Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services Secretary Arkoosh Part of Signing Event
See video of the event on PaCAST.
On March 25, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Torrance State Hospital formalized a clinical training affiliation agreement for students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh presented remarks during the event.
From left: Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess; IUP Vice President for University Advancement Jennifer DeAngelo; IUP proposed college of osteopathic medicine Founding Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Graduate Medical Education Ryan Smith; IUP Council of Trustees member Tim Cejka; IUP proposed college of osteopathic medicine Founding Dean Miko Rose; IUP Council of Trustees Chairman and Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors Vice Chair Sam Smith; IUP President Michael Driscoll; Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh; Torrance State Hospital CEO Stacey Keilman; Torrance State Hospital Chief Operating Officer John O’Donnell; Jill Mountain representing Rep. Jim Struzzi; Torrance State Hospital Interim Chief Medical Officer Daleep Rathore; Jon Longwill, representing Sen. Joe Pittman; IUP proposed college of osteopathic medicine Founding Associate Dean of Preclinical Affairs Luke H. Mortensen; and Director of State Hospital Operations Phil Mader.
“I began my career practicing medicine in teaching hospitals in Philadelphia, and I saw firsthand how vital hands-on clinical experience in a real hospital environment was to the medical professionals in training,” Secretary Arkoosh said.
Secretary Arkoosh speaking at the Torrance signing
“It is our hope that this partnership with IUP will give students the skills they need to promote individuals’ health and well-being while contributing to their communities’ health and investing in their future careers. I’m grateful for the work staff at Torrance do every day to support Pennsylvanians, and this partnership with IUP will be a vital part of the rural health solution.”
IUP’s Council of Trustees endorsed the exploration of a possible development of a college of osteopathic medicine at IUP in December 2022. IUP has formally initiated steps towards accreditation of its proposed college of osteopathic medicine from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, a three- to five-year process that includes submission of self-studies and a feasibility study, along with site visits.
Securing clinical training sites for students is part of the successful accreditation process. Typically, students in colleges of osteopathic medicine spend the first two years of their education in the classroom; during the third and fourth years, students are based in the community at clinical sites.
Today’s signing ceremony took place at Torrance State Hospital. In addition to Secretary Arkoosh, the event included remarks by Director of State Hospital Operations Phil Mader (a 1985 IUP graduate); Torrance State Hospital CEO Stacey Keilman; Torrance State Hospital Interim Chief Medical Officer Daleep Rathore; IUP President Michael Driscoll; IUP proposed college of osteopathic medicine Founding Dean Miko Rose, and Founding Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Graduate Medical Education Ryan Smith. Torrance State Hospital Chief Operating Officer John O’Donnell was one of the agreement signers. Jonathan Longwill, representing Sen. Joe Pittman, also offered remarks.
Founding Dean Miko Rose and IUP President Michael Driscoll signing the Torrance State Hospital Clinical Training Affiliation Agreement
“A college of osteopathic medicine will be a natural extension of IUP’s academic and research strengths in health sciences and our commitment to community health and wellness,” President Driscoll said. “Formalizing clinical training affiliation agreements with community hospitals are at the center of our work to educate and keep talented and promising physicians here in the commonwealth, including in our rural communities,” he said. “We’ve chosen to purse development a college of osteopathic medicine because those graduates are more likely to pursue primary care in rural and underserved areas.
“Part of Pennsylvania’s acute and worsening rural healthcare crisis is a lack of mental healthcare resources,” he said. “IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine is committed to educating our students in mental and behavioral health beyond what is standard in the traditional medical education curriculum, understanding that physicians in rural practice are often called on by patients to address mental and behavioral health in addition to other health issues. Training opportunities at a top-notch facility like Torrance State Hospital will greatly enhance the student experience and benefit patients,” President Driscoll said.
“Dr. Arkoosh has been a life-long champion for rural healthcare and has offered important public support for IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine, including at the 2024 IUP-Indiana Regional Medicine Center’s Rural Health Conference. We are grateful to Dr. Arkoosh and her team, and to Torrance State Hospital leadership and staff, for their commitment to mental and behavioral healthcare in our rural communities,” he said.
