Mental Health

Potomac Health Foundation grant will support expanded community mental health services in Prince William County

Colleen Rich — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 17:14:21 +0000

Potomac Health Foundation grant will support expanded community mental health services in Prince William County Colleen Rich Mon, 09/08/2025 - 13:14

As executive director of the Human Services Alliance of Greater Prince William, Martina Jackson Green said many of the needs the nonprofit organization addressed coming out of the pandemic were immediate.

Robyn Mehlenbeck (right) is director of the Center for Community Mental Health. Photo provided

The association provided funding to community organizations and individuals who helped Prince William County residents with paying their rent or resolving food insecurities. While mental health services received some aid, Jackson Green said it has become a priority that residents have access to affordable options.

�鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Community Mental Health (CCMH) aims to fill that need. Recently, the CCMH received a grant from the Potomac Health Foundation that will directly support its Stepped Mental Health Care Program.

“Funding for the center is important because there are so many people in the community who need quality care at a rate they can afford,” Jackson Green said. “This center provides accessible care that meets community members where they are. Language, cost, and transportation are often barriers to service. This program has accounted for those barriers. I think the center meets the needs of our community in a lot of ways.”

The three-stepped program from CCMH offers evidenced-based mental health care and provides a free, confidential emotional support line seven days a week with clinicians fluent in Spanish and English. The second step provides skills-based therapy for adults, with a three-session telehealth intervention, which is free for Prince William County residents (along with veterans and George �鶹��Ƶ students, faculty, staff or contractors). Finally, longer-term therapy is available upon referral to children, teenagers, and adults on a sliding pay scale.

In addition to funding services for Prince William County residents, the Potomac Health Foundation grant will also support community outreach, including making presentations, connecting with community leaders, and developing a community advisory board.

“We understand mental health is a huge need in the community,” said Imani Amponsah, senior program officer for the Potomac Health Foundation. “We loved that it was in Spanish and English so that it was bilingual, which we think is very important for our community. Prince William County is home to such a diverse population—it serves a very important need in our community.”

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, more than 21% of all households in Prince William County reported Spanish as their primary language.

George �鶹��Ƶ psychology professor Robyn Mehlenbeck, who has served as the director of CCMH since 2010, said the emotional support line and the telehealth option is important for many of the center’s Spanish-speaking clients who are hesitant to leave their homes for safety reasons.

On the other side of the phone line and in therapeutic sessions are George �鶹��Ƶ undergraduate and graduate students providing services under the supervision of licensed faculty who are practicing, teaching, or conducting nationally funded research.

Mehlenbeck believes the special hands-on experience students receive by being immersed in the community, especially working with groups such as veterans, will hopefully spur them to pay it forward in the future.

“We have so many people who are so passionate about wanting to get experiences; it is just a win-win,” Mehlenbeck said. “They get real-life experience. So many of our George �鶹��Ƶ students want to give back to the community and we have a developmental trajectory. I think it is incredibly rewarding because I feel very strongly the more we train folks in communities, the more they are likely to give back later on.”

Clinical psychology PhD candidate Patricia Mejia already appears to be on that track. Meijia, who also received her master’s degree from George �鶹��Ƶ, has spent the past three years working at the center in a variety of roles. She is currently the supervisor for the Spanish emotional support line, has served as a student clinician for adults and children in therapeutic sessions, provided psychological assessments, and conducted qualitative interviews for her research.

Mejia says the center has opened her eyes to possibly pursue a career similar to Mehlenbeck’s where she is teaching in higher education while also overseeing a center devoted to community mental health. “Given that I want to wear numerous hats, the clinic really does provide a great training opportunity either for those who know what they want to do and want to get training, or it is a good space for finding yourself,” Mejia said. “Truly, it is a very enriching experience and, importantly, we are able to work with really great community [members] and see the impact we are making on a day-to-day basis.”

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How resilience, caring, and lived experience created a social worker

Mary Cunningham — Thu, 08 May 2025 20:05:41 +0000

How resilience, caring, and lived experience created a social worker Mary Cunningham Thu, 05/08/2025 - 16:05

Before she ever considered social work as a profession, Rocío Rodríguez Morales was already an advocate for her family, starting at a young age.

Growing up in Southern California as the oldest of five in a Mexican American home, Rodríguez acted as her family’s unofficial translator and guide—managing doctor’s appointments, school meetings, and social services. “I was doing things most children don’t have to do,” she said.

