Ontario Health is pleased to welcome Dr. Karen Rowa as the Provincial Clinical Lead for the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program for our Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence.
Dr. Rowa has extensive experience and expertise in evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy, using data to drive decision-making and quality improvement, and leading change management. She is currently the Psychologist and Clinical Director of the Anxiety Treatment & Research Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, the largest specialty anxiety clinic in Canada. She is also a Full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University.
Previously, Dr. Rowa was co-chair of the Depression and Anxiety-Related Disorders Expert Panel for the development of Guidance for Clinically Appropriate Use of Virtual Care with Ontario Health and contributed to the Anxiety Disorders and OCD Quality Standards Advisory Committee for Health Quality Ontario.
In this new role of Provincial Clinical Lead, Dr. Rowa will provide strategic and operational leadership to the OSP program. This includes oversight of quality clinical care, training, data quality, and performance monitoring/evaluation as well as leading change management, system planning and design for expansion and evolution of the program. She will be working very closely with Dr. Randi McCabe, the Provincial Clinical Lead for Depression & Anxiety-Related Disorders, and Dr. Caitlin Davey as the Provincial Indigenous Clinical Lead for Depression & Anxiety-Related Disorders.