This program was very well received.
PER Public Education Lecture Series
During the 1990s in collaboration with the psychiatric departments of several local hospitals, the PER Foundation organized a number of public education programs. These were panel presentations on the clinical aspects of various psychiatric illnesses. These programs featured psychiatric experts, members of the SCPS. The programs were enthusiastically received by the public.
PER Seed Funding for The Journey of Hope
By far the most significant PER program during the 1990s was the PER’s help in bringing the “The Journey of Hope” to California by providing the seed money and by working closely with the premiere NAMI advocates Carla and Bryan Jacobs to establish the program in both Southern and Northern California. This effort was very successful. "The Journey of Hope" flourished in California. Over the years this program was adopted by NAMI to become the most successful nationwide NAMI program under the name "Family to Family."
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