• Global Mental Health Impact Story of the Week
• Upcoming Mental Health Related Webinars
• New Job Opportunities

Genes, Equity, and the Biggest Neuropsychiatric Genetics Study in Africa, Part Two

Over the next few weeks, GMH@Harvard will be featuring a five-part series on the largest mental health genetics study in Africa and the project’s corresponding training initiatives. The study and training efforts are a collaboration between scientists in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Boston at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute. The series explores issues of equity, ethics, building the next generation of psychiatric geneticists, and what it takes to recruit more than 35,000 people. See the second video installation below:

"Helping Adolescents Thrive"
Tuesday November 17th 5:30pm-6:30pm EST

Global Dinner Series Sponsored by: The Global & Local Center for Mental Health Disparities at Boston Medical Center & BU School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital's Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, and Boston College School of Social Work

Speaker: 
Batool Fatima, DrPH
Technical Officer (Brain Health Unit)
Department of Mental Health and Substance Use
World Health Organization

Dr. Batool Fatima is a Clinical Psychologist and Public Health Professional. She completed her DrPH from the Boston University School of Public Health on a Fulbright Scholarship. Currently she is working as a Technical Officer on the Brain Health Unit in the Department of Mental Health and Substance Use at the World Health Organization Headquarters at Geneva. Her doctoral work investigated facilitators and barriers to mental health care for women with depression in Karachi, Pakistan. She has extensive experience in community mental health including community-based interventions for maternal, adolescent and child mental health.
 

"How Did I Get Here?": Careers in Mental Health
Wednesday November 18th 9am - 10:30am ET 

Hosted by: GMH@Harvard Initiative 

We are excited for our third panel webinar series to highlight and learn from the career paths of individuals who have been successful in diverse aspects of global mental health work. These seminars will seek to connect students and interested individuals to professionals in the field by understanding their career paths and how their passion and experiences led them to pursue a career in global mental health. It also serves to encourage individuals to find their own path in the global mental health community.

The structure will be a facilitated panel discussion of three individuals who will be asked questions about their experience and advice they have for students and early career professionals. There will also be time for audience questions and discussion.

Learn more about our upcoming speakers and register here! 

 

Indigenous Populations and Mental Health 
Wednesday November 18th 11:00am ET 

Hosted by: HSPH Population Mental Health Forum Series
Email Rebecca Basaldua, Project Coordinator, HSPH for more information

 

Connecting the Dots - Free Film Screening
A Global Conversation about Youth Mental Health 
A Film by Noemi Weis
Presented by Filmblanc

Thursday November 19th 3pm-5pm EST 

#RaiseYourHand
Meet the speakers leading the roundtable discussion after the screening: 

Shamiri: Supporting Youth Mental Health in Kenya via Scalable Low-Stigma Intervention 
Friday November 20th 9am - 10am ET 

Hosted by: GMH@Harvard Initiative 

Depression and anxiety make up an estimated 45% of the global burden of disease for young people, and both are associated with many negative life outcomes. This burden falls disproportionately on low-income countries, such as Kenya, where a high percentage of youths report clinically elevated symptoms of depression or anxiety. However, these young people rarely receive treatment due to a dearth of mental health providers, elevated stigma related to mental illness, and low availability of government funding for mental health care. Additionally, most evidence-based treatments are lengthy, costly, and may not be culturally appropriate. 

Over the last few years, our research team—beginning with the Harvard Lab for Youth Mental Health and extending to creation of the Shamiri Institute (see below)—has developed and evaluated a simple, positively-focused, scalable, and school-based intervention called Shamiri (“thrive” in Kiswahili) for adolescents in Kenya. Shamiri consists of three strengths-focused modules (growth mindset, gratitude, and value affirmation) that can be delivered in-person in four one-hour sessions or digitally in one one-hour session. The in-person sessions are led by trained high-school graduates (ages 18-to-24) with no previous training in mental health or psychology. Our multisite randomized controlled trials have shown that Shamiri reduces depression and anxiety, improves grades, and enhances relationships in Kenyan youths. Our intervention development approach, which involves multicultural teamwork and collaboration, provides a template that may warrant testing in other settings where limited resources, mental illness stigma, or a shortage of professionals limits access to mental health care. 

Register here! 

McLean Hospital Mental health Webinars

November 20th 2020 @ 12pm ET
Simple Ways to Improve Sleep Hygiene

Friday Morning Seminar in Culture, Psychiatry, and Global Mental Health
10am - 12pm EDT
For more information and a link to connect email Sadeq Rahimi
        
November 20th 2020 
Aalyia Feroz Ali Sadruddin, PhD 
Aging After Genocide:  Meaning and Mortality in Rwanda

Mental Health For All Webinar Series 
Tuesdays 9am -10am ET 
In April 2020, The Lancet Psychiatry, Mental Health Innovation Network, MHPSS.net and United for Global Mental Health launched a webinar series designed to provide policy makers and the wider health community with the latest evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and how to address it. Since then, we have seen increased interest in global mental health more generally and so have expanded the topics covered by the webinars beyond just COVID-19. 

Questions can be submitted in advance by email. The sessions are recorded, and summary notes produced. 

