Congratulations and welcome to Brent P. Forester, MD, MSc., who joined the Tufts Medicine family as Psychiatrist-in-Chief and Chairman for the Department of Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, Director of Behavioral Health for Tufts Medicine and Professor of Psychiatry and the Dr. Francis S. Arkin Chair of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine in June.
Dr. Forester most recently served as Chief of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean Hospital and Senior Medical Director for Value Based Care in Population Health Management at Mass General Brigham. Dr. Forester is an expert in geriatric psychiatry, specializing in the treatment of older adults with depression, bipolar disorder and behavioral complications of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. His NIA funded research is focused on novel therapeutic interventions for the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and the effectiveness of team-based dementia care implemented within primary care medical settings.
"We are elated that Dr. Forester is bringing his extensive and decorated background in behavioral health to Tufts Medicine," said Helen Boucher, MD, Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine and Chief Academic Officer for Tufts Medicine. "His clinical, educational and research experience aligns perfectly with our plans to strengthen and expand services and programs in the region and advance our efforts to become a true learning health system."
Dr. Forester joins Tufts Medicine at a pivotal time. In addition to his leadership roles with Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, he will become the first Director of Behavioral Health for Tufts Medicine, playing a key role in the development of a comprehensive system-wide behavioral health service line. In 2022, Tufts Medicine announced a partnership with Acadia Healthcare to build a new, 144-bed, stand-alone behavioral health hospital in Malden, Massachusetts. Tufts Medicine is also working with Synchronous Health to provide new telehealth counseling services for the patients of primary care practices in its broad network of community doctors.
"We look forward to the leadership Dr. Forester will provide for these and other regional initiatives," said Emily Young, President of the Tufts Medicine Integrated Network. "The communities we serve are in desperate need of more high-quality, affordable and accessible behavioral health services, and the gaps in access are widening. Dr. Forester will play a critical role in strengthening our efforts to close those gaps through both traditional and innovative care delivery models."
"I am thrilled that Dr. Forester is joining our leadership team," said Michael Tarnoff, MD, CEO of Tufts Medical Center. "Through a lengthy national search, we attracted and reviewed an incredibly diverse and talented pool of candidates. Dr. Forester emerged as the best match for the needs of our Psychiatry Departments and the communities we serve — both now and for our future aspirations — and I look forward to working with him on these important projects."
Dr. Forester earned his bachelor's degree in psychology at Dartmouth College, his medical degree at Dartmouth Medical School and his Master of Science degree at Harvard/Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He completed residencies at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital, where he also served as Chief Resident in Adult Psychiatry.
