Mental health diagnosis, treatment, and access to services differ across socioeconomic status, race, and geographic location. Individuals of low socioeconomic status who are publicly insured must navigate a fragmented and complex community mental health system staffed by overburdened and underpaid clinicians. Ethnoracial minorities are more likely to experience psychosis and have a more severe onset of symptoms, while residing in underserved and underprivileged communities.
Mental health providers tend to be concentrated in urban centers, leaving residents of rural regions struggling to access care. This lack of access and underutilization of mental health services can lead to untreated mental illness, which is associated with lower overall functioning. Research that examines the intertwining factors leading to mental health disparities, which particular attention to structural rather than individual causes, is needed.
Related Projects
Family Peer Navigator Model for Black Families: Hybrid Type 1 Trial
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health
Principle Investigator: Dr. Oladunni Oluwoye
This 3-year grant is focused on working with a community advisory board to develop and implement a culturally responsive multi-component Family Peer Navigator Model within the community that identifies youth in the early stages of psychosis, increases access to coordinated specialty care, and improves engagement among Black families. To learn more see published protocol paper.
Research Study Team:
Bryony Stokes, MS – Program Manager
Geolocations
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health
Principle Investigator: Dr. Oladunni Oluwoye
Collaborators: Drs. Michael McDonell, Ofer Amram, and Dr. Deidre Anglin from City College of New York
The goal of this study is to characterize coordinated specialty care programs implemented in the U.S. and identify geographic disparities in access to coordinated specialty care. This project utilizes mixed methods to understand community-level determinants that impact access and implementation. Findings will be used develop an interactive mapping tool that can be used to inform policies that optimize the accessibility of CSC programs more equitably.
Research Study Team:
Ari Lissau, BS – Lead Research Coordinator/Spatial Analyst
Megan Puzia, MS – Biostatistician
Cultural-Responsive Family Peer Delivered Engagement Strategy for CSC: Hybrid Type 2 Effectiveness-Implementation Study
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health
Principle Investigator: Dr. Oladunni Oluwoye
Collaborators: Dr. Doug Weeks, Dr. Annette Cristiani from University of New Mexico and Dr. Amanda Sanchez from George Mason University
This 5-year R01 will partner with 9 coordinated specialty care programs through the US to recruit 450 family/client participants dyad who will receive either the Attention Control Condition or FAMES Intervention Condition.
Research Study Team:
Bryony Stokes, MS – Lead Study Coordinator
Karina Silva Garcia, PhD – Spanish Translation Research Associate
Elias Sandoval Jr., BS – Research Coordinator
Megan Puzia, MS – Biostatiscian