NOVEMBER 24 2020 - Mental Health For All with International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership 

DECEMBER 1 2020 - Mental Health Research with International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders

Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness - Monthly Seminar Series
Wednesdays 1:00pm - 1:50pm ET 
The monthly seminars bring faculty and researchers to the Center to discuss topics that further explore the linkages between happiness and health. This year the focus is on health equity and positive well-being. 

DECEMBER 2 2020 - Dr. Cheryl Giscombé

JANUARY 27 2021 - Dr. Ashley Whillans

FEBRUARY 24 2021 - George Ward, M.Sc.

Free Daily Live - Online Mindfulness Sessions 

In light of COVID-19, our Center for Mindfulness and Compassion is offering free guided daily online practices. These practices are secular and open to all. Over 20 teachers are offering sessions in mindful movement; bringing kindness to our stress, anxiety, grief and fear; supporting care giving during this difficult time, and expressing appreciation and love for each other. We look forward to you joining us!
See the Schedule, as well as more specialized offerings, here. 

Re-Defining Care: Lessons from India (and my mother) 

November 21st 2020 5:00-6:00pm IST 
Hosted by: Ashoka Distinguished Policy Speaker Series 

Register Here! 

Thrown Under The Bus - Reimagining Youth Mental Health in the Pandemic Era 

November 26th 2020 10am ET
Hosted by: University of Oslo - Per Fugelli Lecture 2020

Professor Vikram Patel will address three major themes in this lecture:  the high and rising burden of mental health problems in young people; the social determinants of mental health problems in young people and  how these have been impacted by the Covid pandemic and other structural factors; and how global health innovations in low-resource settings can help reimagine the response in all countries.

Information Session on the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Population Mental Health - HSPH students only 

December 8th 2020 1-2pm ET 

Join Dr. Karestan Koenen for an information session! The goal of this interdisciplinary concentration is to increase expertise in mental disorders among public health professionals. Students who complete this interdisciplinary concentration will be prepared to articulate the U.S. and global public health impact of mental disorders and obtain critical skills that will enable them to conduct important work, in both research and practice, aimed at understanding the causes and consequences of mental disorders as well as reducing their public health burden.
 
Students from any academic department at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are eligible to complete this concentration

Connect via zoom!  For more information email Zach Schwartz. 
 

Positions based outside the US

Addictions and Mental Health Research Fellow
Sangath (India) is looking to hire an early to mid-career researcher with expertise in qualitative and/or quantitative research to support the research projects and activities of the Addictions Research Group. Visit www.sangath.in/work-with-us for details or write to us at careers@sangath.in. Deadline: 30th November 2020, 5 PM IST.

Research Fellow in Global Mental Health
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a world-leading centre for research and postgraduate education in public and global health. In partnership with the King’s College Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, LSHTM operates an international centre of excellence in global mental health research, the Centre for Global Mental Health (CGMH). SUCCEED Africa (SUpport, Comprehensive Care and EmpowErment for people with psychosocial disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa) is a new health research consortium led by CGMH and LSHTM’s International Centre for Evidence in Disability. SUCCEED aims to fundamentally change how research on psychosocial disabilities is conducted in global mental health, with an emphasis on co-production and South-South partnership.

Assistant Professor – Psychology (Quantitative)
The Department of Psychology, Carleton University (Canada) invites applications from qualified candidates for a tenure-track appointment in the area of Quantitative Psychology at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning July 1, 2021.

US based positions

Research and Administrative Assistant - Harvard Medical School 
The Research Assistant will be responsible for performing a variety of research and clerical duties supporting the DGHSM faculty members (Dr. Vikram Patel and Dr. John Naslund) who lead the Mental Health For All Lab. The individual will report directly to the faculty supervisor and will report on day-to-day processes to the Mental Health For All Lab Coordinator, who will assist with providing general instructions, setting work priorities, and providing oversight of tasks. All members of the lab work collaboratively on a variety of projects.

Mental Health Specialist - McLean Hospital 
Particular emphasis on Bipolar/Schizophrenia. Under direction of the Registered Nurse, the MHS provides direct patient care and participates in therapeutic milieu. Successful candidate will provide accurate and timely documentation of AFS, progress notes, and observation sheets.

Postdoctoral Position - Washington University 
One-year appointment, with potential for second year. For postdocs from underrepresented backgrounds with an interest in health disparities research - specifically global mental health within resource-constrained settings. 

Intensive Summer Program - LEAD Global Training Program
10 weeks - June 1- August 6. For early career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds with an interest in health disparities research - specifically global mental health within resource-constrained settings. Advanced doctoral students (MD, PhD, or equivalent) or early career investigators. From a group disadvantaged or underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical & social science research

Senior Research Administrator - Harvard Medical School
We are seeking a Senior Research Administrator who will provide administrative and financial support for research-related activities in the Department of Neurobiology. 

Substance Use Prevention Program Coordinator
Bay State Community Services. Facilitates a comprehensive needs assessments process, develops a Strategic Plan, and collaborates with community partners to implement prevention strategies and efforts Provides coordination and support to all aspects of both the Massachusetts Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative (MOAPC) and the Substance Abuse Prevention Collaborative (SAPC) grant programs and future prevention grants depending on changes to funding