Dr. Sidney Hankerson honored with the 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Service Award

Sidney Hankerson, MD, MBA, is director of Mental Health Equity in the Institute for Health Equity Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. On March 21, 2024, he was honored with the 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Service Award. Dr. Hankerson was recognized for his commitment to innovative mental health services in under-resourced communities. The award was presented to Dr. Hankerson by Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq., Executive Director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and 135th President of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia. The honor was established by President George H.W. Bush. Dr. Hankerson was selected under then-President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

- By HEATHER M. BUTTS, JD, MPH, MA Special to the AmNews

Dr. Hankerson spoke with the Amsterdam News for a Q&A about the award, his work in under-resourced communities, and his research around depression and suicide. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

AmNews: Can you tell us about your background?