Dr. Michael J. Murray is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist with extensive experience in autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. He is the medical director for autism and developmental disabilities at Sheppard Pratt.
Dr. Murray obtained his undergraduate degree from St. Joseph’s University and his medical degree from Penn State College of Medicine. He completed his psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine.
He comes to Sheppard Pratt from Penn State College of Medicine where he was an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral health and the founding director of the Division of Autism Services, where he oversaw comprehensive clinical, research, training/education, and community outreach initiatives supporting the autism community. Dr. Murray was also medical director of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic of Penn State Health/Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; director of Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT); and director of the Penn State Autism and Developmental Disabilities Collaborative. Dr. Murray’s clinical and research interests include co-occurring mental health conditions in adolescents and adults with autism and interventions aimed at improving social well-being for adults and adolescents with ASD.
Throughout his career, Dr. Murray has received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to teaching and patient care. He has been recognized with multiple awards from the Penn State Child Psychiatry Fellows for his excellence in teaching by and has received multiple CG CAHPS Dean's List Extraordinary Patient Satisfaction Awards. Dr. Murray's commitment to research and clinical excellence has been acknowledged with awards such as Outstanding Achievement in Research Child Psychiatry from the Penn State Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and the Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Penn State College of Medicine.
Dr. Murray is actively involved in community service, having served as a board member for the Central Pennsylvania Autism Education and Resource Center and Vista Autism Services. He is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and has been involved in various state and community initiatives.
Dr. Murray is an active member of several professional societies, including the International Society for Autism Research, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed, and the Association for Positive Behavior Support. He has presented at conferences and educational meetings internationally on numerous topics but is most widely known for his work on person-centered care for neurodivergent individuals.