John Looney, MD, MBA is a child psychiatrist of national stature, a valued contributor to the School and the University for 30 years. Dr. Looney was recruited to Duke as Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In that role, he began the development of research in child psychiatry which has expanded into a major enterprise. Dr. Looney is also the Emeritus Director of the Duke Substance Treatment Program for Youth and the Emeritus Director of the Duke Center for Psychiatry and Law. He is Board Certified in many areas: 1) General Psychiatry, 2) Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 3) Addiction Psychiatry, 4) Forensic Psychiatry, and 5) Administrative Psychiatry. Dr. Looney has been selected for Fellowship in the major honorary organizations in American Psychiatry, and is President Elect of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.



Dr. Looney’s primary interest is in the mental health of college students– helping them develop management skills to be successful in college. Out of that interest he developed the first alcohol and substance abuse program for young people in an academic division of child psychiatry in the United States.

Dr. Looney received Professor Emeritus status in 2015. In 2016, he was elected President of the Southern Psychiatric Association. He remains active at Duke and in the Department with his primary efforts being in the Consortium for the Study of The American College Student and Duke Forensic Psychiatry Associates. He does external consultation in his areas of interest.