Summa Health announced on December 12 that a $1 million leadership gift received from philanthropists and community leaders Dr. Massood and Simin Babai will support the Summa Health Behavioral Health Institute and Summa Health Psychiatry Residency Program. In recognition of their legacy and commitment to the field of behavioral healthcare, the main lobby within the Juve Family Behavioral Health Pavilion on the Summa Health System – Akron Campus will be named The Dr. Massood and Simin Babai Lobby.

 

Dr. Massood Babai is the former chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Summa Health, medical director of Psychiatry at St. Thomas Hospital, and clinical professor of Psychiatry at Northeast Ohio Medical University. His expertise has greatly influenced and improved behavioral healthcare practices throughout the Northeast Ohio region.

 

Simin Babai served as a longtime member of the Women's Board of Summa Health. As a volunteer, she was actively engaged in service projects and philanthropic endeavors, working tirelessly to advance patient care and nursing education and development.

 

“We share Summa Health’s commitment to behavioral health and want to support its investment in the community,” said Dr. Massood and Simin Babai. “We desire to continue our legacy of generosity, service and leadership in a way that will have a profound impact on patients, physicians and staff served in the Summa Health Behavioral Health Institute and the Summa Health Psychiatry Residency Program.”

 

Summa Health President and CEO Dr. Cliff Deveny expressed his gratitude, stating, "We are immensely grateful to the Babai family for their generosity. This remarkable gift will significantly enhance our ability to provide comprehensive behavioral health services and develop the next generation of exceptional psychiatrists. Their unwavering commitment to the well-being of our community is truly inspiring.”

 

"Dr. Babai trained many psychiatrists and other behavioral health professionals throughout our community and beyond, impacting thousands of patients and families,” added Joseph Varley, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Summa Health. “The Babai family's commitment to mental health and the education of future psychiatrists is exemplary. This meaningful gift will strengthen the Psychiatry Residency Program and provide important resources for enhancing education and research.”