Project Grant R34HL186416

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute awarded the Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene, Inc., operating through its New York State Psychiatric Institute, $261,716 on July 22, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) to adapt and pilot a doula-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) intervention for pregnant individuals experiencing prenatal sleep disturbances.

The project addresses the gap between evidence-based CBT-I treatment efficacy for pregnancy-related insomnia and limited access due to workforce constraints—only 6 percent of clinical psychologists are trained in behavioral sleep medicine, and approximately 40 percent of adults drop out of CBT-I prematurely. The intervention model leverages doulas, non-clinical community-based perinatal support workers who have sustained contact with families, shared community backgrounds, and growing integration into health systems including via Medicaid. National surveys document strong interest among doulas in delivering mental health and sleep health interventions.

The recipient will conduct the work through a human-centered design implementation-focused process beginning with a community sleep needs assessment to identify perinatal sleep-related strengths, assets, and needs in the target population.

Performance occurs in New York, NY. The period of performance runs from the award date through June 30, 2029. This is a Project Grant, the assistance type used by NIH for discrete research initiatives of defined scope and duration.