Dr. Michael R. Petronko

Michael R. Petronko joined the faculty as a research professor in 1992. He is a diplomate in clinical psychology of the American Psychological Association and a fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Prior to coming to Rutgers, he served as director of the Division of Psychological Services at Fairleigh Dickinson University from 1976 to 1991, where he also held the rank of professor. Prior to that, he was chief psychologist of the American Institute for Mental Studies (now the Training Schools at Vineland). While at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Dr. Petronko pioneered the development of Natural Setting Therapeutic Management (NSTM), a community-based multiple-model service delivery program for the developmentally disabled and their families. This program has been adopted as a prototype for state and national mental health care delivery and has been funded by the State of New Jersey's Division of Developmental Disabilities since 1980. In addition to his interest in developmental disabilities and exploring multiple model alternatives to service delivery, Dr. Petronko maintains an active research and applied interest in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder, especially resulting from the Vietnam and Iraq wars.