The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) Behavioral Health Division announced the hiring of Terry Kinney, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry, as a mental health midlevel practitioner at the Haa Toowóo Náakw Hít outpatient behavioral health clinic in Sitka.

“We are very excited to have a physician assistant with a certification in psychiatry join the clinic staff,” said Janice Hamrick, LCSW, BHP, SEARHC Community Family Services program manager and interim Haa Toowóo Náakw Hít clinic manager. “Terry comes to us with a wide range of experience. We are excited about his holistic approach.”

Terry is certified as a physician assistant with a certificate of added qualifications (CAQ) in psychiatry by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants. He attended the University of Washington in Seattle, where he earned his physician assistant credential through the University of Washington School of Medicine’s MEDEX program and also earned a Bachelor of Clinical Health Services degree. In addition, he holds a licensed practical nurse credential earned at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Wash.

Before moving to Sitka, Terry worked in Bethel practicing primary care and psychiatry with the Bethel Family Clinic. Prior to moving to Alaska, Terry worked as a psychiatric physician assistant at Shasta County Mental Health and for psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Andrews, both in Redding, Calif., and for Frontier Village Family Health Care in Red Bluff, Calif. He also has worked as a psychiatric nurse at Western State Hospital in Steilacoom, Wash., and Pierce County Behavioral Health in Tacoma.

Terry said he loves working with the severely mentally ill patients as well as all the other psychiatric patients. He also enjoys hiking, golf, waterskiing, fishing, hunting, ranching and gardening.

“I am really enjoying my new position here in Sitka,” Terry said. “My co-workers are great and very helpful. Everyone has been helpful.”