Dr. Meera Narasimhan Honored for Mental Health Contributions
Dr. Meera Narasimhan, a leader at Prisma Health and a University of South Carolina faculty member, has been awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor. Dr. Narasimhan serves as a professor and chair of the Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
With over 25 years dedicated to mental health care, Dr. Narasimhan was instrumental in establishing and expanding South Carolina’s telepsychiatry programs, which deliver mental health services to rural and underserved communities. In 2015, while serving as the Associate Provost for Health Sciences at USC, she spearheaded the ICARE program. She also played a role in the establishment of the Center for Rural Health and Primary Care in 2017.
Dr. Narasimhan developed a nationally recognized research program that secured more than $30 million in grant funding. This program advanced innovations in telehealth, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, and contributed to the training and mentorship of numerous behavioral health professionals.
Dr. Jonathan Gleason, executive vice president and chief clinical officer for Prisma Health, noted Dr. Narasimhan’s extraordinary impact on behavioral health care in South Carolina. Dr. Tony Asher, president of the Prisma Health Neuroscience Institute, stated that Dr. Narasimhan’s work has helped position South Carolina as a leader in advancing brain health.
