COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH TO PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE & CHILDREN’S HEALTH

November 20, 2008

Jessica Goodkind, PhDUniversity of New Mexico Department of PediatricsDivision of Prevention and Population Sciences

“Social justice is a matter of life and death. It affects the way people live, their consequent chance of illness, and their risk of premature death.” – WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health, 2008

Refugee Well-being Project

6 Month Program for Refugees & Undergraduates Learning Circles

• cultural exchange• one-on-one learning

Advocacy to mobilize community resources

• Contribution of post-migration stressors to psychological distress of refugees• Limitations of individual models of care

THRIVE/Nihii’iina Project

Two components:

1.Adaptation, implementation, & evaluation of cognitive-behavioral intervention for trauma in schools

2.Development, implementation & evaluation of community-based mental health intervention to address multiple layers of trauma• Traditional cultural practices and

teachings

• Culturally appropriate parenting

strategies

• Problem-solving and social support-

building skills

• Equine and other experiential

activities

Heal current trauma & prevent future violence/trauma for Native American youth and their families

• Evidence-base: individual, family & community impact

• Curriculum manual & film

Project TRUST•AI/AN youth have the highest rate of suicide among 15 to 24 year-olds in the U.S. •Elucidate & eliminate causes of BH disparities• Improve behavioral health care for AI/AN youth

Method• Statewide Partnership• Literature Review• Community Advisory Meetings (N = 71)• Provider Surveys (N = 25)• Consultation with Traditional Practitioners

Results•32 specific policy, provider & research recommendations that recognize the importance of moving beyond exclusive reliance on western models of care and seek transformation at multiple levels

• Implementation of recommendations

Truth about historical trauma and current inequities that impact the mental health & well-being of Native American youth & their familiesResponsiveness to issues and needs identified by Native American youth & their familiesUnderstanding of the effectiveness of traditional indigenous healing practices & cultural teachingsSelf-determination of youth & families to guide their behavioral health servicesTransformation of individuals, families, communities, systems of care & social structures

Social Stressors and Asthma in Children

Impact of stress on physical health and chronic disease

Hispanic Women’s Social Stressor Scale (Goodkind, Gonzales, Malcoe & Espinosa, 2008) Immigration Stress Socioeconomic Stress Racism-related Stress Familial Stress Parental Stress Employment Stress

Studying relationships between mothers’ social stressors and their children’s asthma