Rocio Rodríguez, MSW '25. Photo by Madalyn Julianna

In high school, Rodríguez’s parents encouraged her to seek out support through the federally funded TRIO program, a college access initiative run through local universities that helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “They said, 'I don’t know how to teach you about financial aid, so go ask the lady you see every Saturday.'"

The program opened doors for her to tour college campuses, spend summers in dorms, and get help with tutoring and admissions.

Rodríguez became the first in her family to attend college, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, then a master's in education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Her background led her to roles assisting military families and helping students navigate college and financial aid. But in 2020, when she took a job as a case manager for Exodus Recovery—a California nonprofit serving veterans, Medicaid patients, and people facing housing instability—her path came into focus. “I called my parents and said, ‘I found a job doing what I’ve always done: helping people,’” she said.

The team surrounding her, meanwhile, was packed with social workers. "All of them kept telling me, 'You should become a social worker, too. Just do it.'"

“That was my community”

When life as a Marine Corps spouse uprooted her young family cross country to Virginia, Rodríguez enrolled in the online Master of Social Work (MSW) program at �鶹��Ƶ. By that point, it was clear that the formal degree wasn’t just an option—it was a necessity. “Doors for jobs kept closing because I didn’t have my MSW,” she said. “And I needed a career I could carry with me, wherever life took us.”

She began her degree during one of the most tumultuous periods of her life in 2022. Isolated from loved ones out West and newly pregnant with her third child, she was helping her husband recover from an injury that led to his medical retirement while also coping with her mother’s immigration challenges. “It was a very vulnerable time,” she said.

Rodríguez reached out to George �鶹��Ƶ faculty for support—not knowing exactly what she needed, just knowing she couldn’t do it alone. “I finally sent that email saying, ‘I need help,’” she says—and in return she found empathy, flexibility, and guidance toward resources.

The �鶹��Ƶ Community-Academic Partnerships in Behavioral Health (CAP-BH) Program in the Department of Social Work’s became her anchor, providing a $10,000 stipend, training in trauma-informed care and telehealth, and virtual reality-based therapy simulations. She found herself part of a close-knit cohort of about 30 peers.

“That was my community,” Rodríguez said.

Behind the scenes, her husband was a steady source of support. “There were days I’d rush from dropping off the kids straight into a Zoom class, and my husband would be sliding a coffee or plate of food next to me," she said.

Making it official

As Rodríguez worked toward her degree, her career in Virginia expanded. She first led the education arm of a foster care company for unaccompanied children at Adore Children and Family Services, then started conducting foster parent home studies. Since August 2023, she has served as program director for Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area’s (LSSNCA) specialized foster care program, helping place unaccompanied refugee minors in safe and supportive homes.

She’s seen the impact firsthand, like with the young man in her program who’s now pursuing a college degree, supporting his recently resettled family, and taking on a “big brother role” to the new kids at LSSNCA. “He shares what worked for him with others,” she said. “That’s exactly what we want.”

Rodríguez will officially become a social worker on May 15, the day she graduates from George �鶹��Ƶ. The same week, she will take the podium as the College of Public Health’s student degree celebration speaker.

From there, she’ll begin logging 3,000 clinical hours, part of her long-term goal to one day open her own practice. “There’s so much stigma around mental health, especially in the communities I care about,” she said. “I want to build a practice that feels safe for military families and Spanish-speaking families."

Rodríguez is even nudging her husband to consider joining her in the field. “I keep telling him, ‘You’ve been my partner through all of this—you’d make a great social worker, too,’” she said.

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Professor, students travel to Rwanda for peace-building mission

Shayla Brown — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:14:32 +0000

Professor, students travel to Rwanda for peace-building mission Shayla Brown Wed, 04/16/2025 - 10:14

This spring, �鶹��Ƶ Professor Al Fuertes traveled to Rwanda to facilitate workshops for former victims and perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan mass genocide.

“These are people who have extended forgiveness and reconciliation, something many of us might think is surreal or impossible,” said Fuertes, who teaches in the School of Integrative Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “But this is proof that even against the backdrop of genocide, it’s possible.”

Al Fuertes (bottom center) at a peace-building workshop in Rwanda. Photo provided.

Fuertes, who has a background in conflict analysis and resolution and specializes in trauma healing, has previously traveled to Rwanda in March and November 2024, and has taken students with him on some of his excursions as part of a study-abroad program for which he is the faculty director.

