Ralph Aquila, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry,
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
Director, Residential Community Services,
St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
New York, New York
Ralph Aquila, MD, is Director of Residential Community Services at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. The program services approximately 1500 people with serious and persistent mental illness. The service consists of the coordination and delivery of medical and psychiatric services to 25 sites in Manhattan. Dr. Aquila is a clinician who primarily works with patients, many of whom were formerly homeless, who have serious and persistent mental illness.
His key focus is a belief in the recovery of patients with serious mental illness, which has only been a dream for many people. With the advent of new technologies, advocacy, and accountability, the idea of recovery and reintegration is becoming a reality.
Dr. Aquila is Chair of the Eli Lilly schizophrenia scholarship awards, which are annual scholarships given to people with serious and persistent mental illness to help them obtain or expand their educations. He is also chair of the Eli Lilly annual reintegration awards for people and programs dedicated to the pursuit of reintegration for those with serious and persistent mental illness.
Dr. Aquila has been a principal investigator in stage III atypical antipsychotic drug trials including olanzapine, ziprasidone, and quetiapine. Most recently, he has completed a work-outcome study for people with serious and persistent mental illness which attempts to show a connection between quality psychiatric care and psychiatric rehabilitation. Dr. Aquila is currently principal investigator in a cost-effective study, with the intent to define the cost of treating persons with serious and persistent mental illness. He is also a consultant to Fountain House-a clubhouse model of psychiatric rehabilitation. He is also Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Aquila was a recipient of the 1999 NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist award.
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