MIRECC / CoE

Highlights from Our Anchor Sites

Our affiliates in Houston, Little Rock, and New Orleans work hard to promote mental health education, research, and treatment locally and nationally. Here are some highlights of their accomplishments over the past three months.

Houston

Affiliates Receive Promotions

Congratulations to Drs. Lilian Dindo and Gina Evans for receiving promotions at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Dindo was promoted to Associate Professor in the BCM Department of Medicine. Dr. Evans was promoted to Associate Professor in the BCM Department of Psychiatry.

 

Dr. Terri Fletcher Receives Research Award

Congratulations to Dr. Fletcher for receiving the 2020 Early Career IQuEST Faculty Research Award in January.

 

Houston Shows Off Sign at Temporary Offices

The SC MIRECC Directors, Drs. Mark Kunik and Michael Kauth, were thrilled to show off a sign for the Houston anchor site’s temporary offices as they await the completion of a building renovation.

 

Little Rock

Affiliates Celebrate Scientific Writers Month

Researchers at the Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research, Behavioral Health QUERI, and SC MIRECC held their second annual Scientific Writers Month in March. The event helped affiliated researchers and research staff focus on writing-related activities to boost productivity and rekindle their passion for writing. Presentations and activities were hosted throughout the month to support this goal.

 

Associate Director for Education Visits Little Rock for Grand Rounds

Dr. Ali Asghar-Ali visited the Little Rock anchor site while presenting at UAMS Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Dr. Asghar-Ali met with Little Rock SC MIRECC staff and Dr. Kimberly Garner with the VISN 16 Mental Health Product Line.

 

New Orleans

Dr. Amanda Raines Received Career Development Award

Congratulations to Dr. Amanda Raines for receiving the first Clinical Science Research and Development (CSR&D) Career Development Award since 2004 at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System (SLVHCS). Her project “Examination of a Safety Aid Reduction Protocol for Treatment Resistant PTSD among Veterans,” is designed to adapt and extend an existing group-based anxiety protocol for use among Veterans with PTSD. The intervention will then be evaluated in a randomized control trial. This project has the potential to benefit Veterans individually and the VA as a whole. In particular, the use of group-based empirically supported treatments may represent a cost-effective and efficient way to increase access to quality care within the VA by allowing a diverse group of Veterans to receive treatment within the same clinical hour.

 

New Booklet Connecting Veterans with VHA Homeless Programs Released

Dr. Gala True and her colleagues released a graphic medicine booklet to help Veterans understand the VHA Homelessness Screening Clinical Reminder assessment and what to expect afterwards. Connecting with VHA Homeless Programs illustrates the journey of two Veterans experiencing housing instability and connecting with resources through VHA Homeless Programs. The booklet highlights resources that are available across all VHA facilities. It includes an implementation guide and can be customized to include local contact information. The booklet and implementation guide can be downloaded at the VHA Homeless Veterans Outreach Tools webpage under “medical booklets.”

Download Booklet & Guide

 

Last updated: April 20, 2020