Global Mental Health Research
Mental illnesses are a global concern and are among the most common causes of disability. The Global Mental Health Team, which consists of multidisciplinary staff members from NIMH's intramural and extramural research programs, was established to help inform and shape NIMH goals and priorities on global mental health research.
The team focuses on expanding research in low-resource settings internationally, in order to expand preventive strategies and address mental health care that is often inadequate and inaccessible. The Global Mental Health Team works to support the mission of the NIMH Center for Global Mental Health Research (CGMHR).
Global Mental Health Team Working Groups
The Global Mental Health Team has three working groups tasked with helping achieve team goals establishing team research priorities.
The goal of the Strategic Engagement Working Group is to promote and elevate GMH research priorities through (a) coordinated information sharing within NIMH to expand awareness of GMH research issues and opportunities; (b) strategic planning that helps identify, prioritize, and implement NIMH’s global mental health research goals and objectives; and (c) knowledge exchanges that increase learning opportunities, allow for diverse perspectives, and foster relationships within the internal and external GMH research community.
The goal of the Reciprocal Learning working group is to communicate the importance of multidirectional exchange, adaptation, and implementation of advancements in global mental health research. In particular, the group aims to identify methods, approaches, and interventions that have been or could be effectively adapted in new settings, including strategies for optimal implementation.
The goal of the capacity building working group is to gauge and develop projects and initiatives that enable the performance of high-quality mental health research and practice, with particular interest in supporting researchers and practitioners in low- and middle-income countries. This group aims to develop, leverage, and disseminate resources and opportunities to overcome the challenges to building research capacity in LMICs in an equitable manner. Key areas of interest include strengthening a sustainable and equitable research training pipeline, fostering effective mentorship, supporting institutional research capacity, and encouraging the development of equitable partnerships and collaborations that facilitate the translation of mental health research to practice more broadly.
Highlighted Meetings and Events
Featured Funding Opportunity Announcements
- Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) in Reducing Suicide Risk in Young People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and Low-Resource Settings
- Request for Information (RFI): Gaps and Opportunities in Global Mental Health Research
- Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Suicide Prevention Across the Life Span in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)
Global Mental Health News and Events
Center for Global Mental Health Research
Learn more about NIMH's Center for Global Mental Health Research.
Research Highlights
Explore research advances and ongoing research on global mental health supported by or conducted at NIMH.
Science News
Find NIMH science news related to global mental health.
Team Leads
Collene Lawhorn, Ph.D.
COVID Mental Health Impact Lead, Division of Translational Research
Email: collene.lawhorn@nih.gov
Leonardo Cubillos, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Center for Global Mental Health Research
Email: leonardo.cubillos@nih.gov
Meet the Team
Global Mental Health team members attending a meeting with guest speaker, Devora Kestel, MSc from the World Health Organization.
Abera Wouhib, Ph.D. participating in a site visit in Ethiopia Africa.
NIMH staff and researchers from Washington University on the Makerere University Campus, Kampala Uganda.
Andrea Horvath Marques, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, receiving the Science and Technology Prize of the Embassy of Brazil.
Collene Lawhorn, Ph.D. participating in a site visit in Masaka Uganda.
Leonardo Cubillos, M.D., M.P.H. alongside the NIMH Director and NIMH staff visiting the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre’s Tangerine Community Health Centre in Bangkok, Thailand
Holly Campbell-Rosen, Ph.D. of NIMH along with MPIs, team members, and community health workers visit the Suicide Prevention & Implementation Research Initiative (SPIRIT) Scale-up Hub study site in Mehsana, Gujarat.
Global mental health team members attending a monthly team meeting via zoom.