Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series: Improving Mental Health Equity for Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Conditions: An Examination of Risk and Protective Factors and Potential Interventions

Overview

Emerging research shows that depression, suicidality, and other mental health disorders are more common among autistic people and those with neurodevelopmental conditions compared to the general population. However, people with neurodevelopmental conditions have often been excluded from mental health research and clinical trials, leading to fewer treatment options that meet the needs of individuals, families, and providers.

This webinar will feature two experts sharing new insights and potential solutions. Jessica Schwartzman, Ph.D.,  will discuss the latest research on factors that impact depression and suicidality in autistic people and how to use community-based methods to develop effective interventions. Kristin Berg, Ph.D.,  will introduce a new integrated care approach designed to assess and treat anxiety, depression, and other aspects of health and well-being in people with neurodevelopmental conditions.

About the speakers

Dr. Schwartzman is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Keck School of Medicine of USC, a licensed clinical psychologist, and Director of the Training and Research to Empower NeuroDiversity (TREND) Lab at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Schwartzman’s research program uses multimethod approaches (e.g., EEG, eye-tracking, interviews, etc.) to study depression and suicide risk in neurodivergent youth and young adults and partners with neurodivergent community members to translate findings into interventions. Her research is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, The Saban Research Institute at CHLA, and the Las Madrinas Foundation.

Dr. Berg is an associate professor in the Department of Disability & Human Development and the Training Director for the Illinois LEND Program at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Dr. Berg received her A.M. (M.S.W. equivalent) and Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration. Using rigorous methods that are conceptually grounded in the social model of disability, Dr. Berg’s scholarship develops evidence to improve the health and independent living outcomes of youth with ASD and other developmental disabilities. She is currently a co-PI of a 7-million-dollar PCORI-funded project to develop and test the efficacy of an integrated behavioral health care coordination model on the health, well-being, and transition readiness of youth with disabilities. As a self-identified individual with a disability, Dr. Berg is committed to collaborating with the disability community to translate research into meaningful change.

About the Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity’s Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series

The Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity is hosting a Disability, Equity, and Mental Health Research Webinar Series, which focuses on exploring the health disparities experienced by people with disability. These include disparities in mental health outcomes, which can be further compounded for those with intersecting identities. This webinar series brings together researchers, advocates, and people with lived experience to discuss the intersection of disability, mental health, race, and ethnicity. There will be a particular emphasis on how disability intersects with other populations with health disparities to contribute to mental health outcomes and ways to increase equity, accessibility, and inclusion and reduce disparities. Additionally, the series explores the notion of mental health conditions as a disability and considers the viewpoints of those with lived experience.

Registration

This webinar is free, but registration is required .

Sponsored by

National Institute of Mental Health, Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity

Contact

For questions, please contact Beshaun Davis, Ph.D., Program Director, Mental Health of Minoritized Populations Research, Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity.

If you need sign language interpreting and/or other reasonable accommodations to participate in this event, please email the event organizer at NIMH@MN-E.com. Requests should be made five days in advance.