Amplifying Voices and Building Bridges: NIMH Symposium Calls for Action Towards an Inclusive Path Forward
• Institute Update • 75th anniversary
Gordon’s remarks opened the symposium “75th Anniversary: Amplifying Voices and Building Bridges: Toward a More Inclusive Future,” which was held at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. and streamed online on March 18 2024. Part of a year-long celebration that included a trio of themed symposiums and other events, this symposium focused on inclusion in research, health disparities and access to care, and diversity in the force mental health work.
“As an institute, we have much to be proud of, but we must also reflect on our failures, particularly those related to racism and discrimination,” Dr. Gordon said. “Understanding the past and present will allow us to continue deconstructing systemic racism within biomedical research and pave the way toward a better future.”
The symposium brought together researchers, people living with mental illness, clinicians and communities to reflect on opportunities to engage people in mental health research in meaningful and equitable ways. The symposium opened with remarks from NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli, MD, and Gordon, followed by a keynote address from Ruth Shim, MD, MPH Luke Grace Kim Professor of Cultural Psychiatry and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Davis.
In her talk, Dr. Shim detailed the complicated and checkered history of mental health care and research in the United States, from the conditions of early institutions to the structural forces that harm people within Black communities. and other minorities. She also discussed systemic issues, concepts of oppression, and the importance of moving from focusing solely on equality to prioritizing equity and justice, using community-based approaches that center the experience of oppressed and minoritized communities and individuals with lived experiences of mental illness. . .
“Maya Angelou said, ‘History, despite its heartbreaking pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, it need not be lived again.’ That is our hope as we think about NIMH in the future: we have the courage to not repeat the mistakes of the past,” said Dr. Shim.
The keynote address was followed by several panels, including:
- Engage partner perspectives in researchpresenting Loretta Sweet Jemmott, Ph.D., MSN, RN, FAAN , Rinad Beidas, Ph.D. and Carlos Laurrari, JD, MPA, MSN and moderated by Joel Sherrill, Ph.D., deputy director of the Division of Intervention Services and Research at NIMH.
- Inclusion in access to care/health disparitiespresenting Jessica Goodkind, Ph.D. , Benjamin Le Cook, Ph.D. and Sidney Hankerson, MD, MBA and moderated by Christina PC Borba, Ph.D., MPH, director of NIMH’s Office of Workforce Disparities and Diversity Research.
- Cultivate inclusion in the mental health research workforcepresenting Gina Poe, Ph.D. , Cynthia Rogers, MD , Fátima Sáncheznieto, Ph.D. and César Escobar-Viera, MD, Ph.D. , and moderated by Janet Clark, Ph.D., director of fellowship training in the NIMH intramural research program.
These talks focus on navigating and removing barriers to inclusion and advancement in mental health research and treatment. Speakers advocated for cultivating diversity and empowering early-career researchers. They also discussed the importance of centering the participation, experiences and values of marginalized people through community engagement, amplifying voices and leveraging lived experiences to address disparities and achieve equity in the delivery of mental health care.
Altha Stewart, MD , Senior Associate Dean for Community Health Engagement, Director of Public and Community Psychiatry, and Director of the Center for Youth Advocacy and Wellness at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, gave the closing remarks. Weaving stories from her experience as a Black psychiatrist, Dr. Stewart discussed historical context, the power of pivotal moments for change, and how to address future research and funding for health equity.
“We have made tremendous progress. There are things that have happened in the last decade that many of us would never have imagined,” Dr. Stewart said, although he acknowledged that there is still much work to be done.
“It was an incredibly insightful day, and we are so grateful to all of the speakers for sharing their time and experiences with us,” said Shelli Avenevoli, Ph.D., NIMH deputy director, in her closing remarks. “This symposium served as a commemoration and call to action for all of us to create a more inclusive future.”
Recordings of this symposium are available on the NIMH website and at its Youtube channel . For more information about NIMH’s 75th anniversary, visit www.nimh.nih.gov/75years.
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