Press Releases

Hospital for Special Care announces new physician and clinical leaders: Kirin N. Suri MD, MPH, Hassan Minhas, MD and Lauren Herlihy, PhD

NEW BRITAIN, CT – Hospital for Special Care (HFSC) has welcomed Kirin N. Suri MD, MPH, Hassan Minhas, MD and Lauren Herlihy, PhD to the hospital’s team of physician and clinical leaders.

Dr. Suri joined HFSC in August as the new Chief of Pediatric Medicine.  She was recruited to HFSC for her highly specialized experience following the retirements of her predecessor, Dr. John Pelegano.  HFSC’s pediatric unit serves as the only long term acute care treatment resource for children and adolescents in Connecticut and is one of only two resources in the country for children requiring this level of care.

“As our new Chief of Pediatrics, Dr. Suri has embraced the very unique type of clinical care the infants, toddlers and children we care for need,” said Pesce. “Her leadership and expertise in complex pediatric care and her commitment to quality and innovation make her a great fit for HFSC.”

Kirin N. Suri completed her medical degree at the Armed Forces Medical College, India, was a resident in pediatrics at University of Connecticut School of Medicine, had a fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at University of Connecticut School of Medicine, a fellowship in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a fellowship in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and is Board Eligible in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.

Hassan M. Minhas, MD was promoted to Chief of Autism Services. As Chief, Dr. Minhas provides leadership for the hospital’s nationally-recognized continuum of services for children and youth impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)., Dr. Minhas played a crucial role in the expansion of critically needed inpatient, telehealth and community-based services for children and families living with ASD. He holds a MBBS/MD from Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan and is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Lauren Herlihy, PhD was promoted to Director of Autism Psychology. In this role she will lead psychology services in the Autism Center, providing clinical oversight of evidence-based treatment for behavioral and emotional difficulties experienced by children and their families. Dr. Herlihy also contributes to the continued expansion and creation of critically needed autism services at HFSC, currently playing a critical role in the opening of a first-of-its-kind Partial Hospitalization Program for children diagnosed with ASD. She holds a MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Connecticut.

“Dr. Minhas and Dr. Herlihy have demonstrated exceptional understanding of the unique strengths and needs of children and youth diagnosed with ASD,” said Lynn Ricci, FACHE, President and Chief executive Officer.  “They have each contributed significantly to our capacity to expand services to meet community needs, and have earned the respect of the parents of the children we care for as well as their peers across the country.”  Both Dr. Minhas and Dr. Herlihy participate in the Autism Speaks Autism Health Learning Network.  HFSC participates in this national forum with medical universities and other research partners to advance clinical practice in the autism field.

About Hospital for Special Care’s Autism Continuum:

• The National Committee for Quality Assurance recognizes HFSC as the only Patient-Centered Specialty Practice for autism in the country.
• Services include inpatient care for children from across the country, psychiatry and medication management, applied behavioral analysis, individuals and family therapy, developmental pediatrics, speech language pathology, occupational therapy, social skills and support groups, emergency room diversion, care coordination and other resources. A partial hospital program, the first of its kind in Connecticut, will open by 2021.
• The HFSC continuum of care incorporates a multidisciplinary team comprised of psychiatrists, developmental pediatricians, and psychologists, advanced practice registered nurses, nurses, speech language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, social workers, board-certified behavioral analysts and other supports.
• HFSC provides care for children throughout Connecticut and also serves as a resource for children in many other states. Since 2012, 74 percent of the nearly 3,000 families we have served qualify for Medicaid. Annually, the HFSC continuum of services for children, adolescents and families serves more than 800 individuals in inpatient and outpatient levels of care.