His most recent trip was in collaboration with the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Protestant University of Rwanda (PUR) located in Huye District. Fuertes also connected and collaborated with the grassroots organization, "Light Group" in Remera, and the Aegis Trust, a program component of the Rwanda Genocidal Memorial.

Al Fuertes conducting a peace-building workshop. Photo provided.

“It's a different level of learning when students have the opportunity to meet firsthand those who were involved or impacted and are now sharing their stories,” said Fuertes.

“It is an extremely freeing and life-changing thing for students to experience, especially those who don't necessarily believe in forgiveness or who struggle to forgive.”

Each semester, Fuertes hosts a panel presentation of Rwandan survivors as part of the learning activities in my graduate courses CONF 695 Praxis of Forgiveness and Reconciliation amid Polarization and CONF 695 Psychosocial Trauma Healing. This spring semester’s panel resulted in increased participation from George �鶹��Ƶ students.

“Knowing that one of the challenges to reconciliation in Rwanda is poverty, students from my trauma-informed and resilience-oriented practice class decided to donate 15 goats to families of both former perpetrators and former victims, now survivors,” said Fuertes.

Dianne Rambo, BIS in Peacebuilding and Well-Being Studies ’24, has been a federal contractor in the intelligence world for more than 20 years. She came back to George �鶹��Ƶ to study the process of healing childhood trauma in adults in hopes of becoming a mental health counselor.

“I took [CONF 695 the Praxis of Forgiveness and Reconciliation] with Al, and the course material and experiential learning have really changed the course of my life and career goals,” said Rambo, who met Fuertes at an online workshop for forgiveness and reconciliation.

Rambo, who is currently a non-degree graduate student in George �鶹��Ƶ’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and part of George �鶹��Ƶ's Working Group on Forgiveness and Reconciliation along with Fuertes, traveled to Rwanda with Fuertes for the 14-day winter study-abroad program focusing on genocide, healing, and reconciliation.

A healing circle. Photo by Al Fuertes.

“I met the Rwandans via Zoom panels while in Al’s class. We learned about their stories and it just blew my mind how they were facilitating this reconciliation as a nation and how it transformed their nation from this mass atrocity that happened just a couple decades ago,” said Rambo, who has also traveled to Northern Ireland, Scandanavia, and the Philippines for peace-building missions.

“Our program partners facilitated visits to the genocide memorials, and we were able to build a space that felt safe and comfortable. We'd debrief afterward where you can share the intense feelings that you may have experienced. We're seeing really hard things, but we're able to process our emotions,” said Rambo.

Rambo has been accepted into George �鶹��Ƶ's CEHD Counseling degree program and will begin the cohort program this fall.

Rambo, Fuertes, and their program partners also have participants journal and conduct community-building activities.

“I thought of bringing healing through peace-building because it's not enough just to resolve the conflict,” said Fuertes. “If victimization is not healed, most likely, people may start embracing the victim narrative and eventually become the new perpetrator.”

In This Story

Al Fuertes

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Meet the �鶹��Ƶ Nation: Nandini Koka

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 17:37:27 +0000

Meet the �鶹��Ƶ Nation: Nandini Koka Lauren Reuscher Wed, 11/20/2024 - 12:37

Nandini Koka, MD

Job: Executive Director, Student Health Services

Dr. Nandini Koka, executive director of Student Health Services at �鶹��Ƶ. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Nandini Koka joined �鶹��Ƶ in April 2023 as executive director of Student Health Services, where she leads a staff of nearly 50 that includes doctors, nurse practitioners, counselors, and nurses. As a medical doctor with training in family medicine and urgent care, she is passionate about helping patients get better quickly and enhancing access to care.

At the largest and fastest-growing public research university in Virginia, Koka has found a place where the need for that care continues to grow.

The doctor is in: In her role, Koka provides direction and leadership for Student Health Services to ensure students receive quality clinical care. She also serves as a medical advisor and resource to campus leaders on health-related matters. In a post-pandemic world, where many aspects of health care remain an urgent community need, her input is essential across George �鶹��Ƶ’s campuses.

Helping the student body: Koka knows that learning is not confined to the classroom, and some of the biggest lessons can address a fundamental part of students’ lives: their health.

“I am excited to work at George �鶹��Ƶ because of the opportunity to care for a diverse student population,” said Koka. “I want to help guide students as they become advocates for their own health and create goals to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Appointments on the books: Last year, Student Health Services had 16,500 student interactions—this includes in-person and telehealth visits, lab work, and nurse triage interactions across the Fairfax, �鶹��Ƶ Square, and Science and Technology campuses.

