Behavioral Health Services

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training of Rural Black Church Leaders as a Tool to Improve Mental Health Literacy and Access 2023 Award: $47,275 Adolescent depression, anxiety, and suicide are increasingly evident within rural and Black communities, with suicide as one of the leading causes of death among Black youth. Because the Black Church is seen as a safe space for many rural Black communities, congregational church leaders may serve as trusted adults for youth congregants to receive mental health support. This project will adapt the Youth Mental Health First Aid (Y-MHFA) training for African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church leaders in Johnston County, NC and assess whether the adapted training is acceptable, feasible, and effective in increasing the capacity of church leaders to identify, support, and refer youth with mental health challenges. Need/Problem: North Carolina is experiencing a youth [...]

The Effect of Addressing Children’s Early Life Social Needs on Behavioral Health 2023 Award: $39,900 In October 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Early life adverse childhood experiences increase risk for the of mental illness throughout the life course. This project will study how NC Integrated Care for Kids, a novel integrated care management program aimed at children with complex medical and social needs, affects the behavioral health of children up to age 5. This study is the first step in a research agenda to understand how whole health interventions could alter children’s behavioral health trajectories. Need/Problem: In 2019, more than 1 in 3 high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a more than [...]