Torrance State Hospital CEO Stacey Keilman at the podium signing the Clinical Training Affiliation Agreement, with Founding Dean Miko Rose (left) and IUP President Michael Driscoll
The Torrance State Hospital clinical training agreement is IUP’s 12th formal signed agreement. Agreements are in place with Conemaugh Nason Medical Center, Penn Highlands Healthcare, Clarion Psychiatric Center, Armstrong County Memorial Hospital, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Broad Top Area Medical Center, Hyndman Area Health Centers, Nulton Diagnostics and Treatment Center, The Primary Health Network, Indiana Regional Medical Center, and Punxsutawney Area Hospital (June 2024).
Rose was hired as the founding dean of the proposed college of osteopathic medicine in November 2023; the hiring of a founding dean is one of the first steps to establishing the college.
“Torrance State Hospital provides high-level and complex care to patients and will be an incredibly valuable educational experience for our students,” Founding Dean Rose said. “IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine is committed to providing mental and behavioral health training to our students, regardless of what type of medical specialty they pursue, because they will be called on to help patients facing mental and behavioral health issues. Providing care to the whole person is central to the osteopathic medicine model of caring, so sites like Torrance State Hospital are essential to helping our students become competent and well-prepared physicians,” Rose said.
Rose, named one of Pennsylvania’s Fifty Over 50 top leaders in 2024 by City & State Pennsylvania, is one of fewer than 150 physicians elected as a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists by the Fellows of the American College of Neuropsychiatrists/American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists.
Ryan Smith speaking at the podium, with Founding Dean Miko Rose standing and IUP President Michael Driscoll seated
Founding Dean Miko Rose speaking at the podium, with IUP President Michael Driscoll, seated
In addition to Founding Dean Rose and Associate Founding Dean Smith, IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine administrative team includes Founding Associate Dean of Preclinical Affairs Luke H. Mortensen.
There are only three colleges of osteopathic medicine in Pennsylvania, all at private universities; IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine would be the only college of osteopathic medicine at a public university.
National studies show that graduates from programs of osteopathic medicine are more likely to pursue primary care in rural and underserved areas—57 percent of all doctors of osteopathic medicine practice as general practitioners, and more than 20 percent of DO graduates practice in rural areas. Demand is high for osteopathic medicine training: in 2021, 22,708 applicants competed for 8,280 seats at schools of osteopathic medicine.
IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine and IUP’s commitment to addressing the rural health crisis continues to draw support from individual donors, foundations, agencies, and legislators:
- In February, IUP announced gifts totaling $500,000: a $250,000 gift from an anonymous donor and a $250,000 gift from the Fairman Family Foundation of DuBois;
- In December 2024, Theodore Lazzaro, board-certified surgeon and founder of Aestique Med Spa, gifted $50,000 to IUP for scholarships for students in health care professions;
- In October 2024, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors designated $2 million in design funds as part of the 2024–25 State System of Higher Education capital allocations budget for the academic building renovation for the health sciences cluster and proposed college of osteopathic medicine;
- Senator Joe Pittman and Representative Jim Struzzi announced in October 2024 that $2 million from the 2024–25 state budget has been set aside for the project;
- In July 2024, IUP graduates Tim and Debra Phillips Cejka gifted $2 million;
- In June 2024, the Foundation for IUP committed $20 million;
- In May 2024, Congressman Guy Reschenthaler included $2 million for IUP’s project among his FY25 requested community projects and Senator John Fetterman included $2 million on his list to advance in the FY25 Community Project Funding (CPF) process;
- IUP received a $150,000 allocation for the project in the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024, which was sponsored by Congressman Reschenthaler and Senator Fetterman and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 9, 2024;
- In February 2024, the Board of Governors allocated $500,000 for a facilities feasibility study for academic facilities for IUP’s health sciences cluster and proposed college of osteopathic medicine;
- In January 2024, IUP’s Alumni Association Board of Directors authorized a donation of $500,000;
- In December 2023, Sen. Pittman announced that as part of the 2023–24 state budget, $2 million was set aside for the project;
- In July 2023, IUP graduates Nick Jacobs and Mary Ann Hoysan Jacobs donated $40,000 to advance the project. Nick Jacobs is a 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient who has a 1969 bachelor’s degree in education and a 1972 master’s degree in music education; Mary Ann Jacobs has a 1968 bachelor’s degree in music education and a 1993 master’s degree in adult and community education;
- In May 2023, Rich Caruso, a 1983 accounting graduate from Meadow Lands, 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and former president and current member of the Foundation for IUP Board of Directors and member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors, announced a pledge of $1 million for the project.
