The New School Launches Research Center to Address Global Mental Health Disparities
Global disparities in access to mental healthcare around the world, especially for low- and middle-income people and those exposed to trauma, are extreme. A lack of mental healthcare providers contributes to the problem: The World Health Organization has found that among 58 low- and middle-income countries studied, 67 percent faced a shortage of psychiatrists, and 79 percent had a shortage of psychosocial healthcare providers. The New School recently launched a research center aimed at addressing this challenge both locally and globally, partnering with community groups, nonprofits, and local governments to develop innovative solutions that can eliminate barriers to care.
The New School Center for Global Mental Health will reimagine mental healthcare by investigating and addressing disparities in mental healthcare. The center is an expansion of the Trauma and Global Mental Health Lab at The New School for Social Research (NSSR), which has partnered with researchers around the world to assess and develop mental health treatments for displaced people, NGO workers, low-income communities, and others.
The center recently received grants from the Miller-Dwan Foundation and Trinity Wall Street Foundation totaling $2 million, which will allow it to develop a network of mental health resources to be offered to a range of New York City community-based organizations and to create a global mental health training institute.
The center will focus on overcoming gaps in mental healthcare provision globally, combining research, education, design, and innovation to develop and implement scalable strategies. The center will work closely with community partners, government departments, and nonprofit organizations across sectors to adapt mental health programs designed by the World Health Organization to fit the needs of local contexts and increase capacity.
“The New School has a rich history of engaging in vitally important work to find innovative and equitable solutions to some of the most pressing issues the world faces, including mental health issues. This new center will be an important vehicle for broadening our understanding of mental health in all its complexities and forging paths that expand our knowledge,” says New School Provost Renée T. White.
The center will be led by Adam Brown, PhD Psychology ’08, a professor of psychology at NSSR and a leading expert in developing mental health and psychosocial interventions that can be delivered by non–mental health professionals around the world.
“The New School’s long history of cutting-edge psychology and mental health research, combined with its openness to intellectual frameworks and commitment to engaging in questions and work centered around equity, makes this an ideal home for the center,” says Brown.
Brown has extensive knowledge about traumatic stress and in identifying factors that contribute to mental health problems and resilience. Brown is one the principal investigators on RECOUP-NY, a clinical trial funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, which is partnering with more than 40 New York City organizations, the NYC Mayor’s Office, and George Washington University to test a new model of care that can be delivered by community-based organizations. He has served as a consultant for organizations such as the United Nations, UNICEF, and Amnesty International and has received grants from the National Institute of Health, USAID, Fulbright, and numerous private foundations.
In addition to developing mental health expertise in local communities, the center will provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from all of the university’s colleges to participate in research and training workshops. “We are especially excited about the new ways in which undergraduate and graduate students will contribute to and shape the work of the center. This experience will complement their academic studies and prepare them for a wide range of careers in the mental health field,” says Brown.
The Miller-Dwan Foundation has provided $1.5 million to support the creation of a global mental health training institute at the center. The institute will provide training workshops and evaluations of strategies that could be used to build a national mental health workforce. This funding will also support a number of graduate and undergraduate fellows working on this initiative.
Trinity Wall Street Foundation has provided the center with $500,000 to lead a two-year program in lower Manhattan that will develop a network of mental health resources to be shared by a number of community-based organizations. The center will conduct trainings and research examining ways community-based mental healthcare strategies can build capacity and to show how a network or organization can serve as a model for other cities.
The New School Center for Global Mental Health is also supported by the National Institute for Mental Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
“I feel truly fortunate to be a part of this new center at the New School. Mental health concerns continue to be among the most pressing public health issues both within New York City and throughout the world. The mental health needs of many communities are far outpacing access to care, and responding to these challenges requires cross-sector partnerships and investments as well as interdisciplinary thinking,” says Brown.