Marshall Thomas MD is the 2012 recipient of the Invisible Disabilities Association Medical Honors Award. Dr. Thomas was chosen based upon his passion to provide exceptional clinical care and research for patients living with mental health disorders through his leadership as the Executive Director of the University of Colorado Depression Center. Under his guidance, the Depression Center has become a recognized leader in depression treatment and research as well as a much needed community resource for mood disorders for health professionals and the public.

The University of Colorado Depression Center is a comprehensive center that provides outpatient clinical services, conducts a wide array of research on the treatment and prevention of mood disorders and delivers numerous community programs designed to educate people about depression and bipolar disorder and reduce the stigma around mental health.  The Depression Center is part of the National Network of Depression Centers and is the only comprehensive center of its kind in the mountain west.  In addition to serving as the Depression Center Executive Director, Dr. Thomas serves as the President, CEO and Chief Medical Officer of Colorado Access, one of the largest non-profit health plans in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Throughout his career, Dr. Thomas has established himself not only as a skilled clinician, but as a strong leader in the field of mental health.  He has worked to develop systems of care that are inclusive, responsive and create synergies between patients and providers. He is a recognized national expert on improving patient health outcomes by integrating medical and behavioral health care.

Dr. Thomas’s research interests include Bipolar Disorder, Psychopharmacology, Health Services Research and Integrated Care.  He has served as principal investigator on numerous grants, research projects and clinical trials. He has published and lectured extensively on a wide range of psychiatric and healthcare-related topics.

Dr. Thomas received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin before attending Baylor College of Medicine, where he graduated with high honors.  He completed his psychiatric residency followed by a two year fellowship in clinical psychiatry at the University of Colorado School Of Medicine in Denver. He has been on the full-time faculty at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine since 1985.