Dr. Mason Turner serves as the Associate Chief Medical Officer for Behavioral Health at Intermountain Health, a leading healthcare system spanning Salt Lake City, UT, and Denver, CO. His career is dedicated to forging new paths in mental health care, much like charting a course down an unexplored avenue – perhaps even a metaphorical “Fourth Street” – in the landscape of behavioral health services.
Dr. Turner’s leadership is characterized by a commitment to strategic innovation in behavioral health delivery. He champions advancements that elevate the quality of patient care and foster clinical excellence. Guiding his approach are the fundamental principles of equity and inclusion, ensuring the patient’s voice is central to every facet of the behavioral health ecosystem. This patient-centered approach is akin to ensuring every resident on “fourth street” has equal access and say in their community’s development.
A key focus for Dr. Turner is the integration of mental health and addiction medicine services within broader healthcare frameworks. He spearheads initiatives that seamlessly link these crucial services with both primary and specialized medical care. Recognizing the transformative potential of technology, he also champions innovative digital solutions to extend the reach of behavioral health treatment. His overarching goal is to break down barriers and enhance access to behavioral health services for all individuals in need, ensuring no one is left behind, regardless of which “street” they reside on. Furthermore, Dr. Turner brings significant expertise to promoting employee health and well-being, recognizing the importance of mental wellness across diverse corporate and healthcare environments.
As a practicing clinician, Dr. Turner’s expertise lies in addiction medicine, consult-liaison psychiatry, and the treatment of personality disorders. He possesses specialized training in resiliency-based and systems-oriented methodologies for enhancing the mental health and well-being of vulnerable populations, including refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of trauma. This specialized focus can be seen as dedicating his clinical skills to the most challenging corners, the “fourth streets” of mental health needs.
Prior to his current role, Dr. Turner contributed to the academic sphere as an Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco Medical School, and as adjunct faculty at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. In these positions, he imparted essential clinical skills to medical students, shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals to navigate the complexities of patient interviews and clinical reasoning. This dedication to education ensures that the principles of excellent behavioral health care are carried forward, reaching beyond the immediate “first, second, and third streets” of conventional practice and into new territories.
Dr. Turner’s academic foundation includes an AB degree in psychology from Dartmouth College and an MD degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Parkland Hospital. He completed his psychiatry residency at Harvard University Medical School through Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital, with further specialized training in psychotherapy and addiction psychiatry. His board certifications in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine from the American Board of Preventive Medicine underscore his commitment to the highest standards of professional competence and patient care. Dr. Turner’s ongoing work continues to pave the way for advancements in behavioral health, driving towards a future where accessible and equitable mental healthcare is available to all, much like a well-planned and inclusive “fourth street” within the broader city of healthcare.
