Patricia Harrison-Monroe, PhD

Dr. Harrison-Monroe joined the college in 2005 and held various leadership positions until her retirement as vice chair in 2023. In that role, she spearheaded departmental diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and led several diversity initiatives within the college and the department to address underrepresentation of minority students, residents and faculty, at both the recruitment and retention level. She further demonstrated her commitment to mentor diverse individuals interested in pursuing a career in medicine by supporting and guiding undergraduate students enrolled in the Honors College. She is the author and co-author of numerous publications.

As the chief of behavioral health for the Department of Psychiatry, she oversaw both inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, overseeing the construction and program development of the Behavioral Health Pavilion. As director of community outreach & clinical development she was responsible for the development of educational initiatives to reduce stigma within underserved communities on a local and statewide basis. She also served as director of the Early Psychosis Intervention Center (EPICenter), where she oversaw clinical services for individuals in the early stages of psychotic illness and their families.

Under a Pima County contract with the department for clinical services at the Pima County Juvenile Court Center, she developed a comprehensive treatment program as director of behavioral health, including a training curriculum for custody staff on more effective ways to interact with detainees with mental health issues, which was eventually adopted state-wide. Dr. Harrison-Monroe further led efforts to reduce disproportionate minority contact with law enforcement funded through the McArthur Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, educating the judiciary on appropriate and equitable alternatives to detaining non-violent youth.

Dr. Harrison-Monroe participated in numerous committees within the College of Medicine – Tucson. Additionally, for nine years, she provided counseling support to enrolled medical students, a service she has continued to provide on a limited basis in collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs. In addition to her clinical services, she taught and provided clinical supervision to psychiatry residents and psychology doctoral candidates.

Prior to moving to Tucson, she was assistant commissioner with the New York City Department of Mental Health. In that role, her responsibilities included oversight of behavioral health services in two of New York City’s boroughs as well as the city’s jail system, and the development of culturally and linguistically relevant services to reflect the needs of significantly diverse populations. In 2002, she was honored for her service in the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster.