Kenneth Wells is a nationally renowned health services researcher with extensive experience in the field of depression research. Over the course of his career, he has led a number of far-reaching investigations into how variations of health services systems and financing affect clinical care. He is best known for his groundbreaking study on improving the quality of care and clinical outcomes for people suffering from depression. He was the first recipient of the Young Investigator Award, honored with the Distinguished Investigator Award by the Academy of Health Services Research, recipient of the NIMH Senior Research Scientist Award in mental health services research and recipient of the Senior Health Services Research Award of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Wells is Chair of the Institute of Medicine's Board for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health. He currently directs the UCLA-NPI Health Services Research Center, a NIMH funded UCLA/RAND Research Center on Managed Care for Psychiatric Disorders, and is the co-director of the RWJF Clinical Scholars Program at UCLA . Dr. Wells is the Director of the Center on Media and Medicine for Communities.