understand our work
ResearchScientific Areas of Inquiry
Themes in Our Research
We are guided by the belief that access to quality, culturally-responsive evidence-based mental health treatment is a basic human right. Among several lines of inquiry, we are ultimately focused on innovative and creative methods for meeting the mental health needs of individuals, families, and communities most affected by mental health inequities, that is lower access to care and higher burden of mental health problems.
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Themes in Our Research
We are guided by the belief that access to quality, culturally-responsive evidence-based mental health treatment is a basic human right. Among several lines of inquiry, we are ultimately focused on innovative and creative methods for meeting the mental health needs of individuals, families, and communities most affected by mental health inequities, that is lower access to care and higher burden of mental health problems.
Identifying sources of stress and resilience, and their connection to health outcomes in communities experiencing health and healthcare inequities.
Developing, testing, and adapting psychosocial interventions to support the mental health of individuals, families, and communities who have been systematically underinvested in and underrepresented in research and practice.
Implementing strategies that can support the spread of evidence-based programs such as education and training, ongoing consultation, and coalition-building with community representatives, community health workers/promotores de salud, and health providers.
We incorporate quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches.
We utilize human-centered design to solve real-life problems.
We rely on community-engaged approaches to inform interventions and implementation strategies.
We seek to leverage implementation science to disseminate interventions widely.
Methods We Use
We draw from a range of methods in the work that we carry out.
Studies
Learn more about the multiple studies being carried out currently in our lab:
Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) testing the "Cultivating Resilience" intervention
We are evaluating the preliminary clinical impact, acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of the Cultivating Resilience (Cultivando Fortaleza) intervention across various community sites in first- and second-generation Latinos/as (N=50) residing in Milwaukee.
Cultural and Linguistic Adaptation of the "Coping Together" Intervention
We are collaborating with researchers at Duke University to carry out a cultural and linguistic adaptation for Latino families of “Coping Together”, which is a family-strengthening intervention that has been previously tested both in the US and Kenya with families (adults and children).
Program Evaluation of the UWM Roberto Hernandez Center
We have partnered with the UWM Roberto Hernandez Center, a multicultural center serving Latino/Hispanic students, to understand the mechanisms of change and impact of the student services they offer that allow students to have a “home away from home” on the UWM campus.