Soutullo named AACAP Distinguished Fellow
Cesar Soutullo, MD, PhD, John S. Dunn Professor in the Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and vice chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, has been named an American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Distinguished Fellow.
The Distinguished Fellow award is the most esteemed membership honor in AACAP. It is given to those who have made outstanding achievements in the child and adolescent psychiatry field. These members are known for their dedication to excellence and exceptional contributions to the field of psychiatry.
To be considered for the fellowship, a candidate must be recommended by two members currently in the fellowship, and an extensive review of the candidate’s CV is conducted as well.
“Over the years, I’ve seen many of my mentors honored with this award,” Soutullo said. “To even be considered came as a surprise to me. It was a very nice feeling. I want to thank the academy and the department for this recognition.”
Soutullo joined the department in September 2019 with the plan of developing a child ADHD program, strengthening the department’s collaboration with the Department of Pediatrics and advancing research and clinical care.
In 2022, Soutullo was asked to serve as vice chair and chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, with an academic and research focus, in addition to clinical services. Many new programs created through the Texas Child Mental Health Care consortium had to be consolidated and grew through the American Recovery Plan Act initiatives available after the COVID-19 pandemic. These helped to combat the rising cases of child depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health disorders.
Soutullo said he has learned from the experience he’s gained from different roles at UTHealth Houston. He believes that experience, combined with his previous work, put him in a position to be given the AACAP Distinguished Fellow Award.
Whether as a primary care physician, organizer behind the scenes, or mentor, he is passionate about improving child mental health.
“I think people are much aware of child mental health now,” Soutullo said. “One big change we’ve seen is an emphasis on early detection of mental health problems, especially depression and suicidality. Finally, people are recognizing children can get psychiatric problems, and we can intervene early.”