Lisa Dixon is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Columbia University Medical Center and the Director of the Division of Behavioral Health Services and Policy Research at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Within that, she directs the Center for Practice Innovations as well as the OnTrackNY program. She has conducted mental health services research and provided training and implementation support for the care of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) for the last 30 years.
Dr. Dixon’s research has focused on developing and testing family support programs for individuals with mental illness. As a Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) investigator, she has helped recognize and document the value of family psychoeducation (FPE) as an evidence based practice for individuals with schizophrenia. Dr. Dixon has also partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to conduct sequential studies to establish the effectiveness of their program, Family to Family)(FTF) for family members.
Dr. Dixon’s contributions also extend to the testing and implementation of coordinated specialty care (CSC) interventions for individuals experiencing early psychosis. Her leadership role in the RAISE-Implementation and Evaluation Study (RAISE-IES) strengthened her resolve to conduct research that establishes effective treatment strategies for young people who are experiencing early non-affective psychosis. Her goals extend beyond establishing effective treatments to working with key stakeholders to support large-scale implementation in the context of rigorous evaluation and accountability. An example is OnTrackNY, New York State’s 28-site early psychosis program, as well as OnTrackUSA which has provided technical assistance to 20 states, which she directs. Dr. Dixon has chaired the Clinical Services Panel of the PhenX Early Psychosis Working Group and has a current grant to test a tool for shared decision making around the use of antipsychotic medications.