Dr. Porter is a licensed, clinical psychologist. She is the Co-director  and developer of  The Gaston and Porter Health Improvement Center -responsible for providing culturally competent information and training -on effective and evidence based interventions, models, materials, and resources  to reduce emotional and physical health disparities especially in relationship to minority children and adults at the local, state and national level. One of the major activities of the Center  was the development of the Prime Time Sister Circles™ which  was  awarded the Johnson and Johnson Leadership in Women’s Health Award and Civic Ventures’ Purpose Prize award.

 

 Until  2005,  Dr Porter was a Principal Research Analyst and Senior Mental Health Advisor for the American Institute for Research. She was responsible for ensuring that numerous federally funded programs across the country had information and training on quality mental health services to families in which children have an emotional disturbance. These services were expected to be effective and/or evidence-based and reflect the Systems of Care principles of family involvement, cultural competence and sustainability.

 

Dr. Porter has been on the faculties of Johns Hopkins’ Psychiatry Department in the College of Medicine, and Howard University’s Psychology Department where she provided clinical supervision to senior staff and students of various disciplines. She was  the first African American female psychologist to be on the psychiatry faculty of Johns Hopkins. 

Dr. Porter has also been an administrator. She was the first director of two outpatientmental health centers for the Washington, D.C. Commission on Mental Health Services. She developed and was the first full time director of what has become a nationally known school based mental health program for Johns Hopkins University/Hospital in Baltimore.  For her work, she received: from the Mayor of Baltimore, a Mayor’s Citation and a Certificate and Award of Merit; and from the Maryland House of Delegates  a House Resolution Award  for an Outstanding Citizen. Dr. Porter’s program was featured on ABC’s Nightline as an example of a program that had a documented positive impact on violence reduction. It was also featured in two videos; “Voices of Strength: An Inside Look at Children’s Mental Health Issues.”  Sponsored by: Center for Mental Health Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services/Administration Department of Health and Human Services; and “Promising Practices for Safe and Effective Schools.”  Sponsored by: Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice at the American Institute for Research.

 

Dr. Porter is an internationally known expert and lecturer in the area of mental health, particularly as it relates to minority children, women and families especially African Americans. She has appeared on numerous national and local radio and television programs. During the sniper attacks, which occurred in the Washington, DC, area, Dr. Porter was once again featured on ABC’s Nightline.  She has conducted numerous workshops and seminars on issues related to African-American women.  In her private practice, the majority of her clients are African-American women and for many years she co-led a Black Women’s Support Group.

 

For her work in the area of mental health, Dr. Porter has received numerous prestigious awards-, including the St. Benedict Award for Community Service, in Chicago, IL the Ebenezer AME Church Award for Services Rendered to the Single Parents’ ministry in Fort Washington, MD, two Certificates of Appreciation from the Department of Health and Human, Substance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration in Rockville, MD. 

 

She has also been honored with the Dr. Addison Pope Award from the Black Mental Health Alliance for Education and Consultation, the Distinct Imprint Award from the National Association of University Women in Washington, D.C.; the Lifelong Commitment to Black Women's Health Award from the International Black Women's Congress; and the Shout Award from the Baraka ,Christian Counseling Center.  

 

Dr. Porter has also contributed articles to the mental health care literature  including: a chapter for the Handbook of Child and Adolescents Systems of Care: The New Community Psychiatry edited by Andres J. Pumeriega, M.D. and Nancy Winters M.D. published by Jossey-Bass, San Francisco,2003; and co-author with Dr. Win Turner of Taking Charge: An Introductory Guide to Choosing the Most Effective Treatment for the Mental, Behavioral and Emotional Health of Youth Within a System of Care (,2006). She also co-authored a  book with Dr. Marilyn Gaston-Prime Time: The African American Woman’s Complete Guide to Midlife Health and Wellness published by Random House, One World/ Ballantine Publishing Co. 2001 and revised in 2003.