Aamir Mahmood, MD, and James C. Styron IV, MD, JD, have joined the staff of RMH Valley Behavioral Medicine in Harrisonburg. Both have been granted medical staff privileges in psychiatry at RMH.
“RMH recruited these physicians to meet a major community need,” said Lawrence Conell, MD, medical director, RMH Behavioral Health Services. “Both physicians are extraordinarily well-trained and educated at institutions with remarkably strong psychiatry programs, and we are thrilled at their arrival.”
Dr. Conell noted that Dr. Mahmood is the only child and adolescent psychiatrist in this area. He also is trained to provide adult psychiatry services. “We are pleased to be able to expand our offerings so child and adolescent patients no longer have to leave the community to receive care,” Dr. Conell said.
Andrée Gitchell, director, RMH Behavioral Health Services, said that community initiatives beginning in 2001 identified mental health of children and adolescents to be a key priority. “While our area is rich in programs supporting children, until now there has been a significant gap in services to children with mental illness,” Gitchell said. “We are happy to be able to provide a connection through Dr. Mahmood’s addition to our medical staff.”
Dr. Mahmood graduated from the Dow Medical College, University of Karachi in Pakistan. He completed a residency in adult psychiatry as well as a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Virginia. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Medical Association.
“I know that this area has been in need of a child and adolescent psychiatrist for some time,” Dr. Mahmood said. “I am pleased to be able to serve this need in the community.”
Dr. Styron received both a medical degree and a law degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. He completed a residency in adult psychiatry at the University of North Carolina Hospitals, where he also served as chief resident. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association.
“When I came to interview at RMH, I was quite impressed with the integrated full spectrum of mental health services,” Dr. Styron said. “This continuum, from inpatient to partial hospitalization to a range of outpatient options, is rare in other places, but is ideal for proper patient care. I prefer to treat a variety of patients in a variety of settings, and RMH offered me the opportunity to do so.”
Gitchell noted, “Dr. Styron’s expertise and desire to work with a broad range of patients is a tremendous asset for our community.”
Valley Behavioral Medicine is located at 752 Ott St., Harrisonburg. Patients may self-refer. To schedule an appointment, call 540.564.7007.