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LACDMH Partners with USC to Promote Mental Health Research |
LACDMH is partnering with USC's Southern California Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SC CTSI) to strengthen the bridge between research scientists and the mental health community. USC and Children's Hospital Los Angeles received this five-year $56.8 Million grant from NIH to promote the application of scientific discoveries in real-life settings and improve public health and health care in LA. The SC CTSI is a multi-disciplinary partnership that also includes Kaiser Permanente Southern California, the LA County Department of Health Services and the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County. |
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The SC CTSI is one of 60 research institutes in 31 states and the District of Columbia that have been created by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Each is designed to focus on translational research, which seeks to speed up the process in which medical and health-related research moves from university and laboratory settings to community-based practices. As one of the SC CTSI's Internal Oversight Board members, Dr. Southard, Director of Mental Health, has been instrumental in assuring that mental health was one of the primary issues to be addressed with USC's prestigious grant. Other priority issues include cancer, cardiothoracic conditions, diabetes/obesity, HIV and other infectious diseases, all issues that also affect the mental health of our community. |
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Who are John Brekke & Holly Kiger? |
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To facilitate the goals of the grant, LACDMH will be working closely with John Brekke, PhD and Holly Kiger, RN, MN, CNS. Dr. Brekke, a co-director of the Office of Community Engagement at the SC CTSI and a prominent researcher from USC's School of Social Work, has been working with LACDMH for many years, creating research projects that focus on improving community-based services for individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness. Dr. Brekke's research, including his recently completed Peer Health Navigator Pilot Project (focused on helping consumers access health care services) will be featured in future newsletters. Ms. Kiger, a research navigator with SC CTSI's Office of Community health was one of the primary issues to be addressed with USC's prestigious grant. Other priority issues include cancer, cardiothoracic conditions, diabetes/obesity, HIV and other infectious diseases, all issues that also affect the mental health of our community. |
