The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has been an integral part of the Department of Psychiatry since the early 1960s. Psychiatry itself did not become a distinct department at UW–Madison until 1956, when it formally separated from Neurology. It was during the following decade that the subspecialty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry began to establish its place within academic psychiatry departments nationwide.
Prior to this transition, training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry was primarily conducted in community-based, non-university affiliated child guidance clinics, particularly throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. The integration of this subspecialty into academic settings, including UW–Madison, marked a significant shift in the professionalization and standardization of the field.
The University of Wisconsin’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program received its initial accreditation on October 12, 1963, and welcomed its first cohort of trainees in 1964. Among the inaugural fellows were Drs. Evan Pizer, Ed Orman, and John Anderson. Dr. Harold Borenz served as the first Division Director from 1963 to 1965, followed by Dr. Jack Westman, who joined UW from the University of Michigan in 1965. That same year, the Division further expanded with the arrival of Dr. William Bolman from Harvard University.
The origins of child psychiatry are interdisciplinary, drawing from pediatrics, psychoanalysis, social welfare, and child psychology. These foundational influences continue to inform the Division’s clinical, research, and educational missions.
In July 2020, Dr. Ryan Herringa was appointed Division Director, following the leadership of Drs. Marcia Slattery, Janet Lainhart, and Sharon Hirsch. Under Dr. Herringa’s direction, the Division remains committed to advancing the mental health of children, adolescents, and their families through compassionate care, innovative research, and excellence in training.
Today, the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is proud to be home to a dedicated and multidisciplinary team of faculty, clinicians, and staff. Their diverse expertise reflects our continued commitment to meeting the complex and evolving mental health needs of our community.
We are especially grateful to our alumni, including Drs. William Swift and Evan Pizer, for generously sharing their institutional knowledge and helping to preserve the rich history of our Division.
