COMHAR

COMHAR is pleased to formally welcome Leon Cushenberry, MD, who joined COMHAR on April 20, 2026, as our new Medical Director.

After an extensive search, Dr. Cushenberry was selected for his broad experience in community-based behavioral health settings, his deep commitment to community psychiatry, and his thoughtful, strategic approach to strengthening clinical and operational excellence. We were also inspired by his visionary mindset and his commitment to advancing innovative, person-centered services grounded in quality care, accessibility, and long-term sustainability.

As Medical Director, Dr. Cushenberry will represent and support the agency across our clinical programs and services. He will work collaboratively with our leadership and clinical teams to enhance and strengthen clinical service delivery throughout COMHAR. In addition, he will provide direct oversight to the agency’s psychiatrists and nurse practitioners, with Dr. Anika Vaughn Cooke and Dr. Gordon Zeis reporting directly to him.

Dr. Cushenberry was born and raised in metropolitan Los Angeles, California. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, Davis, and completed his Psychiatry Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Following residency, he completed a Public Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Cushenberry is a community-based psychiatrist with extensive experience serving individuals with serious mental health challenges. His work is grounded in an understanding of the structural determinants of mental health, health equity, and intersectionality as they relate to whole-person, recovery-oriented care. Throughout his career, he has served in several community mental health settings, including Assertive Community Treatment and targeted case management programs in Philadelphia. He has also worked as a psychiatrist in several inpatient hospitals throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region. His professional interests include strengthening local systems of care and exploring the intersections of culture, identity, and mental health and well-being.

Outside of his professional work, Dr. Cushenberry enjoys exploring local and international travel destinations, attending performing arts events and concerts, and learning about aviation and cultural storytelling through food.

Please join me in warmly welcoming Dr. Cushenberry to COMHAR. While his role will take him across many of our programs and locations, his primary office will be based at the Latino Treatment Program, located at 2600 N. American Street. He can be reached at [email protected].

We are excited to have Dr. Cushenberry join COMHAR’s leadership team and look forward to the knowledge, compassion, and innovation he brings to our organization and the communities we serve.

NATIONAL NURSES WEEK - May 6 - May 13, 2026

During National Nurses Week, COMHAR proudly recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary nurses who dedicate their careers to supporting individuals with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities.

Their work requires more than clinical expertise—it demands patience, empathy, advocacy, and a deep respect for each person’s dignity and lived experience. They walk alongside individuals through moments of challenge and triumph, building trust, fostering independence, and offering stability, compassion, and hope every single day.

Mental health and IDD nurses are healers, listeners, educators, and champions. They help people find their voices, honor their strengths, and navigate systems that are often complex and overwhelming. Their presence brings calm, reassurance, and humanity to care that is deeply personal and profoundly impactful.

To all of the COMHAR nurses, thank you for choosing this meaningful work. Your dedication changes lives, strengthens families, and enriches communities. We are deeply grateful for all that you do—this week and always.

COMHAR CELEBRATES AUTISM ACCEPTANCE WEEK - MARCH 23 - 29