University of Maryland Launches Innovative Clinician Training Program in Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for Mental Health

Funding from Baszucki Group fuels program for healthcare professionals to learn by doing.

Baszucki Group today announced a partnership with University of Maryland School of Medicine for an innovative training initiative that will build capacity for delivering ketogenic metabolic therapy in mental health care. The program, titled “LIVE IT~LAUNCH IT: Learning How to Implement and Use a Ketogenic Diet to Improve Mental Health in Your Patients For Health Care Workers” is led by Deanna Kelly, PharmD, BCPP, the Dr. William and Carol Carpenter Professor in Psychiatry for Mental Illness Research and Director of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. This initiative aims to educate and empower practitioners by guiding them in adopting the intervention themselves. The aim is to prepare a variety of healthcare professionals to safely and confidently incorporate this promising personalized metabolic treatment framework in both clinical and research settings.

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Deanna Kelly, PharmD, BCPP, Live It, Launch It program lead

The effectiveness of ketogenic metabolic therapy across a range of serious mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, is supported by growing evidence including pilot trials from institutes such as Stanford University School of Medicine, University of Edinburgh, and Ohio State University. With its potential to act as a transdiagnostic tool, ketogenic metabolic therapy is rapidly emerging as a powerful treatment option.

However, a critical gap exists. There is a lack of infrastructure for ketogenic metabolic therapy treatment for the vast majority of people. “Working in this field, I have received a tremendous outpouring from the community looking for guidance, both from families seeking this treatment option but also from clinicians looking for training options,” said Dr. Kelly. “This study is designed to improve access to care. It moves beyond knowledge sharing, equipping providers with the practical skills and confidence to implement a medical ketogenic diet and provide a truly personalized, holistic treatment option for patients.”

The comprehensive two-part program is specifically designed to build competence and confidence. Clinician participants will receive in-depth education on the nutritional science, treatment protocols, and implementation challenges of this approach. Crucially, they will also gain first-hand experience by personally engaging with the diet and tracking changes in their mental health and metabolic markers such as daily ketone and glucose levels. “Education alone is not always enough to change behavior,” Dr. Kelly explains. “A practical experiential piece is required to build the competence and confidence that is required for effective implementation.”

The immediate demand for this training confirms its necessity. “We’ve been blown away by the enthusiasm. The program was fully enrolled in a short space of time. This shows that there really is an appetite for this type of program,” Dr. Kelly noted. The program includes 40 participants drawn from the broader population of clinical care workers, including psychologists, physicians, and social workers.

This program is part of a continued commitment by Baszucki Group to expand access to metabolic therapies for patients with serious mental illness by supporting key research and capacity building projects. “Our hope is that the information gathered from this model will be used to shape the future development and expansion of similar programs globally,” said Julie Milder, PhD, Director of Neuroscience at Baszucki Group.

About Baszucki Group

Launched in 2021 by Roblox founder and Chief Executive Officer David Baszucki and best-selling author Jan Ellison Baszucki, Baszucki Group leverages private giving, impact investing, advocacy, storytelling and community building to drive foundational change. A primary objective of Baszucki Group is to transform mental health outcomes by supporting initiatives at the intersection of metabolism, psychiatry, and neuroscience. To learn more about metabolic approaches to mental disorders, including ketogenic therapy, visit Metabolic Mind, a nonprofit initiative of Baszucki Group.

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