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Joshua C. Morganstein, MD

CAPT, USPHS (Ret.)
Scientific Advisor to the Director, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Military and Emergency Medicine
Uniformed Services University

Dr. Joshua C. Morganstein is Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Scientific Advisor to the Director at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) in the School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is a retired Captain from the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and previously spent 16 years as a Medical Officer in the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Morganstein is Past Chair (2019-2024) of the Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster and Distinguished Fellow at the American Psychiatric Association. He is a member of the Disaster Psychiatry and Military sections at the World Psychiatric Association. Dr. Morganstein received his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and completed a combined residency in Psychiatry and Family Medicine in the National Capital Consortium in Washington, DC.

Dr. Morganstein is an internationally recognized expert in Disaster Mental Health and frequently sought out to provide consultation and subject-matter guidance to national and international stakeholders on behaviors to foster mental health, well-being, and sustainment for leaders, first responders, emergency and healthcare workers, educators, and families during disaster and crisis events. He was asked to provide subject matter expertise on resilience and sustainment to groups impacted by the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Gaza conflict. Dr. Morganstein works with NATO and the 5Eyes Mental Health Research and Innovation Collaborative to support global mental health. He has co-authored numerous Position Statements and journal articles with global partners through the World Psychiatric Association. Dr. Morganstein was widely sought out during the global COVID-19 pandemic to aid healthcare systems, national organizations and associations, and global partners in practices to foster resilience and sustainment during prolonged, high stress, high risk situations. He was asked to assist the New York City public health and first responder systems to develop the HERO-NY workforce resilience program and conducted research with the U.S. National Guard that provided actionable recommendations and knowledge products for leaders to protect health and sustain military readiness.

Dr. Morganstein has authored hundreds of articles, chapters, technical reports, and other scholarly work on the mental health impact of disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires, mass violence, terrorism, nuclear exposure, pandemics, disaster communication and messaging, crisis leadership actions, and managing grief and loss. He developed dozens of action-oriented health education products, including easy to use, just-in-time fact sheets and other high yield resources with global dissemination and impact. Dr. Morganstein provided mental health subject-matter expertise to the United Nations’ “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030”, co-authored the innovative “Curriculum Recommendations for Disaster Behavioral Health Professionals”, as well as the Mental Health and Well-Being chapter in the POTUS-directed report “The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment”. He is the lead author and faculty member for “Disaster and Preventive Psychiatry: Protecting Health and Fostering Community Resilience”, the only comprehensive, online, interactive, training course on essential public mental health principles and interventions in disasters.

Dr. Morganstein received the 2020 American Psychiatric Association 2020 Bruno Lima award for exceptional contributions in support of communities effected by disasters. He received the Uniformed Services University 2020 Dean’s Impact award for national and global work in support of the Department of Defense and the nation in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Morganstein also received the U.S. Air Force Major Command Clinical Excellence Field Grade Officer of the Year award and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine’s Resident Teacher of the Year award. Dr. Morganstein’s uniformed service awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, and others.