Translational Fellowships in Public Mental Health Services

Current Fellows

Erin Kelly• BA: New York University• PhD: UC Irvine

• Department of Psychology and Social Behavior

• Moderators of Workplace Stress in Public Mental Hospitals Using the Person-Environment Fit Model

Sarah Starks• BA Stanford University• PhD UCLA School of Public Health

• Cost-Effectiveness of DMH Full Service Partnerships in Los Angeles County

Howard Padwa• BA University of Delaware• PhD UCLA

• Department of History• A comparative history of French

and British drug policy• Social Poison: The Culture and

Politics of Opiate Control in Britain and France (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012)

Andrew Sabica• BA Pomona College• PhD University of Hawaii

• Department of Clinical Psychology

MH Cluster Goal(9/10/2010)

• Integration and improvement of mental and physical health care of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) in Los Angeles County

Background:Physical Health in SMI

• Individuals with SMI die nearly 20 years earlier than those in the general population

• Premature mortality is largely due to illnesses with modifiable risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia

• These risks are exacerbated by:

– SMI in itself

– Many of the most widely used treatments for including both antipsychotic and mood stabilizing drugs

– Systemic barriers to adequate medical care

MH Cluster Approach• SMI is complex product of biological,

psychological, social, and cultural factors

• Care of SMI has required taking all of these multiple determinants into account

MH Cluster Approach

Molecular Biology Genetics Clinical Care Health Services & Policy Research Sociocultural

Analysis

KelseyMartin

Nelson Freimer

Stephen Marder

John Brekke

Joel Braslow

Stefan Timmermans

Gery RyanPaul Arns

Aims

• Prepare young scholars to become independent researchers

• Address research questions that are scientifically tractable and have public health relevance

• Develop a collaborative research infrastructure across Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health and Department of Health Services, UCLA, and USC

Content

• Research Seminar– UCLA Center for Health Services and Society– USC School of Social Work– USC CTSI– LAC DMH Headquarters

• Mentoring– UCLA &/or USC Faculty Mentor– DMH Mentor

• Individual research projects

Research Projects

• Peer Health Navigator Intervention• MHSA Transformation• Low Income Health Plan Evaluation

Fellows, Projects, & Mentors

Howard Padwa Sarah Starks Erin Kelly Andrew Sabica

Low income health plan

MHSA Transformation

Peer Navigator

Faculty Mentor Joel Braslow Joel Braslow John Brekke John Brekke

Peer Health Navigator Year 1

Peer Health Navigator Year 2

MHSA Transformation Year 1

MHSA Transformation Year 2

LIHP Year 1

LIHP Year 2

October-December timeline

Collaboration via the internet

Major Issues

• Data harmonization within DMH and between DHS and DMH

• Future funding of the fellowship?