Andres Pumariega, MD, professor and chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Florida, has been awarded the 2024 Agnes Purcell McGavin Award for Distinguished Career Achievement.
This award is bestowed upon a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has made significant contributions to the field in areas such as teaching, research, writing, clinical care, advocacy, and policy. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recognizes Dr. Pumariega’s exceptional achievements in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry making him “an outstanding recipient of this award.”
Throughout his career, Dr. Pumariega has focused on children’s systems of care and cultural diversity in mental health. He has been instrumental in addressing the application of cultural competence and systems of care. He co-led the drafting of the Center for Mental Health Services/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (CMHS/SAMHSA) Cultural Competence Standards, co-led the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Practice Parameters for Culturally Competent Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Care, and was the founding Chair of the AACAP Work Group on Systems of Care. He also served as the Chair of the Committee on Hispanic Psychiatrists of the APA, leading work that focused on Latino mental health literacy. Currently, he chairs the Work Group on Racism and Health Disparities of AACAP.
Dr. Pumariega’s contributions to the field of child and adolescent psychiatry are impressive, boasting over 250 scientific publications, 250 abstracts, four textbooks, and six journal special issues. Many of his works focus on culture, diversity, and disparities related to children’s mental health. He is the recipient of several awards, including the APA’s Simon Bolivar Award and Lecture in Hispanic Psychiatry, and the AACAP’s Jeanne Spurlock Award and Lecture on Diversity and Culture.
The award will be presented to Dr. Pumariga during a ceremony at the 2024 APA Annual Meeting in New York City in May.