Dr. Patrice A. Harris has been appointed to the board of Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc., bringing a distinguished career in psychiatry, public health and medical leadership to one of the nation’s largest behavioral healthcare providers. The board appointment, effective October 26, 2023, aligns with Acadia’s strategic focus on expanding clinical capacity and strengthening integrated care for mental health and substance use disorders.
A board-certified psychiatrist based in Atlanta, Dr. Patrice A. Harris combines clinical practice with extensive experience in health policy and administration. She served as the 174th president of the American Medical Association from 2019 to 2020, becoming the first African American woman to lead the organization (see AMA profile: ). Her tenure in organized medicine spans service on the AMA Board of Trustees, where she served as secretary and chair, and leadership roles with the American Psychiatric Association, including a term on the APA Board of Trustees and representation as an APA delegate to the AMA.
Her public health credentials include service as director of Health Services for Fulton County, Georgia, where she oversaw countywide public health, behavioral health and primary care programs and led efforts to integrate these services. Dr. Harris has chaired the AMA’s Opioid Task Force and participated in work groups addressing health information technology, sustainable growth rate policy and private contracting, reflecting long-standing engagement on issues central to clinical practice and health system reform.
Education and early career emphasize child advocacy and clinical specialization. Dr. Harris earned a BA in psychology, an MA in counseling psychology and an MD from West Virginia University, followed by psychiatry residency and fellowships in child psychiatry and forensics at Emory University. She was a Barton senior policy fellow at Emory University School of Law and has been active in advocacy for abused and neglected children at the state level. Her clinical and policy presentations have addressed the opioid epidemic, childhood trauma, mental health parity and health equity.
In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Harris co-founded eMed Digital Healthcare in 2020 and serves as its chief executive officer, focusing on digital health solutions. She maintains academic appointments as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Medicine, an adjunct clinical assistant professor at Morehouse School of Medicine, and a visiting professor at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and has received multiple honors, including selection as Psychiatrist of the Year by the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association and induction into the West Virginia University Academy of Distinguished Alumni.
For professional background and networking information, see her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrice-harris-md-ma-4378a65a
Acadia’s leadership cited Dr. Harris’s deep clinical expertise in mental health and substance abuse, and her track record integrating public health, behavioral health and primary care, as key assets for the company’s continued growth. Her appointment is positioned to support Acadia’s mission to expand access to high-quality behavioral healthcare across inpatient, residential and outpatient settings.
Dr. Patrice A. Harris continues to balance private practice, consultancy to public and private organizations on service delivery and policy, academic roles and public advocacy. Her appointment to Acadia’s board underscores the intersection of clinical insight, policy leadership and health system management at a time when demand for comprehensive behavioral health services remains a national priority.