Carmen Lopez-Arvizu, MD
Neurodevelopmental DisordersChild and Adolescent PsychiatryPsychiatry
Highlights
Languages
- English
Gender
FemaleJohns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Carmen Lopez-Arvizu
Physician’s Office Phone
443-923-7600
Physician’s Office Fax
443-923-7628
Professional Titles
- Director of Outpatient Psychiatry Services, Kennedy Krieger Institute
- Medical Director of Developmental Psychiatry, Kennedy Krieger Institute
- Co-founder and Core Faculty, Psychiatric Social Work Post-Master's Fellowship, Kennedy Krieger Institute
- Teaching Faculty, Developmental Neuropsychiatry Scholars Program, Kennedy Krieger Institute
Primary Academic Title
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Independent Clinician
Background
Dr. López-Arvizu is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the director of Outpatient Psychiatric Services at Kennedy Krieger Institute at the Center for Developmental Behavioral Health. Dr. López-Arvizu is also an assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, as well as a member of the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. López-Arvizu received her medical degree from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in 1995. She served as an intern in internal medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, a resident in psychiatry at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt Hospital, where she was chief resident where she got the Award for Clinical Excellence as a resident. She then completed her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where she spent time at Kennedy Krieger Institute as part of her training to later stay on as faculty.
As a clinician, Dr. López-Arvizu treats individuals with psychiatric illness in the context of Neurodevelopmental disorders where she has developed an expertise in psychopharmacological management of children with developmental disabilities and severe behavioral presentations by developing a collaboration with the other disciplines involved in their care.
She has been recognized as a Top Doctor by Baltimore Magazine. She has also been recognized by her peers by being awarded the Arabella Leet Award in Clinical Excellence at Kennedy Krieger.
As an educator, teaching physicians-in-training is a priority and a personal mission. Future child psychiatrists learn how to evaluate and treat the dually diagnosed child and the complex-care patients which are the Kennedy Krieger Institute specialty.
Her clinical, education and program development effortsare always focused on improving the psychiatric diagnosis and treatment outcome of children and adolescents with complex and severe Neurodevelopmental disorders.
Advocating for and improving services for families caring for a child, adolescent, or adult with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders—through education directed at policymakers, the public (including schools and parents), and medical professionals—while addressing barriers to accessing systems of care by developing services not available in the community.
Centers and Institutes
Clinical Trials Summary
- Research focused on improving care for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly those with psychiatric comorbidities.
- Validate innovative suicide screening tools and implement tailored safety planning for youth on the autism spectrum.
- Advance research that empowers both clinicians and the neurodiverse population in pursuit of better mental health outcomes.
Recent News Articles and Media Coverage
Meet Dr. Carmen Lopez-Arvizu, Kennedy Krieger
Honors
- Arabella Leet Award in Clinical Excellence, Kennedy Krieger Institute
-
Awarded in 2022; nominated in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
Honors a physician with unwavering dedication and compassion for patients. -
Top Doctor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Baltimore Magazine
Recognized in 2022 and 2024.
Nominated by peers across Maryland for clinical excellence. -
Women in Business Trailblazer Award, Revolutionizing Mental Health, Center Club
Nominated in 2025.
Celebrates women leaders transforming mental health care. -
Hispanic Leadership Award, The Daily Record
Awarded in 2025.
Presented in partnership with the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and supported by ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals) Baltimore for professional accomplishments, community involvement, and mentoring commitment. -
James Harris Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johns Hopkins Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Awarded by the graduating class in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Recognizes outstanding teaching and mentorship.
Graduate Program Affiliations
Dr. Lopez-Arvizu plays a pivotal role in advancing education, advocacy, and clinical training in child and adolescent psychiatry, with a particular focus on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.
She serves on the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Training Committee, where she contributes to curriculum development and strategic planning. In her clinical role, Dr. Lopez provides subspecialty supervision in the continuity clinic at Kennedy Krieger Institute, guiding second-year fellows through outpatient care for individuals with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric comorbidities.
Her commitment to mentorship extends to longitudinal supervision of first-year CAP fellows, fostering their growth throughout the training year. As a lecturer for both first- and second-year fellows, Dr. Lopez teaches on topics including outpatient practice management, neurodevelopmental disorders, systems of care, and professional development—equipping future child psychiatrists with the tools to navigate complex clinical and systemic challenges.
Dr. Lopez-Arvizu is a core faculty member of the CAP fellowship as well as of the psychology training program at Kennedy Krieger Institute. Her program provides robust training opportunities for psychology externs, interns, and postdoctoral students, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and clinical excellence across all levels of training
Dr. López-Arvizu co-founded the Psychiatric Social Work Clinical Fellowship, a post-master’s training program in evidence-based psychotherapy. This fellowship is the first of its kind in the tri-state area and reflects her commitment to interdisciplinary, high-quality evidence-based mental health.
Notably, every fellow from the class of 2024 chose to start their career as attendings under her guidance, a testament to her enduring influence and the high regard in which she is held by her trainees and peers alike.
Her excellence in teaching has been recognized with the James C. Harris Award for Excellence in Teaching, awarded by the Child Psychiatry fellows in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Memberships
- Member, Maryland Regional Council of Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (MRAACAP)
- Advocacy Chair and Member of Executive Committee (MRCAAP)
- Member American Psychiatric Association (APA)
- American Psychiatric Association Fellow
- Member, Maryland Psychiatric Association (MPS)
- Member, Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
- Distinguished Fellow of Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (DFAACAP)
- Member of the Executive Committee, Child Psychiatry Division, Johns Hopkins Hospital
- Member of the Advisory Team and Core Faculty, Child Psychiatry Fellowship, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Professional Activities
- Advocacy Chair and Member of Executive Committee of Maryland Regional AACAP. (MRCAAP)
Expertise
Education
- Escuela de Medicina Ignacio A. Santos Technologico de Monterrey, M.D., 1995