Koka knows this number could go even higher. One of her primary goals is to increase awareness of the health services available to students.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is creating awareness around Student Health Services and the fact that we are a full-service medical clinic,” said Koka.

Addressing the body and mind: “We continue to see the need for mental health care as a challenge in the community,” said Koka. “Student Health Services has a unique approach to behavioral health, as we utilize a collaborative care model.”

Dr. Koka leads a staff of nearly 50 that includes doctors, nurse practitioners, counselors, and nurses. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

In this model, medical providers partner with behavioral health counselors to co-manage the care of students. Koka says that this team approach has given students more touchpoints with clinicians and provides a more holistic care model.

Additionally, all patients who visit Student Health Services are given a mental health screening at their first visit, and once a year thereafter. Primary care providers are a key point to identify concerns related to mental health.

Finding ways to make it cost-free: Sexual and reproductive care is another critical area of need at Student Health Services. “We have partnered with a community organization to provide free sexually transmitted infection (STI) services to students throughout the semester,” said Koka. “We continue to look for ways to expand access to services for our students.”

Fostering a supportive community: A dynamic campus community is what brought Koka to higher education. “I have been able to interact with our students and see their excitement about being here at George �鶹��Ƶ and wanting to be a part of this community,” said Koka.

Rest as part of health: Outside of work, Koka enjoys spending time with her family. “Our two daughters keep us busy with soccer and dance, and we have fun going to the games and watching the performances,” said Koka. To relax, she might go for a run, play with her dog, or try out new recipes.

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College of Public Health receives NIH grant to pilot AI chatbot for African Americans with depression

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 17:03:05 +0000

College of Public Health receives NIH grant to pilot AI chatbot for African Americans with depression Mary Cunningham Mon, 06/10/2024 - 13:03

In This Story

Farrokh Alemi, PhD

Janusz Wojtusiak, PhD

Kevin Lybarger

As a leader in innovative health solutions, �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) AIM-AHEAD program grant to pilot an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for Black and African Americans with depression. Professor Farrokh Alemi will enhance his first-of-its-kind, evidence-based artificial intelligence tool to address the medication needs of African Americans with depression.

Professor of Health Informatics Farrokh Alemi

The existing AI tool recommends antidepressants for 16,775 general-population patient subgroups, each representing a unique combination of medical history. For each of these subgroups, the current project will analyze the effectiveness and appropriateness of the recommendations for African Americans, using the NIH All of Us database and existing published literature.

To the researchers' knowledge, this is the first research focused on developing and evaluating an antidepressant recommendation system for Black and African American people.

“Antidepressant medications are a first-line treatment for depression; however, a majority of depressed patients do not experience improvement with their first antidepressant. Additionally, minority populations, including Black and African Americans, are not well represented in antidepressant studies, contributing to reduced antidepressant effectiveness in these populations,” said Alemi. “There is a significant need to synthesize available evidence regarding antidepressant effectiveness and provide personalized treatment recommendations, and this project addresses a major gap in the management of Black and African Americans with depression.”

Researchers will develop a Knowledge-enhanced Antidepressant Recommendation Dialogue System (KARDS), which will engage users in a back-and-forth conversation to acquire the patient information needed to identify the appropriate antidepressant medication. The AI will provide the patient with a list of recommended medications, list of the relevant studies, and an explanation for the medication decisions. The system will automatically send the patient’s clinician a brief point-of-care recommendation and explanation, with an option to examine a complete record of the conversation and the supporting evidence.

“Chatbots—or patient-facing dialogue systems like the one we will create—hold transformative potential for the health care sector and are increasingly prominent in psychiatric applications, predominantly through therapy-bot implementations,” said Alemi. “Our chatbot will help improve the detailed, time-consuming, medical history intake process, and provide point-of-care summary and prescription recommendations to the patients’ clinicians. The chatbot will make patients more comfortable because the natural language modality provides an intuitive, empathetic, stigma-free interface.”

Once the AI chatbot is developed, the team will test the dialogue system with Black and African American patients to evaluate system functionality and user preferences. Additionally, the project will train a Black or African American doctoral or master’s student in AI, expanding the available workforce and building the community’s capacity to address AI.

Alemi will lead the research team, which includes Janusz Wojtusiak, a George �鶹��Ƶ professor of Health Informatics and the director of the Machine Learning and Inference Laboratory, and Kevin Lybarger, a George �鶹��Ƶ assistant professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology in the College of Engineering and Computing. All three members have collaborated previously to diagnose COVID at home from presenting symptoms.

