The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) seeks support for a Latino Research Program Project (LRPP) which will conduct research also to improve the mental health care for Latino populations. The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) is poised to take a leadership role by pulling together three island research units (successful in psychiatric epidemiology, mental health services, and clinical interventions) with investigators in five partner research sites (San Antonio, Galveston, Los Angeles, San Diego, and New Jersey). The LRPP is conceptually oriented by the Socio-cultural Framework for Mental Health Effectiveness Research, which incorporates the overarching influence of culture in the process and outcomes of mental health care. The four proposed pilot projects will provide critical data required to propel state-of-the-art RO1 research proposals to NIMH. The LRPP proposes the following specific aims: 1) Establish an administrative structure that builds a synergistic core of researchers through shared resources, leadership, and expertise from the island and mainland; 2) Provide a structure for methodological and statistical support to assist in our proposed pilot and exploratory work, as well as to develop appropriate analytic protocols for future research; 3) Formulate and conduct an interdisciplinary mental health services research program with particular emphasis on: Development and Adaptation of Culturally Sensitive Outcome Measures; Entry and Retention of Latinos in Mental Health Services; Effectiveness of Interventions for the Treatment of Depression; and the Impact of Managed Care on Latino's Access to Care; 4) Develop a mentorship program without walls for junior investigators; and 5) Disseminate the product of these research efforts to inform policy decisions and practice, to contribute to stakeholders' knowledge, as well as to encourage future research in Latino communities. The LRPP can constitute an effective mechanism to further research that will allow us to understand the problems faced by Latinos in obtaining quality mental health care. Our goal is to have the LRPP evolve into a national research for research and policy development regarding mental health services for Latinos.
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