We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Kenneth Fung as the Director, Global Mental Health, in the Department of Psychiatry at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. His 3-year term began on October 1, 2021.
Dr. Kenneth Fung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and a Staff Psychiatrist and Clinical Director of the Asian Initiative in Mental Health Program at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. Dr. Fung’s research, teaching, and clinical interest include cultural psychiatry, global mental health, and psychotherapy, especially Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), CBT, and mindfulness. He conducts national and international research in stigma, resilience, mental health promotion, and immigrant and refugee mental health.
His goal is to elevate and promote the mental health and wellbeing of all, addressing individual and sociocultural barriers and championing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. He is a psychiatric consultant to Hong Fook Mental Health Association and the immediate past President of the Society of the Study of Psychiatry and Culture (SSPC); immediate past Chair of the Transcultural Section of the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA); Board Member of the World Association for Cultural Psychiatry (WACP); the past Chair and current Historian of the Federation of Chinese American and Chinese Canadian Medical Societies (FCMS); past Ontario Chapter Chair and invited Member of the Scientific Task Force of the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS); and Co-Lead of the MH-PRONTO working group for Global Alliances for Chronic Disease (GACD). He has been named a Distinguished Fellow of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and Fellow of the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS).
Dr. Fung has received several awards including the 2015 Social Responsibility Award from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine; the 2016 American Psychiatric Association Foundation Award for Advancing Minority Health; the 2017 College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario Council Award; the 2018 Psychotherapy Award for Academic Excellence from the University of Toronto; the 2020 Colin Woolf Award For Sustained Excellence in Teaching; and the Canada 150 Medal.
The inaugural role of Director, Global Mental Health was previously held by Dr. Arun Ravindran. I would like to convey my gratitude to Dr. Ravindran for his leadership and his numerous contributions to the program’s mission to promote collaboration and capacity building on a global level.
I congratulate Dr. Fung on his appointment and look forward to working with him in this new role.
Dr. Benoit H. Mulsant, Labatt Family Chair of the Department of Psychiatry
Article From: U of T
