FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2021

Contact
Sophia Majlessi
SophiaM@TheNationalCouncil.org
202-621-1631

The National Council has awarded four outstanding doctoral candidates a one-time award of $5,000

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 20, 2021) – The National Council for Mental Wellbeing announces the award of $5,000 grants to four outstanding doctoral candidates who will expand the research base for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). This is the first year MHFA Doctoral Student Grants have been awarded.

The grant recipients are:

• Caroline Barry, 2nd year PhD student, Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences, Emory University. Topic: A Mixed Methods Effectiveness Study of YMHFA Training of Teachers and School Staff in the Cherokee Nation.
• Mazneen Havewala, 2nd year PhD student, School Psychology, University of Maryland – College Park. Topic: Examining the Effectiveness of YMHFA Among Asian Americans: A Randomized-Controlled Trial.
• Olivia Khoo, 4th year PhD student, School Psychology, Columbia University. Topic: YMHFA for Educators: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of the Virtual Delivery Approach.
• Melanie Soderstrom, 5th year PhD student, Criminal Justice, University of Central Florida. Topic: Implementing YMHFA Training with Law Enforcement Officers: A Mixed Methods Study.

“Mental Health First Aid delivers vital community training, especially as we all deal with the effects of the pandemic on mental wellbeing. The research from our grant recipients will help us shape and grow our programs,” said National Council President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia. “We applaud their commitment to Mental Health First Aid and look forward to what we’ll learn from their research.”

MHFA is an evidence-based training program that, to date, has taught more than 2.5 million people in the United States and its territories how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

For more information on eligibility and requirements for the MHFA Doctoral Student Grants, visit our web page.

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Founded in 1969, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of nearly 3,500 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 10 million children, adults and families they serve. We advocate for policies to ensure equitable access to high-quality services. We build the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations. And we promote greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care. Through our Mental Health First Aid program, we have trained more than 2.5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand, and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.