We are pleased to announce that we have made significant progress in our hiring efforts to staff the new Center for Behavioral Health and Learning.

Randall Espinoza, MD, MPH – Medical Director, Garvey Institute Center for Neuromodulation
When its doors open in April, the new Garvey Institute Center for Neuromodulation will dramatically improve access to treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and other novel therapeutics in one convenient location. Randall Espinoza, MD, MPH, currently the Muriel Harris Chair of Geriatric Psychiatry and Professor of Clinical at UCLA, will serve as the Center’s inaugural Medical Director and will provide leadership to help grow our portfolio in the area of Neuromodulation and Interventional Psychiatry.

“What drew me to this role is that there are practically no programs in the country that can provide, in one location, the scope of neuromodulation therapies and other emerging treatments as part of an integrated Interventional Psychiatry Program with a core expert faculty,” said Dr. Espinoza. “UW Psychiatry is poised to become a major global leader in this exciting and emerging field, and can redefine best behavioral health practices for the foreseeable future.”

While at UCLA, Dr. Espinoza has held many administrative, clinical, and teaching leadership positions including serving as Medical Director of Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry, Chief of Staff of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Founding Faculty of the UCLA Neuromodulation Division, Medical Director of the ECT and Interventional Psychiatry Program, among others. He recently became Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of ECT and Related Therapies, the official publication of the International Society of ECT and Neurostimulation. Dr. Espinoza’s research projects have included investigating various neuromodulation and interventional therapies and developing novel educational programs and curricula. He has an abiding interest in mentoring and helping faculty at the start of their careers and a commitment to fostering the advancement of women and underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in academic medicine.

Jay Augsburger, MD – Medical Director, Long-term Civil Commitment Unit
In July, 75 beds will become available at the new Center for Behavioral Health and Learning for individuals requiring long-term treatment on civil commitment stays of 90-180 days. Jay Augsburger, MD, will lead the clinical care of these individuals as our inaugural Medical Director of the Long-term Civil Commitment Unit.

Dr. Augsburger completed medical school at the University of Cincinnati, psychiatric residency at Oregon Health and Science University and an addiction psychiatry fellowship at the University of Washington. He has been in practice since 2012, working first at the Puget Sound VA Medical Center and most recently at Swedish Medical Center and Providence Medical Center Everett.

“I became interested in the role because during my years as an inpatient psychiatrist in Seattle, there have been very few longer-term inpatient treatment options for patients with severe mental illness,” said Dr. Augsburger. “Now I have the opportunity to help to shape the care for patients that need it. My hope is that we will be able to provide high-level, comprehensive care for our patients, managing not only their acute psychiatric needs, but also their physical health and providing their best chance for success after discharge from the hospital.”

♥ Hospitalists
We have also hired four staff psychiatrists to work at the new Center, all of whom are current or former trainees in our department: Audrey Eichenberger, MD (current Geriatric Psychiatry Fellow), Ashwin Karnik, MD (current Consultation-Liaison Fellow), Olga Koblova, MD (current Geriatric Psychiatry Fellow) and Chris Nguyen, MD (former Consultation-Liaison Fellow who is currently working in New Zealand). We are excited they will continue to be part of our family and that they will be joining the growing team at the new CBHL!