Dr. James Carter, Sr. Lecture: Eyes on the Prize, 2026 Ed. Intentionally & Sustainably Pursuing Social Justice as Mental Health Clinicians

Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson is a triple board-certified psychiatrist specialising in child & adolescent, adult, and forensic psychiatry, currently serving as Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM). An alumna of Florida A & M University and the University of Florida College of Medicine, she completed her psychiatry training at Harvard and fellowships at Emory, where she remains adjunct faculty. At MSM, Dr. Vinson established the first Child Psychiatry Fellowship at an HBCU medical school.

She co-edits two books-Social (In)Justice and Mental Health and Pediatric Mental Health for Primary Care Providers-and has published widely on topics including children's mental health, trauma, and social justice. Her accolades include the APA SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Alumna Award, NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award, and recognitions from the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture, Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association, and City of Atlanta.

Dr. Vinson holds national and state appointments, including with the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Governor of Georgia. She serves on boards such as the American Association of Community Psychiatry and Bazelon Center, and is a frequent invited speaker at major psychiatric and public health conferences.