The $70,906 grant is part of the NIH’s AIM-AHEAD (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity) program, which aims “to establish mutually beneficial and coordinated partnerships to increase the participation and representation of researchers and communities currently underrepresented in the development of AI/machine learning models and enhance the capabilities of this emerging technology, beginning with electronic health record data.”

Innovate for Good is an ongoing series that examines how George �鶹��Ƶ faculty in the College of Public Health are harnessing technology to improve health outcomes.

If you have stories to share as part of the Innovate for Good series, email Mary Cunningham at mcunni7@gmu.edu.

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George �鶹��Ƶ researchers harness the power of artificial intelligence to match patients with the most effective antidepressant for their unique needs

Mary Cunningham — Wed, 29 May 2024 19:46:58 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ researchers harness the power of artificial intelligence to match patients with the most effective antidepressant for their unique needs Mary Cunningham Wed, 05/29/2024 - 15:46

Researchers in �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health have leveraged the power of artificial intelligence (AI) analytical models to match a patient’s medical history to the most effective antidepressant, allowing patients to find symptom relief sooner. The free website, MeAgainMeds.com, provides evidence-based recommendations, allowing clinicians and patients to find the optimal antidepressant the first time.

Farrokh Alemi, principal investigator and professor of health informatics at �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health

“Many people with depression must try multiple antidepressants before finding the right one that alleviates their symptoms. Our website reduces the number of medications that patients are asked to try. The system recommends to the patient what has worked for at least 100 other patients with the same exact relevant medical history,” said Farrokh Alemi, principal investigator and professor of health informatics at �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Public Health.

AI helped to simplify the very complex task of making the thousands of guidelines easily accessible to patients and clinicians. The guidelines that researchers created are complicated because of the amount of clinical information that is relevant in prescribing an antidepressant; AI seamlessly simplifies the task.

With AI at its core, MeAgainMeds.com analyzes clinician or patient responses to a few anonymous medical history questions to determine which oral antidepressant would best meet the specific needs. The website does not ask for any personal identifiable information and it does not prescribe medication changes. Patients are advised to visit their primary health care provider for any changes in medication.

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control reported that more than 13% of adults use antidepressants, and the number has only increased since the pandemic and other epidemics since 2020. This website could help millions of people find relief more quickly.

Alemi and his team analyzed 3,678,082 patients who took 10,221,145 antidepressants. The oral antidepressants analyzed were amitriptyline, bupropion, citalopram, desvenlafaxine, doxepin, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, mirtazapine, nortriptyline, paroxetine, sertraline, trazodone, and venlafaxine. From the data, they created 16,770 subgroups of at least 100 cases, using reactions to prior antidepressants, current medication, history of physical illness, history of mental illness, key procedures, and other information. The subgroups and remission rates drive the AI to produce an evidence-based medication recommendation.

“By matching patients to the subgroups, clinicians can prescribe the medication that works best for people with similar medical history,” said Alemi. The researchers and website recommend that patients who use the site take the information to their clinicians, who will ultimately decide whether to prescribe the recommended medicine.

Alemi and his team tested a protype version of the site in 2023, which they advertised on social media. At that time, 1,500 patients used the website. Their goal is to improve the website and expand its user base. The initial research was funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia and by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The researchers’ most recent paper in a series of papers on response to antidepressants analyzed 2,467 subgroups of patients who had received psychotherapy. “Effectiveness of Antidepressants in Combination with Psychotherapy” was published online in March 2024. Additional authors include Tulay G Soylu from Temple University, and Mary Cannon and Conor McCandless from Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland.

In This Story

Farrokh Alemi, PhD

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At the barbershop, it’s OK not to be OK

mthomp7 — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 17:14:29 +0000

At the barbershop, it’s OK not to be OK mthomp7 Fri, 03/22/2024 - 13:14

Destigmatizing mental health support and normalizing therapy in the Black community, one barbershop at a time

�鶹��Ƶ alumnus Gary T. Taylor, MSW '15, is destigmatizing mental health support and normalizing therapy in the Black community one barbershop at a time. “Barbershops are this safe space for Black men,” says Taylor who has been working with local barbershops in the Rappahannock region of Virginia since 2022 to foster healthy discussions about mental health by educating barbers on “mental health first aid” for their patrons.

