Kevin Simon, MD, a psychiatrist with Boston Children's Hospital, has been named the city's first-ever chief behavioral health officer.
Dr. Simon is an assistant in the department of psychiatry at Boston Children's, instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Commonwealth Fund fellow in minority health policy at Harvard University. He practices as a child and adolescent addiction psychiatrist caring for youth and families through Boston Children's Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program.
"Proud to announce Dr. Kevin M. Simon as Boston's first chief behavioral health officer," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu tweeted June 14. "Dr. Simon's dedicated leadership and expertise will help us build an equitable and coordinated citywide response to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of our residents."
In the CBHO role, Dr. Simon will help the Boston Public Health Commission advance a citywide mental and behavioral health agenda to develop sustainable, community-driven solutions. His first area of focus will be supporting the unique needs of the city's youth, the commission said.
Dr. Simon received his medical degree from Springfield-based Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and completed clinical fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry and pediatric addiction medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and his residency in adult psychiatry at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.