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The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research

Social Solutions and Services Research

Center for Research on Cultural & Structural Equity in Behavioral Health
Social Solutions and Services Research

Center for Research on Cultural & Structural Equity in Behavioral Health (C-CASE)

 
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Helen-Maria Lekas, Ph.D.
CCASE co-Director

In November 2007, NKI received funding from the NYS Office of Mental Health to establish a Center of Excellence in Culturally Competent Mental Health. Under new leadership in November 2015, the Center was renamed the Center for Research on Cultural & Structural Equity in Behavioral Health (C-CASE). This name change signals a refinement of our mission, which recognizes that psychiatric/behavioral health care has been segregated from primary medical care since its inception. Our desire is now to create whole person primary health care, which carries with it a greater emphasis on social determinants and processes.

C-CASE faculty have created an educational video addressing systemic racism and strategies to counter it. Our Racist America is a 'call to action' video presentation that discusses: (1) white privilege; (2) individual-institutional-structural racism against Black Americans; (3) historical and present-day racism embedded in law enforcement; and (4) the economic, social, physical, and emotional harm these tactics have caused Black people in America, spanning centuries. View it here.

Health Habitus Motivational Interviewing Training

A primary principle of High Fidelity Wraparound is to work with youth and families with awareness of various cultural and structural influences. In conjunction with the Peer Participation in Wraparound learnings, Health Habitus Integration (HHI) is a method of understanding the lived experiences of youth and families through a lens of cultural and structural humility. In this training, we combine the HHI method with Motivational Interviewing (MI). This novel Health Habitus Motivational Interviewing (HHMI) communication approach offers Peer Advocates additional skills to support youth and families to achieve their goals using MI strategies informed by cultural and structural determinants.

Areas of Activity
  • "Health habitus" integration - a new approach to "cultural competency"
  • Innovative spaces and strategies: pharmacy opioid treatment and mental health services
  • Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training evaluation for police: impact on social determinants
  • Intervening to prevent stigma and suicide in Korean Americans
  • Tracking disparities in suicide and overdose: statewide data linked to social determinants
  • Community re-entry and integration for patients discharged from a state-operated hospital
  • Enhanced intensive outpatient program evaluation: multilevel behavioral health model
Our Products
  • Anti-Racist Tools & Strategies
  • Diversity & Disparity Reports
  • Assessments & Toolkits
  • Cultural & Structural Humility Curriculum
2020 Disparities Research Awards