“This is where men may go to talk through things, have big debates, talk about sports. Barbershops are an important part of culture for us as Black men—just like salons are for Black women,” says Taylor. Given the trusted role that barbers often play in Black men’s lives—it seemed like a natural place to Taylor for reaching men about mental health.

Taylor has found that barbershop talks play an important role in normalizing talking about issues and going to therapy. The talks can help point participants in the right direction to get therapy resources or find substance abuse resources.

Working in partnership with the Rappahannock Area Community Service Board, Taylor realized he could bring his crisis therapy experience into the community through “barbershop talks”—informal group discussions with the barber, the shop patrons, and a trained social worker.

“Most of the time when you talk to barbers, they'll tell you they're almost de facto therapists and social workers,” says Taylor, “They're listening to their clients’ problems and maybe don’t know about resources available to help. So we wanted to equip the barbers to know what the necessary resources are just in case somebody comes in and it's a crisis or they're really struggling and they don't know where to go.”

It helps reduce stigma by normalizing that it's OK to not be OK. Therapy doesn’t mean I'm crazy or something's wrong with me,” he says.

Taylor relays to participants that seeking mental health support is just like taking your car in for an oil change to make sure it keeps running properly.

“With the rise of substance abuse and overdoses, the barbers or the folks that are coming to these barbershop talks now are getting Narcan training too. And I think that's the strengths-based approach to meet the community where they're at,” said Taylor.

To date, Taylor has completed more than five barbershop talks in the Rappahannock region and is working with female colleagues to begin salon talks this spring.

“It’s important that people who share lived experiences are leading these sessions, so the participants can relate and see themselves in the facilitator,” says Taylor. "I can speak to that direct cultural experiences of Black men and then also bring in my skill set, my knowledge, my experience, my education to help provide that education and awareness

An assistant professor at Virginia State University, Taylor is also passionate about “passing the baton” to the next generation by getting more Black people—particularly Black men—into the social work profession to meet the growing demand.

“The suicide rate for young Black men has been increasing over the past 5 to 10 years, starting from ages 9 and 10 up to the mid-20s. We’re seeing similar challenges for Black girls too. So, there is a growing need for diversity in the social work profession. That cultural awareness piece for the Black community and having more Black social workers, Black practitioners, Black Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), it's very, very, very important as we progress in the field.”

Learn more about Taylor's work

Gary Taylor spoke to the College of Public Health about his mission is to “pass the baton” to the next generation of social workers.

Discover what it is like to have a career is social work >

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Meet the �鶹��Ƶ Nation: Rachel Wernicke, associate dean and chief mental health officer

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:53:28 +0000

Meet the �鶹��Ƶ Nation: Rachel Wernicke, associate dean and chief mental health officer Lauren Reuscher Wed, 02/21/2024 - 09:53

Rachel Wernicke

Job: Associate Dean and Chief Mental Health Officer, University Life

Rachel Wernicke has worked as an Army officer, psychologist, therapist, and coach. In 2019, she moved into her current role: associate dean and chief mental health officer at �鶹��Ƶ.

Rachel Wernicke, associate dean and chief mental health officer at �鶹��Ƶ. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

At that time, University Life at �鶹��Ƶ created the role of chief mental health officer to address student mental health from a more strategic, public health approach. This decision happened at a critical moment, just before the world entered the greatest mental health challenge of a generation: a global pandemic.

A group effort: “We continue to see significant need for mental health support in students, faculty, and staff,” Wernicke said. “Supporting mental health takes a whole campus effort, with the engagement of our entire �鶹��Ƶ community and a commitment to creating a culture and providing the programs and services that sustain mental health and well-being.”

According to Wernicke, nearly every role on campus is connected to this work, “even if on the surface it may not seem so,” she said.

Supporting the troops: Wernicke’s time as an Army captain influenced her decision to become a psychologist. “A core Army leadership practice focuses on caring for people,” Wernicke said. “Learning how to do this when I served as an Army officer led me to study psychology and become a therapist.” The leadership lessons she learned in the Army continue to shape her leadership style today.

Passion for education: As a therapist in training, Wernicke had the opportunity to work in college mental health, and she loved working with students. “Although I’ve practiced in hospitals and other settings, I kept returning to higher education over the years,” Wernicke said.

Wernicke serves as cochair of �鶹��Ƶ’s Mental Health and Well-Being Task Force. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Mental health as the second pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic brought increased attention to the need for expanded mental health care. As a result, �鶹��Ƶ has adapted and expanded its mental health services for students.

