Family Centers recently announced the appointment of Dr. Margarita Muñoz to the newly-created position of Medical Director of Mental Health.
A board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist, Dr. Muñoz joins Family Centers’ clinical team at a time when demand for mental health services is at an all-time high. According to a December 2021 Surgeon General Advisory, one in five children between the ages of three and 17 exhibit signs of mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral disorders. Nineteen percent of American adults also live with some form of mental illness.
“Over the past two years, Family Centers has utilized a great amount of flexibility to remain on the front lines so that the growing mental health needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic are met,” said Family Centers’ Chief Health Officer Dennis Torres. “Dr. Muñoz’s expertise and vast professional experience will allow Family Centers to approach the mental health crisis in our community in a more strategic, holistic and coordinated way.”
Dr. Muñoz has over 20 years of experience treating children, adolescents, and adults in underserved communities. Prior to joining Family Centers, she served as vice chair of the department of psychiatry at Bridgeport Hospital and had oversight of its intensive outpatient program. Dr. Muñoz also spent several years as Westchester Jewish Community Services’ Medical Director. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the development of the organization’s telehealth services, collaborative care program and intensive outpatient credentialing.
Dr. Muñoz earned her MD from New York Medical College and completed both residencies and fellowships at the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University. She also served as the Institute’s Chief Fellow. Dr. Muñoz is also a graduate of the CUNY Sophie Davis Program, an accelerated BS/MD program designed to place physicians in underserved communities.
