A Grand Challenges Grant supported project led by Prof. Ali Hurtado in the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health is building a unique community collaboration to support youth mental health in Honduras.
Since the launch of the project in Spring 2023, Dr. Hurtado and his research team have continued to strengthen their partnership with the Organization for Community Health Outreach (OCHO-Honduras). Earlier this year, the team completed the mental health program adaptation and trained public school teachers and leaders to foster youth mental well-being.
Most recently, the team delivered ongoing technical assistance on a monthly basis to teachers in partnership with ADASBA, a local mental health provider, and a family education session for parents and caregivers.
“These sessions have been crucial in understanding the needs and experiences of educators in the field,” said Hurtado.
The team is preparing to collect youth data to guide the multi-level component of the project.
Dr. Hurtado and his team members will showcase their work at upcoming academic conferences, including Public Health (APHA) and Family Relations (NCFR), in collaboration with their partners in Honduras, who are traveling to co-present. The team is also in discussions with foundations and funding organizations to explore opportunities to scale up their project.
For more information about this Grand Challenges project, visit: https://research.umd.edu/honduras-health