The federal Project Grant awarded to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, valued at $5,393,812, supports a longitudinal study investigating the impact of changes in social determinants of health (SDOH) on the mental health of adolescents and young adults (AYA) in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research is funded through the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) administered by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study...
This federal Project Grant award of $3,155,102 from the National Institute of Mental Health (CFDA 93.242 - Mental Health Research Grants) aims to assemble a large global consortium to evaluate the social determinants of mental health outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, titled "International Evaluation of Modifiable Social Determinants of Health on COVID-Related Mental Health Outcomes," will integrate longitudinal data from 23 international cohorts comprising...
This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), provides $373,960 to Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital to implement and pilot test a culturally-centered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) protocol for suicidal behaviors among youth in Mexico City. The key products and services funded by this award include: (1) culturally adapting and contextualizing the Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal...
This federal Project Grant award of $2,126,876 from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), supports a mixed-methods study to investigate the role of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in addressing the mental health crisis among children and adolescents in the United States. The study aims to: (1) characterize MCO structures, (2) assess associations between MCO structures and mental health access/utilization for...
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) awarded a $2,285,036 Project Grant (CFDA 93.242 - Mental Health Research Grants) to Northwestern University to conduct a 5-year study on the impact of parental income supplements on child mental health and neuroimmune function. The study will leverage an existing randomized controlled trial providing $1,000/month versus $50/month income supplements to 1,200 lower-income families with children aged 5-14. Researchers will examine whether the income...
This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) provides $431,106 to Brown University to investigate a multi-level approach leveraging innovative, culturally appropriate technology-assisted methods to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors and promote mental health among Colombian youth. The key components include: (A) a digital platform for youth with self-help tools, safety planning, and online...
This federal Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), will provide $458,177 to The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to conduct research on leveraging population-level data to inform prevention and treatment of adolescent depression following social adversities. The key objectives of the 2-year research project are to: 1) identify the combination of factors that most...
This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under CFDA 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants provides $1,829,298 to replicate and extend a prior trial of the "Building a Strong Identity and Coping Skills (BASICS)" program. The BASICS program is a trauma-informed intervention that teaches early adolescents coping skills, develops positive social identity, and promotes community engagement to address mental health disparities facing low-income youth,...
This Project Grant award, valued at $739,843, was provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242). The grant supports a 5-year research project from 2024 to 2029 entitled "The Role of the Exposome and Allostatic Load in Risk and Resilience to Youth Suicide Attempts." The project aims to quantify environmental risk factors (the "exposome") and physiological stress burden ("allostatic load") in...
This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), aims to adapt and pilot a brief interpersonal psychotherapy intervention (BIPT-A) for delivery by youth mentors in community centers to address depression symptoms, belongingness, and burdensomeness among Latinx youth at risk of suicide. The $196,992 award will support a comprehensive career development plan for the principal investigator to gain...
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL DRIVERS, CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFERS AND THEIR MECHANISMS ON MENTAL HEALTH OF THE YOUNG: AN INTEGRATED RETROSPECTIVE AND FORECASTING APPROACH USING THE 100 MILLION BRAZILIAN COHORT - PROJECT SUMMARY PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SOCIAL CHANGES, INCLUDING EXPOSURE TO POVERTY, ABUSE, OR VIOLENCE, INCREASES YOUTH VULNERABILITY TO MENTAL ILLNESS. THESE FACTORS INTERFERE WITH DEVELOPMENT, LIMIT OPPORTUNITIES, AND HAMPER ACHIEVEMENT OF A FULFILLING LIFE AS ADULTS. ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES CAN LEAD TO IMPROVED OUTCOMES AT THE POPULATION LEVEL AND BETTER COST-EFFECTIVENESS FOR HEALTH SERVICES. THIS SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES, DUE TO THE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF FINANCIALLY AND SOCIALLY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS IN THESE SETTINGS. CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN A PROMISING WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE SOCIAL DRIVERS FOR POOR MENTAL HEALTH AMONG YOUTH. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT SUCH PROGRAMS CAN ALLEVIATE INCOME RESTRICTION, INCREASE SCHOOLING AND ACCESS TO HEALTH FACILITIES, AND DECREASE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND VIOLENCE IN FAMILIES. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL UNCLEAR WHICH PATHWAYS AND MECHANISMS EXPLAIN THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIOECONOMIC SUPPORT AND LOWER MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG YOUTH. IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL DRIVERS ON YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SUICIDE, TEST MECHANISMS AND PATHWAYS OF A COUNTRYWIDE SOCIOECONOMIC INTERVENTION, AND EXAMINE THE TIMING OF THE INTERVENTION DURING THE LIFE COURSE. FOR EXAMPLE, DETERMINING WHETHER CASH TRANSFERS DELIVERED EARLIER IN LIFE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER OUTCOMES OVER TIME. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE THE CASH TRANSFER EFFECT ON VULNERABLE GROUPS (AFRICAN DESCENDANTS, WOMEN, AND YOUTH WITH LOWER INCOME). WE WILL EVALUATE SOCIAL DRIVERS' DETERMINATION AND THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BEING BENEFICIARIES OF THE CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM, CALLED THE BOLSA FAMILIA PROGRAM (BFP), AND MENTAL ILLNESS AND ITS LONG-TERM EFFECTS USING ROBUST METHODOLOGIES FOR BIG DATASETS, SUCH AS REGRESSION DISCONTINUITY DESIGNS, PROPENSITY SCORE MATCHING AND DIFFERENCE-IN-DIFFERENCES. WE WILL TEST MECHANISMS AND PATHWAYS, BETWEEN BFP AND MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SUICIDE AMONG YOUTH USING STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING. FURTHERMORE, WE WILL PERFORM MICROSIMULATIONS TO GENERATE PROJECTIONS REGARDING HOW MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SUICIDE TRENDS WILL BE IN THE FUTURE BASED ON THE CURRENT STATE, AND HOW BFP IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS WILL AFFECT THESE TRENDS. THE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO GUIDE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AND REDUCE MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SUICIDE IN YOUTH. IT WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS WORLDWIDE. FINALLY, IT CAN POTENTIALLY ADVANCE THE GLOBAL DEBATE ON THE ECONOMIC RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC AND TIMES OF ECONOMIC CRISES. IF CASH TRANSFERS CAN DECREASE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG YOUTH AND REDUCE SUICIDE, IT WILL HAVE A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON SAVING LIVES.