“Both Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Student Health Services (SHS) had to shift their services to meet the needs of students during the pandemic,” Wernicke said. “The most critical shift was to offer telemental health services for students.”

Answering the call: The number of students seeking mental health services is rising, both at �鶹��Ƶ and nationally, continuing a trend that was underway before the pandemic. From 2010 to 2020, the total number of students served by �鶹��Ƶ’s CAPS increased by 55%. The growing demand for services hasn’t stopped.

“As of January 2024, just over halfway through our fiscal year, CAPS has supported more than 1,100 students,” Wernicke said. “This compares to 1,254 students served during the entirety of the previous fiscal year.”

Multiple avenues for care: SHS also provides mental health care to students. “SHS provides universal screening for depression and substance use concerns to all students being seen by a health care provider,” Wernicke said. “Any student who screens positive for these concerns is offered treatment.”

In the 2023 fiscal year, SHS had 725 behavioral health interactions with students, a 266% increase from the prior year.

�鶹��Ƶ launched a partnership with a telemental health vendor, TimelyCare, in fall 2022. This care option reaches students wherever they are located, at whatever time is convenient for them. Through TimelyCare, students may access free mental health services 24/7, 365 days a year. As of January 2024, TimelyCare has provided mental health services to 1,518 �鶹��Ƶ students since its launch.

Planning for the future: �鶹��Ƶ continues to evolve its approach to supporting mental health. Wernicke serves as cochair of �鶹��Ƶ’s Mental Health and Well-Being Task Force with Nance Lucas, executive director of �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being.

“We are working to raise awareness of the resources available to our community and to make recommendations for programs, policies, practices, and services that will support a culture of mental health and well-being at �鶹��Ƶ,” Wernicke said.

The task force includes students, faculty, and staff from across the university. “The charge is both aspirational and practical, focusing on creating a systems approach to mental health and well-being at �鶹��Ƶ,” Wernicke said.

Putting ideas into action: This year, their goals are to identify a �鶹��Ƶ model of mental health and well-being, recommend ways that well-being and mental health services can be expanded, enhance the inclusiveness of these programs and services, and increase community awareness of what is already available. The Patriots Thriving Together hub has been created as a starting point for �鶹��Ƶ students and employees to find resources.

Finding joy: Practicing what she preaches, Wernicke finds ways to support her own well-being. “I have three kids—they’re in college, high school, and middle school—so keeping up with their activities and staying connected with them is a priority,” Wernicke said. “Music is a major source of well-being for me and something I enjoy with my family.” She also finds joy and relaxation by exercising, running, spending time with friends, and cooking.

Support from all around: Wernicke says she thrives at �鶹��Ƶ because of the people around her. “I’m lucky to be able to work with some of the most talented and committed clinicians, educators, and advocates in CAPS, SHS, and Disability Services,” Wernicke said. “I appreciate being able to work with people from across the university who are committed to student health and well-being.”

Mental health and well-being resources at �鶹��Ƶ:

Patriots Thriving Together
Counseling and Psychological Services: 703-993-2380
Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC): SSAC Support Request
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor
TimelyCare
�鶹��Ƶ's Center for Community Mental Health

Watch Wernicke’s Tedx Talk, “Mental Health in the New Normal: Shaping Our COVID Stories,” for more insights about the pandemic’s impact on mental health and well-being.

Watch Wernicke's Tedx Talk

Mental Health and Well-Being Resources at �鶹��Ƶ

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�鶹��Ƶ opens new behavioral health facility in Fairfax

Colleen Rich — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 18:28:23 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ opens new behavioral health facility in Fairfax Colleen Rich Fri, 10/27/2023 - 14:28

On Friday, Oct. 27, �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Department of Psychology hosted a grand opening of its new facility for the Center for Community Mental Health and Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health, two centers whose research and community services are deeply connected to strengthening our communities.

From left, Keith Renshaw, Fairfax Mayor Catherine Read, center director Robyn Mehlenbeck, and Dean Ann Ardis. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The new City of Fairfax location at 9900 Main Street is optimally located to enable community members’ easy access to critical mental health services, while also providing space to advance research and train the next generation of behavioral health providers.

The Center for Community Mental Health serves as the main training clinic for �鶹��Ƶ doctoral candidates in clinical psychology, as well as students in other behavioral health disciplines such as counseling and social work. The center provides state-of-the-art, accessible, affordable, and culturally sensitive therapy and testing services to those in need, regardless of income. It is one of the only sites in the mid-Atlantic to offer therapies and testing on a sliding scale, which enables access to care for as low as $5 per session. The center sees children as young as age 5, and works with community members across the lifespan, including addressing the mental health needs of veterans.

