COLUMBIA, MD / ACCESS Newswire / September 22, 2026 / Marquis Who's Who is proud to interview and honor Dr. Sushma Jani, MD, for her distinguished contributions to psychiatry, pediatrics, addiction medicine and community behavioral health. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process. In Dr. Jani's case, that recognition reflects a career devoted to reducing mental health stigma, expanding care in underserved communities and helping patients regain stability, independence and hope.

Dr. Jani serves as medical director of Community Behavioral Health and has held senior medical leadership roles with Maple Shade Youth and Family Services since 2005, including chief medical officer and associate medical director. She has also worked as a pediatric emergency physician at Howard County Hospital since 1999.

At Maple Shade Youth and Family Services, Dr. Jani supports an organization that provides therapy, psychiatric treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, respite care and health education to children, adolescents and their families. Its services include individual, family and group counseling, psychiatric and medication evaluations, medication management and community-based support designed to help families apply therapeutic skills in everyday life.

In her Marquis Who's Who interview, Dr. Jani explains that her mission is especially focused on rural and underserved areas, where families may encounter significant barriers to psychiatric care. She advocates for evidence-based, outcome-targeted treatment and works to challenge the shame and guilt that can prevent people experiencing anxiety, depression, addiction or other mental health concerns from seeking assistance. She remarked, "On average, someone with depression waits nine to 11 years before seeking treatment, whereas a person with diabetes typically sees a doctor within 90 days. The mental health stigma views these issues as personal weaknesses. Our goal is to educate and support individuals to live and enjoy life."

Her greatest professional satisfaction comes from seeing patients build better futures. Former patients have returned years later to share that they completed high school, attended college or became social workers and substance abuse counselors. Some have returned as parents or grandparents, allowing Dr. Jani to witness the effect of effective mental health care across multiple generations.

In her Marquis Who's Who interview, Dr. Jani states that, in addition to treating behavioral and emotional disorders, she works to prevent substance misuse and address the opioid crisis. Her efforts include collaboration with the legal system in rural Maryland to help individuals pursue recovery and avoid repeated involvement with the justice system. She has also helped establish a residency rotation with a local hospital and George Washington University, where she has served on the faculty. Dr. Jani and her family also created a legacy scholarship in memory of her husband, Dr. Niranjan Jani. The scholarship emphasizes the relationship between neurology and psychiatry and reflects their shared belief that brain health and mental health must be understood together.

She candidly shares in her interview that her path to medicine began with a promise made by her father when she was born. After watching Dr. Jani's mother endure a painful medical condition that physicians struggled to diagnose, he became determined that his daughter would become a doctor. Although the family had limited financial resources, her parents invested their savings in her education. She initially struggled with the transition but, through tenacity and disciplined study, advanced from the bottom of her class to first place. She completed her medical education at B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad, India. After coming to the United States, she completed advanced training in adult psychiatry at Indiana University, child psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University and pediatrics at the University of Maryland.

Dr. Jani's dedication has been recognized through Marquis Who's Who of Professional Women, the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and recognition as a Marquis Who's Who Top Professional. Marquis Who's Who lauds her for these accolades and notes her extensive medical organization membership, including with the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychiatric Association, the Maryland Psychiatric Society and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Looking ahead, Dr. Jani plans to continue developing a model for delivering mental health services in underserved and rural communities. She hopes to present the model to national psychiatric organizations and encourage more practitioners to accept insurance and serve patients who might otherwise go without care.

"Sushma Jani, MD, exemplifies the caliber of physician and community health leader Marquis Who's Who is proud to chronicle," the editorial team stated. "Her work in psychiatry, pediatrics and addiction treatment reflects a career defined by perseverance, compassion and a commitment to making mental health care available to those who need it most." Through its recognition of Dr. Jani, Marquis Who's Who celebrates a physician whose leadership continues to transform the lives of patients, families and communities.

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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America^®, Marquis Who's Who^® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America^® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis^® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who^® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who