Biography
DAVID A. DEITCH, PhD, a Clinical and Social Psychologist, is currently Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Deitch was the founding Director of the Center for Criminality & Addiction, Research, Training, & Application (CCARTA). He is still actively directing the Center. Dr. Deitch has over 45 years of experience in the development of drug abuse treatment systems for adolescents and adults, nationally and internationally. In the non-profit public health sector, he was Co-Founder of Daytop Village, Inc., and also served as Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for Phoenix House Foundation. In the academic sector, he has had appointments at Temple University, the University of Chicago, University of California at San Francisco (where he served as Chief of Substance Abuse Services). In the government sector he has served as Coordinator of Curriculum and Faculty for the United Nations East Central European Drug Abuse Treatment Training Project; has consulted to a variety of Departments of Corrections and Ministeries of Justice and Health, in Latin America, South East Asia and Europe. Dr. Deitch served during the Johnson Administration as consultant to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Crime and Juvenile Delinquency, and the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. During the Carter Administration, he chaired the White House Task Force on Prevention. He chaired the Curriculum Development Committee of the National Addiction Technology Transfer Centers, Technical Assistance Publication Series 21 — The Addiction Counseling Competencies: The Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Professional Practice, used today as a guideline for corrections and community based substance abuse treatment organizations. He further served as Regional Director of the Executive Committee of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse — Mentor Project (2000) and in 2005 was granted a Fulbright Scholars award recipient. At UCSD he has served on various educational committees (Medical Electives, Allied Health ) and is a member of the UCSD Health Science of Clinical Scholars. He has co-edited four books regarding social issues, crime and delinquency; he has additionally numerous publications, chapters and videos in the field of drug misuse, treatment, prevention, and social policy.
Research Interests
Efforts in this domain have been primarily practice based approaches in therapeutic community treatment of addictions, and other outpatient methodologies. Also, addressed have been issues of addiction and criminality, impact of prison based therapeutic community on inmate behaviors and uniform service quality of life. Another category of study has been the development of specific competencies for treatment of addictive disorders.
Clinical Focus
Contribution to the innovation of therapeutic community treatment for adult and adolescent drug overusers; therapeutic community for spine and head injury as well as t.c. approaches with the aged. The direct teaching and education of professionals and paraprofessionals in the delivery of drug abuse treatment services across a full continuum of models throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Finally, direct consultation to individuals and families.