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?