Phoenix House New York Welcomes New Chief Medical Officer, Kristine Torres-Lockhart

Phoenix House boosts leadership with new chief medical officer and veteran addiction medicine specialist, strengthening deep bench of experts to help combat the ongoing healthcare crisis facing New Yorkers

NEW YORK, NY (07/01/2025) (readMedia)-- Phoenix House of New York and Long Island welcomes its new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kristine Torres-Lockhart, marking a bold investment in leadership at a time of urgent need for behavioral health services across the state. About 945,000 New Yorkers report an unmet need for essential mental health care – a figure that's likely to balloon if federal Medicaid cuts advance through Congress. Dr. Torres-Lockhart's arrival reinforces Phoenix House's commitment to providing holistic care, rooted in a philosophy of harm reduction, for people living with substance use disorders.

A nationally recognized leader in the field, Dr. Torres-Lockhart is an internal medicine physician and addiction medicine specialist with deep expertise in clinical care, medical education, and health system transformation. She has served as Principal Investigator on federal and state-funded initiatives, including HRSA, SAMHSA, and OASAS training grants, all aimed at expanding and destigmatizing the addiction medicine workforce. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the New York Society of Addiction Medicine (NYSAM).

"In a moment where science, evidence, and equity are being challenged, and thousands of New Yorkers are at risk of losing essential care, the need for high-quality addiction and mental health services is more urgent than ever. As an addiction medicine physician and primary care provider dedicated to improving hospital systems and care delivery, I have spent my career treating people using an evidence-based and harm reduction-oriented approach. I am honored to bring my expertise to Phoenix House, and look forward to combining my passions with the organization's long history of providing holistic, people-centered care for our most vulnerable communities," said Dr. Kristine Torres-Lockhart, Chief Medical Officer of Phoenix House.

"At a time when our city and state are grappling with the devastating impact of untreated substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions, Dr. Torres-Lockhart brings the clinical expertise, strategic vision, and deep humanity needed to lead our work forward. We are thrilled to welcome her to our executive team and excited for the future we'll build together, supporting New Yorkers at each of our centers," said Ann-Marie Foster, President & CEO of Phoenix House.

Prior to joining Phoenix House, Dr. Torres-Lockhart served in multiple leadership roles at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, where she provided internal medicine and addiction medicine care to underserved communities. She was the founding director of the Addiction Consult Service at Montefiore's Weiler Hospital and the Program Director of the Addiction Medicine Physician Fellowship Program.

About Phoenix House: For nearly 60 years, Phoenix House New York and Long Island has helped thousands of people overcome substance and alcohol use in order to lead healthy, productive, and rewarding lives. Born as a model for integrated substance use treatment, Phoenix House has grown into a treatment network that offers short-term and long-term residential, intensive outpatient, and general outpatient treatment. Phoenix House also offers treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders, clinical services, medication for addiction treatment, health and wellness goals, and vocational and educational support.

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