ABAP 2020 Diplomate, Hector Colon-Rivera, M.D., MRO, tells why ABAP Certification is important

"Around half of my patients are within the transitional age groups, and many of my patients first come to me with a problem concerning their childhood. ABAP Board certification and tools served as a structured proceed to serve my adolescent patients' with the highest standard of care. For me, mastering the developmental perspective is helpful with patients of all ages, and ABAP gave their diplomates the knowledge, confidence, and skills in the adolescent psychiatric field."

Dr. Colon-Rivera is the Medical Director of the Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, Inc Behavioral Health Program (APM), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving Hispanic communities' quality of life through direct behavior and substance use disorder services in the Philadelphia region. APM has functions related to education, health, human services, and community, foster homes, & economic development Dr. Colon Rivera is also an attending physician at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and UPMC through their telemedicine services. He is a co-founder, volunteer, and member of CrearConSalud.org, a non-profit with the goals of supporting and conducting educational, research, and advocacy activities to increase public awareness and action regarding mental health in Puerto Rico and Latinx communities in the United States. Dr. Colon-Rivera serves as a clinical advisor for the Advisory on Alcohol and Other Drugs Committee for Pennsylvania under the Governor Wolf administration and the Opioid State Targeted Response Technical Assistance senior advisor Puerto Rico. He is currently a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh Medical and the Einstein Medical Center. He is the President of the Hispanic Caucus, a member of the Assembly, and the Council on Communication at the American Psychiatric Association. He has participated in over 65 national and international presentations/workshops/ writings on substance use and related disorders, social determinants, the technology used to expand mental health treatments, and mental health in adolescents.