Mercer University School of Medicine Professors Receive Grant to Create COVID-19 Mental Health Response Guidance
Friday, June 5th, 2020
Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) faculty members Dr. Jacob Warren and Dr. Bryant Smalley recently received a $20,000 grant from the Commonwealth Fund to create guidance on ensuring COVID-19 efforts are responsive to both the ongoing mental health needs of residents and the unique mental health needs that emerge as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coordinated by MUSM’s Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities, the grant will fund the creation of a series of guidance pieces drawing upon existing best practices as well as highlighting innovative strategies being employed by states during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rapid response pieces will be led by Dr. Smalley, a licensed clinical psychologist and associate dean for research, and Dr. Warren, Rufus Harris Endowed Chair and director of the Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center of Excellence within MUSM.
“There is increasing evidence that COVID-19 is leading to a spike in mental health and substance use concerns,” said Dr. Smalley. “Not only are individuals facing the stress of living during and adjusting to a pandemic – including a level of social distancing unprecedented in modern times – but other stressors such as job loss and loss of access to services are also magnified.”
The pieces will focus on the ways in which telemental health can be used to support mental and behavioral health, how states can implement policies and other measures to protect mental and behavioral health, and what the anticipated impact of COVID-19 will be on mental health status throughout the country. Recommendations for state legislators and other leaders will be provided to help ensure response efforts are inclusive of mental and behavioral health needs.
“We may be in uncharted waters as a result of the pandemic, but there are still concrete steps that can be taken to protect the public’s mental health in addition to our physical health,” said Dr. Warren. “Our hope is that this project will help policymakers make informed decisions about supporting mental and behavioral health during this public health crisis.”
The Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities, an NIH Center of Excellence, is housed within the School of Medicine and is dedicated to implementing community-driven solutions to health disparity issues in rural areas of Georgia. Its mission is twofold: to partner with rural communities to engage in interdisciplinary research, training and community outreach designed to generate novel, community-driven methods for eliminating health disparities; and to provide data-driven policy recommendations to improve rural health issues. The Center operates a $6 million federal portfolio focused on maternal and infant mortality reduction, opioid overdose prevention and chronic disease self-management.