About Us

Dr. Dawn Velligan has dedicated her career to developing and delivering state-of-the-art psychosocial treatments to make lives better for those with serious mental illness. Her internationally recognized research program focuses on the development and testing of psychosocial treatments to improve outcomes in schizophrenia. She developed Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT) a unique treatment system designed to bypass the cognitive problems observed in serious mental illness and improve functional outcomes. CAT has been disseminated to countries around the world.

Dr. Velligan is an expert in multiple evidence-based treatments and their adaptation to overburdened mental health systems. She has also trained individuals from multiple disciplines in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis. Additionally, she developed a novel, unique group intake process helped to design a web-based referral system to get individuals transitioning from emergency departments and hospitals seen for outpatient follow up quickly, efficiently, and in a manner that addresses their most pressing needs. She is an author of numerous publications in high impact journals and she has received grant funding from the National Institute of Health, The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, industry and private foundations.

Dr. Maples received her doctoral degree in public health and her master’s degree in clinical psychology. Dr. Maples is a principal investigator on multiple projects focusing on dissemination of evidence-based practices, the utilization of Cognitive Adaptation Training for individuals leaving an institutional setting and training thousands of clinicians around the world. Her area of concentration is on the implementation of psychosocial treatments and liaising with community mental health clinics, government agencies, and insurance administrators.

Dr. Maples has worked to adapt psychosocial treatments developed at our site to special populations and has supervised therapists both clinically and administratively for nearly two decades. She is recognized as an expert in structured interviewing and rating for clinical research and has produced a number of training tapes in this area. Dr. Maples is author and co-author of numerous publications, abstracts, and presentations.

Dr. David Roberts develops, studies, teaches and disseminates psychosocial treatments for mental illness. He is the lead developer of Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT), which is designed to improve social functioning by way of improved social cognition among people with serious mental illness. SCIT has been the subject of over 30 peer-reviewed publications and has been implemented in 11 countries. The SCIT treatment manual is published in Oxford University Press` “Treatments that Work” series and has been translated into eight languages. Dr. Roberts trains clinicians and researchers in the US and abroad to implement SCIT in routine clinical settings and as part of clinical trials.

Dr. Roberts is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and regularly trains and consults with groups of healthcare professionals throughout Texas.

At UT Health, he has served as Clinical Director of the Transitional Care Clinic (TCC) which provided post-hospitalization medication, psychotherapy and social work service for more than 1500 patients annually. At the TCC Dr. Roberts supervises psychotherapy and oversees an interdisciplinary training curriculum for over twenty trainees from seven disciplines and four affiliated universities each year.

Matt Brown, Ph. D. received his degree in psychology from UT Austin in 2009. His training focused on anxiety, neuropsychological assessment, and cognitive behavior therapy. Shortly after receiving his degree, he joined the Division of Community Recovery, Research and Training in the Department of Psychiatry at UT Health San Antonio where he currently serves as a Research Area Specialist – Lead. He trains individuals from multiple disciplines in evidence-based approaches to high levels of fidelity. He has published multiple articles related to anxiety and serious mental illness. His research and clinical interests include psychosocial interventions oriented toward reduction of symptom distress as well as improving function and quality of life for individuals living with the effects of schizophrenia. He has also played a role in working on the Home and Community Based Services – Adult Mental Health program, which focuses on increasing supports and continuity of care for individuals who are high service utilizers living in the community.

Ms. Medellin received her master’s degree in clinical psychology. She has more than a decade of experience in the implementation of evidence-based treatments for individuals with mental health challenges. She has been a Cognitive Adaptation Training trainer and supervisor for more than 10 years, providing ongoing supervision for our high utilizer team. Ms. Medellin is also currently dedicated to the area of trauma-focused therapy and provides of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD.

Ms. Sierra received her master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance. Ms. Sierra has more than 10 years’ experience administering psychosocial and neurological clinical assessments, along with providing and supervising in-home evidence based clinical services and coordinating numerous clinical research studies. She has provided these services primarily to individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders, focusing on the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia, the functional consequences of these deficits, and interventions to decrease cognitive impairment and improve community function in individuals with this illness. She has been involved in training clinicians regionally and internationally in Cognitive Adaptation Training. As a clinician, Ms. Sierra has a special interest in working with those individuals that may slip through the cracks of our mental health system and by providing a safe agenda free environment allowing the person to direct their own path while focusing on their own personal goals.

Ms. Wright received her master’s in Social Work. Ms. Wright has worked in adult behavioral health for nearly a decade. Most recently, she supervised a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians trained in Cognitive Adaptation Training as part of the Money Follows the Person Behavioral Health Pilot in Texas. She serves as the primary project coordinator and contact for the Texas Promoting Independence Initiative.

Ms. Furner received her master’s degree in Social Work. She currently serves as a Cognitive Adaptation Training trainer in the Texas Prompting Independence Initiative. Ms. Furner has worked with individuals with behavioral health challenges across the age spectrum, in both outpatient and inpatient settings. She has experience working with children/adolescents and their families, Transition Aged Youth, and adults alike. Ms. Furner has a special interest in cultural competence, substance use disorders, and working with the LGBTQ+ community. She believes strongly in providing person centered care.