Mission-Relevant Center Affiliates' Funding

Active External Grants

Leveraging AI and Machine Learning to Improve Cultural Preparedness of Mental Health Professionals

Dates of Award: 10/01/2024 – 07/31/2025
Role: N. Tonge, PI
Total award: $64,000

Saving Young Lives and Decreasing Health Disparities Through the Dissemination of Culturally Sensitive Evidence-Based Assessment to State-Funded Behavioral Health Organizations 

FY 2023 Congressional Directive Spending Projects

Sponsor: HHS/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Aims: (1) To train clinicians who serve diverse, low-income youth and families, and their clinical supervisors, in the use of measurement-based care to allow for regular administration of culturally sensitive evidence-based assessments to clients, and (2) help administrators effectively implement use of MBC across their organizations so that all clients may benefit from their use.

Dates of grant: 9/30/2023 – 9/29/2024

Total Costs: $943,983

Role: C. Esposito-Smythers, PI; K. Renshaw & A. Sanchez, N. Tonge, Co-Is.

Suicide & Substance Misuse Prevention for Veterans: Transdiagnostic Treatment Development & Pilot

Sponsor: Virginia Department of Veteran Services (VDS)

Aim: To develop and pilot test a transdiagnostic treatment for Veterans with suicidality, substance misuse, and other co-occurring mental health conditions.

Dates of grant: 8/25/2023 – 8/24/2024

Total Costs: $150,000

Role: K. Renshaw & C. Esposito-Smythers, MPIs.

A mixed-methods investigation of parental burden and adolescent service use following discharge from psychiatric hospitalization.

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship, (F31MH134462).

Aim: The purpose of this grant is to understand the bidirectional associations between parental burden and youth service use over time following discharge from psychiatric hospitalization. We will also examine how SES impacts the longitudinal relations between parental burden and youth service use. Finally, qualitative data will be used to compare the lived experiences of mothers with a recently psychiatrically hospitalized adolescent from high and low SES backgrounds, with a focus on perceptions of burden. With the support of a dedicated and experienced mentorship team, this research study and training plan will set the stage for the fellow’s long term research goal, which is to conduct culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and family-based treatment research.

Funding Organization: National Institute of Mental Health

Dates of grant: 8/19/23 – 8/18/25

Principal Investigator: Katherine Maultsby Harris, Ph.D.

Sponsor: Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Ph.D.

Co-Sponsors: David Goldston, Ph.D., Debora Goldberg, Ph.D., M.H.A., M.B.A.

Collaborators: Timothy Curby, Ph.D., Amanda Sanchez, Ph.D.

Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating an Innovative Community-Based intervention Combining Group-Based Exercise and Behavioral Health Skills-Training for Older Adults with Painful Knee Osteoarthritis 

R01 AG060992

Aim: The purpose of this grant is to evaluate a community-based intervention that combines a CDC-recommended physical exercise program with a group-based behavioral health program to improve physical activity among older adults with knee osteoarthritis. In this randomized controlled trial, older adults receive a combination of the physical exercise program and one of two group-based health programs: 1) A behavioral health program that based in cognitive-behavioral and motivational interviewing skills or 2) A health education program as an active control group.

Sponsor: National Institute on Aging

Dates of grant: 05/01/2019 – 04/30/2025

Total Direct Costs: $3,057,017 (total costs)

Role: K. Patel (University of Washington), PI; L. Adams, Co-I

Efficacy and Neurobiological Mechanisms of a Parenting-Focused Mindfulness Intervention to Prevent Adolescent Substance Use

R01DA052427

Aims: This study will test efficacy and bio-behavioral mechanisms of a parenting-focused mindfulness intervention in preventing adolescent substance use.

Sponsor: NIH/NIDA

Dates: 07/15/2021-05/31/2026

Total Funding: $3,100,000

Role: T. Chaplin (PI)

Detecting and Addressing Bulimia Nervosa in Adolescent Girls through Local Community Service Boards

1ASTWH220109-01-00

Aim: To adapte and disseminate an evidence-based transdiagnostic treatment for adolescents with Bulimia Nervosa.

Dates of grant: 10/1/2022 – 9/30/2025

Total Direct Costs: $889,886 (direct) / $1,361,563.00 (total)

Role: S. Fischer, PI; C. Esposito-Smythers & A. Sanchez, Co-Is

The Racial Equity Special Research Grant

Grant number: 202100291

Aim: Re-imagining Latinx adolescents’ academic success: How cultural assets and social relationships protect against the effects of discrimination

Sponsor: Spencer Foundation

Dates of grant: 8/1/21 - 7/31/24

Roles: T. Ha, PI; M. Hernandez, O. Kornienko, A. Rogers, Co-Is; 

Using Machine Learning to Improve Mental Health Screening for Racial/Ethnic Minorities

Grant Number: 1OT2OD032581-1-35

Aims: The first aim of this project are to use machine learning algorithms to predict mental health diagnosis based on social determinants of health, somatic health, and self-reported mental health among patients who are racial/ethnic minorities. The second aim is to examine model performance when self-report measures are excluded in order to determine whether the prediction model has positive predictive power using only routinely clinician-collected data (e.g., vitals, social determinants of health, demographics).