About Torrance State Hospital
Torrance State Hospital is one of DHS’ six state hospitals that provide inpatient services for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness in a supportive and restorative environment. Staff at Torrance provide patients with the opportunity for rehabilitation, growth, and coping skills and strategies to manage their illness. Torrance collaborates with county programs, behavioral health providers, family members, and advocates in order to help individuals receive inpatient treatment with the goal of returning individuals to their communities to continue treatment in the least restrictive setting.
Torrance also operates one of DHS’ two forensic units for people involved in the justice system who are court-ordered to competency restoration treatment and the Sexual Responsibility and Treatment Program, which provides behavioral health and sex offense-specific psychiatric treatment for young adult offenders who age out of juvenile programs but are found by a court to still be at risk of re-offense.
Admissions to Torrance State Hospital are generally initiated by an appropriate county program office or behavioral health provider when longer-term, involuntary inpatient treatment is determined to be the best course of treatment or by court order due to justice system involvement.
About Secretary Arkoosh
Valerie Arkoosh, a physician and public health professional, was appointed to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services by Governor Josh Shapiro in January 2023. She officially became secretary on June 29, 2023.
The mission of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is to assist Pennsylvanians in leading safe, healthy, and productive lives through equitable, trauma-informed, and outcome-focused services while being an accountable steward of commonwealth resources. Its offices include the Office of Child Development and Early Learning; Office of Children, Youth & Families; Office of Developmental Programs; Office of Income Maintenance; Office of Long Term Living; Office of Medical Assistance Programs; Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services; and Office of Administration.
Prior to her current position, Secretary Arkoosh served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. As Commission Chair, Secretary Arkoosh was committed to strengthening services for children, veterans, and seniors. She led the efforts to eliminate street homelessness of veterans and streamline delivery of human services. Recognizing the need for a strong, supported workforce in executing these goals, she instituted a $15 minimum wage and gender-neutral paid parental leave for Montgomery County employees. Drawing on her background as a physician, she oversaw a multi-pronged, integrated response to the opioid overdose epidemic, including issuing a standing order in 2015 to enable participating pharmacies in Montgomery County to dispense the overdose antidote naloxone at the request of any member of the public.
As a physician and public health professional, Secretary Arkoosh was at the center of Montgomery County’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, leading a data- and science-driven approach to the unprecedented challenge. Arkoosh’s leadership was praised during the county’s response, especially her transparency and public communication throughout the pandemic. Secretary Arkoosh is also a staunch advocate for maternal health and reproductive rights, and she serves on the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee.
Upon obtaining her master of public health in 2007, Arkoosh became deeply engaged in the national effort to achieve comprehensive health care reform. She led the National Physicians Alliance, a national nonprofit organization of physicians, who, putting their patients before profits, joined a broad-based, nationwide coalition for reform. During this time, she developed policy and legislative strategies and promoted public engagement in Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, and throughout the country. Arkoosh maintains comprehensive knowledge of the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its impact on individuals and the health care system.
Prior to stepping into public service, Secretary Arkoosh was professor of clinical anesthesiology and clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. Arkoosh is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and received a master of public health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She performed her residency at Jefferson Medical College in Anesthesiology with a special focus in obstetrics. She has an undergraduate degree in economics from Northwestern University.
Secretary Arkoosh lives in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, with her husband and their three children.