Jonn Petrila, JD, LLM

The USF College of Public Health recently welcomed John Petrila, JD, LLM, as chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management.

Dr. Petrila joined the college as a professor in 2012, but is no stranger to the University of South Florida or the College.  He  joined USF as chair of the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the Florida Mental Health Institute.  He served as chair of FMHI until 2005. During his tenure, Dr. Petrila began teaching a Health Care Law and Regulation course at the COPH, a course he continues to teach.

Before coming to USF, he served as general counsel to the New York Office of Mental Health, the largest public mental health agency in the United States.Dr. Petrila’s research interests include the impact of health law on population health, disparities in access to health care, and the development and implementation of health policy.

Dr. Petrila is thrilled to be at the College of Public Health on a permanent basis. “I’ve always enjoyed teaching at the College, and given the dominant role the public’s health plays in virtually every policy discussion today, I can’t imagine being in a better place,” he said.

In January, President Judy Genshaft presented Dr. Petrila with the USF Outstanding Faculty Award. He received the USF President’s Award for Faculty Excellence in 2003 and in 2010 earned a Fulbright Scholar Award to teach and conduct research at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Additionally, he was a member of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Mandated Community Treatment and is past president of the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services.

Dr. John Petrila earned a master and juris doctor of law degrees from the University of Virginia. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from St. Joseph’s College.