Dates of award: 09/1/2022 – 09/1/2023

Role: N. Tonge, PI.

Active External Contracts

Inova Kellar Center Clinical Research Service Contract

Aim: The purpose of this contract is to aid the Inova Kellar Center in the implementation of web-based routine outcomes monitoring, also known as measurement-based care (MBC), in collaboration with OWL (https://www.owl.health/), LLC. The Kellar Center provides behavioral health treatment to children, adolescents, and their families, and offers a full continuum of services including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, intensive home-based services, outpatient, medication management, psychiatric evaluations, psychological testing, and a therapeutic school. Use of MBC allows the Kellar Center to use client self-report data, collected via empirically validated assessments, to guide treatment and discharge planning, monitor client progress, evaluate the efficacy of all services, and address accreditation requirements. These data are also used to prepare research papers and provide pilot data for grant applications.

Sponsor: Inova Kellar Center

Dates of Contract: 6/7/16-6/6/23

Total Direct Costs: $559,409

Role: C. Esposito-Smythers, PI

Fairfax Consortium for Evidence-Based Practice

Aim: The purpose of this contract is to lead a training consortium, in partnership with Healthy Minds Fairfax and the Inova Kellar Center (Inova Healthcare System), for ongoing training in evidence-based interventions for youth and family serving behavioral health providers from local health and human service agencies, public schools, and private provider networks. Training and consultation are provided in interventions for suicidal behavior as well as mental health and substance use disorders. The consortium also evaluates training outcomes and provides implementation support. Data collected are also used to prepare research papers/presentations and provide pilot data for grant applications.

Sponsor: Healthy Minds Fairfax (Fairfax County Government)

Dates of Contract: 12/1/17-6/30/23

Total Costs: $876,579

Role: C. Esposito-Smythers, PI

Northern Virginia Regional Consortium for Evidence-Based Practice

Aim: The purpose of this contract is to establish and run a training consortium for ongoing training in evidence-based trauma treatments for children, adolescents, and adults. Training and consultation are provided to behavioral health providers from Community Service Boards in Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Loudon County, and Prince William County. The consortium also evaluates training outcomes and provides implementation support. Data collected are also used to prepare research papers/presentations and provide pilot data for grant applications.

Sponsor: Northern Virginia Regional Management Group

Dates of Contract: 9/1/20-8/31/23

Total Costs: $703,071

Role: C. Esposito-Smythers, PI; K. Renshaw & S. Fischer, Co-Is

Michael Jenike Young Investigator Award, International OCD Foundation

Awarded $50,000 to support project titled, “Developing a Cultural Adaptation Toolkit to Increase Equity for Underserved Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders"

Sponsor: International OCD Foundation

Dates of Contract 9/1/2021-9/1/2023

Total Costs: $50,000

Role: A. Sanchez, PI

Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program

Aim: The Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program at George Mason University aims to deliver education and training activities to advance the overall safety, health, and well-being of a diverse population of nurses, social workers, public health practitioners and health care leaders practicing in rural and underserved communities. Our activities under this cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) include developing and delivering education and training programs to support the health and well-being of healthcare professionals and conducting research on the health workforce. We provide a number of training opportunities for healthcare professionals including Leading Thriving Organizations Certificate Program, Mental Health First Aid Certificate, and a Resilience Program for Frontline Healthcare Professionals.  We provide tuition waivers to students with major or minors in health-related fields for the GCH325: Stress and Well-Being Course at Mason. We also provide subject matter expert presentations at various conferences andworkshops on topics related to supporting the health and well-being of the healthcare workforce. Our work includes research on best approaches for education and training and organizational support for the healthcare workforce. 

Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA),

Dates of Contract: 1/1/22 - 12/1/24

Total Costs: $2,049,289

Role: Goldberg, D.G., PI

Prince William County AARPA Grant

Aim: Award to set up and run a Spanish Emotional Support Line and provide BRIEF intervention to Spanish speaking residents.

Sponsor: Prince William County 

Total Direct costs: $300,000

Dates: 5/1/22 - 12/1/24

Role: R. Mehlenbeck, PI

Active Internal Grants/Contracts

Mason Provost Office Grant

Aim: Funding obtained to expend the Stepped Care Model of Behavioral Health to all Mason students, faculty, staff and contractors.  Interdepartmental funding awarded, direct costs to be administered through the GMU Center for Psychological Services

Sponsor: George Mason University

Dates: 10/1/21 - 10/1/26

Role: R. Mehlenbeck, PI