April 10, 2006

Dr. Cynthia Archer-Gift, a 10-year veteran of the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), has been named acting director of the Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital, MDCH Director Janet Olszewski announced today.

“We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Cynthia’s caliber lead one of our critical psychiatric care facilities,” Olszewski said. “Her experience and understanding of nursing and mental health issues is vital as we work to ensure that Walter P. Reuther Psychiatric Hospital continues to deliver the best in mental health services to the people of Michigan.”

Dr. Gift is the first Caribbean-American woman to run the hospital in its history, Olszewski said.

Archer-Gift holds a Ph.D in Higher Education/Psychiatric Nursing Administration and a Specialists Degree in Education Administration and Supervision from Wayne State University and both masters and bachelors degrees in nursing from the University of Detroit-Mercy.

Born on the island of Trinidad and Tobago, Archer-Gift was first educated in England and Scotland, and is also a graduate of the West Herts Hospital School of Nursing in Hertfordshire, England, and William Smellie Maternity Hospital in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

“Despite working in a climate of limited resources, it is an exciting time to work in this field and at Walter Reuther,” Archer-Gift said. “We have a dedicated group of staff who are absolutely committed to providing high quality, safe care to consumers in Wayne County, and making our facility a center of excellence.”

Dr. Gift is a recognized professional in the field of nursing. She is a participant and presenter, on behalf of MDCH, in a bi-annual conference held on different Caribbean islands. She also has presented on the initiatives taken in Michigan regarding violence in the workplace.

In 2003, she presented on initiatives taken towards the philosophy of person-centered planning. In 2003, she represented psychiatric nurses, through the Michigan Nurses Association, to the American Nurses Association to the House of Delegates in Washington, D.C.

While in England, she worked as a nurse-midwife for approximately a year before moving to the United States in 1968. In 1973, she became an American citizen.