If you or someone you love has received care at Sheppard Pratt, you know just how compassionate, supportive, and dedicated our caregivers are.
Every year, our doctors, therapists, nurses, and mental health workers care for our community. They show up, day in and day out, to make a difference in people’s lives on their hardest days.
That’s why we launched the “Honor Your Caregiver” campaign: to celebrate the caregivers who make hope and healing a reality for the people who need it most. Our clinicians give selflessly and tirelessly to provide life-changing mental healthcare, and your support is vital to that mission.
Meet some of the caregivers at Sheppard Pratt’s hospitals:
Ronald Means, MD, chief of medical staff
Dr. Means, a triple-board-certified psychiatrist, recently joined Sheppard Pratt to lead the delivery of quality psychiatric care in our outpatient and community programs. “Community psychiatry has always been my passion. Providing good psychiatric care for vulnerable, underserved people is so important to me,” he explains.
What makes working at Sheppard Pratt so unique is the breadth of services we offer. It is great to work in a system of care in which you have access to so many experts and every mental health service a person could ever need, all throughout their lifespan.
When asked why he chose to become a doctor, Dr. Means’ response is heartening. “Witnessing the improvement of a patient for whom you provided care is humbling and encouraging.”
Crystal DeVito, PhD, senior child and adolescent psychologist
Dr. DeVito is a child and adolescent psychologist who has been practicing for 30 years. She spends much of her time in Sheppard Pratt’s Center for Autism, working as part of an interdisciplinary team. She specializes in diagnostics and has been an invaluable resource and comfort to hundreds of families in need of answers.
I know that when we intervene with positive changes early on, the impact can grow exponentially, benefiting children for years to come.
“I am thrilled when a family reaches out with updates on how things are going. I am honored to play a role in improving children’s lives.”
Michael Young, MD, medical director, The Retreat by Sheppard Pratt and associate director, residency training program
Dr. Young’s connection to Sheppard Pratt runs deep. Not only did he complete his training at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt program–a residency program for which he now serves as associate director–but when asked why he loves being a psychiatrist at Sheppard Pratt, he points to the organization’s storied history. “The emphasis on humanitarian principles, present since our founding by Moses Sheppard back in the mid-19th century, creates a uniquely therapeutic environment for patients and staff alike,” he shares.
Beyond his passion for Sheppard Pratt’s care philosophy, Dr. Young is inspired by his dual roles.
Being a clinician here enables me to use my love of learning, teaching, and practicing medicine to help others achieve their goals. Having the opportunity to influence people’s lives in positive ways–both practicing medicine and training the next generation of psychiatrists–is a true blessing; I hold gratitude for that every day.