Press Release: Community celebrates inaugural class of northern Indiana’s first psychiatry residency program

Media contacts: Hannah Reed, hannah.reed@regionalgroup.care  

Merrillville, IN — Local elected officials, health care providers, community leaders and more welcomed the inaugural class of psychiatric physicians to Regional Health Systems’ accredited psychiatry residency program with the IU School of Medicine. Nearly 100 individuals gathered at the Merrillville location of Regional Health Systems, a member of Regional Care Group, to welcome the residents.

The four new doctors, Sotirios Travlos, Dasia McClain, Manisha Byreddy and Cory Mahler, began their resident training program earlier this month.    

Residents (from left to right) Drs. Sotirios Travlos, Dasia McClain, Cory Mahler and Manisha Byreddy stand next to Dr. Kobie Douglas as he speaks at the reception Tuesday.

“It is here—and with your support and warm welcoming—that we will not only train the next generation of psychiatrists to better care for our underserved communities, but we will also work, collectively, to encourage Northwest Indiana’s newest physicians to continue their careers here and help us close the disparities in access to psychiatric care in Northwest Indiana,” Regional Care Group CEO Bill Trowbridge said at the event.  

Regional Care Group CEO Bill Trowbridge spoke at the Psychiatry Residency Inaugural Reception event Tuesday.

This residency program is the first in Northern Indiana for psychiatry and the third for the IU School of Medicine. 

“It’s super exciting for everybody,” said Brittany Miller, residency education coordinator at the IU School of Medicine and director of psychiatric education at Regional Health Systems. “A lot of the local hospitals and health organizations are on board — they’re excited to interact with the residents and teach a couple of didactic courses.”

Regional Care Group CEO Bill Trowbridge (left) speaking to the new residents (From left to right: Drs. Sotirios Travlos, Cory Mahler, Manisha Byreddy and Dasia McClain.

Residents will complete rotations in all areas of psychiatry, including inpatient psychiatry, addictions, child and adolescent mental health care, primary care and more. This gives the next generation of psychiatrists an opportunity to develop integrated models of care while increasing access to psychiatric services within underserved communities. 

Regional Care Group CEO Bill Trowbridge and State Senator Eddie Melton elbow bumping with Twan Stokes with Indiana DCS, laughing in the background.

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Regional Health Systems 

Regional Health Systems is Northwest Indiana’s largest provider of community-based mental health care, primary health care and addiction treatment services. We offer adults and children—both uninsured and insured—integrated care through our community mental health center and federally qualified health clinic. Regional Health Systems is a member of the Regional Care Group.