“At the Center for Community Mental Health, we firmly believe that mental health services should be available to everyone, regardless of ability to pay,” said Robyn Mehlenbeck, the center’s director. “We also believe you should receive help when you need it and not be told you’ll need to wait three or four months.”

To meet community need, the center has expanded staffing for its emotional support lines to 12 hours a day every day in both English and Spanish, Mehlenback said. Three session skills treatment plans are also available with little to no waitlist, as a bridge to longer term services, she added.

Last year, the Center for Community Mental Health provided more than 2,100 therapy sessions, completed 118 evaluations and more than 315 evaluation sessions, and helped train 77 undergraduates and 57 graduate students—all with a commitment to the community.

�鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health is committed to decreasing barriers to accessing high-quality mental health care. Serving as a critical bridge between research on the best therapies and real-life applications, it offers training and consultation to the community’s behavioral health workforce in culturally responsive, research-based, behavioral health treatments. The Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health has trained approximately 430 clinicians and clinical supervisors, who represent eight local county-based organizations and 38 private behavioral health organizations, over the last year alone.

“The Center for Evidence-Based Behavioral Health brings together �鶹��Ƶ faculty, with different areas of expertise, to partner with and train behavioral health providers in research-based therapies,” said Christy Esposito-Smythers, CEBBH Director. “This helps our current workforce address gaps in training, learn new treatment techniques, and further enhance their ability to effectively treat clients with a variety of behavioral health concerns.”

“Mental health and behavioral health are health care. We need to change the conversation to remove both the stigma and the barriers to these critical services,” said City of Fairfax Mayor and �鶹��Ƶ alum Catherine Read. “�鶹��Ƶ is taking a leadership role in developing a model for quality affordable mental health services while training the next generation of mental health care providers. Fairfax City is the beneficiary of this groundbreaking effort to invest in the holistic well-being of an entire community. We are fortunate in our proximity and partnership with �鶹��Ƶ.”

“The behavioral health needs in our community are acute, as are the behavioral health workforce development needs in the region,” said Ann Ardis, College of Humanities and Social Sciences dean. “This new facility will provide �鶹��Ƶ faculty and students with a state-of-the-art environment in which to pursue research-to-practice activities in service to our communities.”

The Center for Community Mental Health’s Emotional Help Line provides free, anonymous, confidential support in both English (703-215-1898) and Spanish (703-914-3878). The line is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

See what �鶹��Ƶ is doing for Community Mental Health

Delve into Behavioral Health Research

New resources on mental health and student accommodations now available

Pam Shepherd — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:55:04 +0000

New resources on mental health and student accommodations now available Pam Shepherd Fri, 10/20/2023 - 16:55

In This Story

Kenneth Walsh

Rose Pascarell, MA

Dear Colleagues:

We are writing to share two important resources that we hope you will read, use, and share.

Accessibility, wellness, and mental health for our faculty, staff, students, and community members are top priorities for �鶹��Ƶ. We are committed to educating the �鶹��Ƶ community about inclusivity, accessibility, and mental health; providing resources for faculty, staff, and students; and connecting those in need with clinical care. Community support for students with disabilities is core to �鶹��Ƶ’s values of including a multitude of people and respecting differences.

Today, we are making two important resources available:

Language Matters: This guide provides faculty, staff, and students with critical information to dispel myths about mental health and to address language that may create barriers to seeking help. You can view, and are encouraged to share, this one-page summary (this document includes a general one-page summary, a summary for students, and a summary for faculty).
Let's Help Our Students: Access, Equity, and Inclusion for Students with Disabilities: This guide outlines for faculty and staff how to work with students who need accommodations by providing guidelines, key terms, laws and policies, examples, and resources to
help with inclusion and the breaking down of barriers. This also has a one-page summary.

Both guides are offered in support of Patriots Thriving Together – the �鶹��Ƶ-wide initiative to improve the mental health of our community by 1) Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment, 2) Delivering education and training 3) Nurturing community, 4) Using research and evidence-based practice, and 5) Delivering clinical care.

Using the “right words” to discuss mental health and mental illness, and stressing the importance of student accommodations, can help to prevent stigma and discrimination. As importantly, it can help us continue to build a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can succeed.

All the best.

Kenneth D. Walsh, PhD Rose Pascarell
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Vice President for University Life

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