F. Cleveland Kinney, PhD, MD, interim chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, announces the appointment of Jill K. Billions, MD, as assistant professor in addiction medicine. Dr. Billions, a magna cum laude graduate of UAB, received her medical degree from the School of Medicine at UAB, where she was honored with the Tinsley Harrison Award for Highest Academic Achievement in Internal Medicine. She completed an internal medicine residency at Baptist Medical Centers, Birmingham, and subsequently worked with Bessemer/Carraway physician services.

Dr. Billions' clinical interests encompass all the drugs of addiction. Her special interests include spirituality in the recovery process, addiction in health care providers, and women's issues in addiction. She accepts patients ranging from those who think they may have a problem with drugs or alcohol but are highly functional to those who are physically dependent and need detoxification and medical stabilization prior to educational and supportive treatment.

Dr. Billions is accepting patients at the Center for Psychiatric Medicine and can be contacted at 975-7696 or via e-mail at jillbill@uab.edu.