DHWP Public Health Director

Biographical Sketch

Calvin R. Trent, Ph.D., M. Ed, MA

Calvin R. Trent holds a BA in psychology and an M. Ed from Wayne State University and a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Detroit-Mercy, where his dissertation research examined the relationship of substance abuse treatment and psychosocial development among black and white adult males.

Dr. Trent was appointed in March 2009 as Director and Public Health Officer for the City of Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion. For the previous twelve years Dr. Trent had served in the Health Department as General Manager of the Special Populations Health Services Division, and before that as Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Recovery.

Dr. Trent participates on many citywide committees. In addition to being the Co-Chair of the Partnership for a Drug Free Detroit, he is a member of the Wayne County Department of Community Justice Advisory committee; the Governor's Hepatitis C Task Force and has served on the U.S. Attorney General's Violence Reduction Task Force for the Detroit region.

His prior experience includes being the Principal Investigator of two Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration-Targeted Capacity Expansion (SAMHSA-TEC) grants: one designing/implementing an integrated treatment system for HIV/AIDS and substance abuse needs, and the other increasing treatment options for women who need to take their children to treatment with them. Dr. Trent was also the Principal Investigator of the Detroit Recovery Project and the Detroit Youth-Building Communities Support Program of the Youth Development Institute (YDI) - both funded by SAMHSA.

Dr. Trent is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2005 White House Special Recognition Award by the Office of Drug Control Policy and the 2006 Civic & Humanitarian Award by Michigan's Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.